The Journals of Gerontology Series A: Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences Advance Access originally published online on February 19, 2009
The Journals of Gerontology Series A: Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences 2009 64A(2):167-170; doi:10.1093/gerona/gln071
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This article appears in the following The Journals of Gerontology Series A: Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences issue: Special Issue: Biology of Aging Summit [View the issue table of contents]
Protein Homeostasis and Aging: Taking Care of Proteins From the Cradle to the Grave
1 Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, and Cell Biology, Rice Institute for Biomedical Research, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois
2 Department of Developmental and Molecular Biology, Institute for Aging Studies, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York
Address correspondence to Ana M. Cuervo, MD, PhD, Department of Developmental and Molecular Biology, Institute for Aging Studies, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461. Email: amcuervo{at}aecom.yu.edu
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All cells count on precise mechanisms that regulate protein homeostasis to maintain a stable and functional proteome. Alterations in these fine-tuned mechanisms underlie the pathogenesis of severe human diseases including, among others, common neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's or Parkinson's disease. A progressive deterioration in the ability of cells to preserve the stability of their proteome occurs with age, even in the absence of disease, and it likely contributes to different aspects of "normal" aging. A group of experts in different aspects of the biology of aging met recently to discuss the implications of altered protein homeostasis in aging, the current gaps in our understanding of the mechanisms responsible for proteome maintenance, and future opportunities for discovery in this area. We summarize here some of the key topics and main outcomes of the discussions.
Keywords Proteases; Chaperones; Protein folding; Protein degradation; Proteotoxicity; Cellular homeostasis
Received: December 9, 2008; Accepted: December 10, 2008