Insufficient content in the red blood cells of a protein responsible for the release of oxygen leads to a deterioration in cognitive abilities and premature aging. The results of the study are published in the magazine PLOS Biology.
According to scientists from the United States and China, it is the lack of oxygen that leads to aging and helps to reduce the cognitive functions and loss of hearing with age.
In the course of the experiments on mice, the researchers found that when the content of the Adora2B protein was reduced in the blood, the animals deteriorates memory and hearing, inflammation develops in the brain and accelerates aging. It is part of the erythrocyte membrane and helps to release oxygen from the blood. But with age, its content in the blood is significantly reduced. Scientists suggested that there is a direct connection between these factors.
As an experiment, the authors of the study brought mice, in the blood of which there is no Adora2B, and compared their behavior and physiology with animals from the control group. Animals were placed in the conditions of oxygen starvation, and it turned out that as the mouse agrees, in whose blood ADORA2B was not, faster and more visible to the cognitive abilities than animals from the control group. From this, the authors conclude that Adora2B protein regulates the receipt of an additional amount of oxygen into the brain in case of its disadvantage.
“Our results show that the ADORA2B red blood cascade, contributing to the delivery of oxygen into the brain, fights the early start of the age reduction of cognitive abilities, the deterioration of memory and hearing,” – said Dr. Ya Sia from the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Medical school McGovern Texas University.
The authors note that further research will be required to determine whether treatment can weaken the decrease in the cognitive features and prevent premature aging.