New protein has been discovered at the University of Copenhagen.
It can determine how long a person lives.
“The discovery allows us to understand longevity better,” says Zhiquan Li, one of the authors of the study.
Sleep, exercise and diet. There is an abundance of advice on how to live a good long life.
Now researchers at the University of Copenhagen have discovered a particular proteinknown as OSER1, which can have a major impact on lifespan.
“It is a protein found in various animals, such as fruit flies, silkworms, nematodes and in humans,” says Professor Lene Juel Rasmussen, one of the authors behind the new study.
Then the researchers discovered the protein
If you have a large presence of OSER1, it may indicate a longer lifespan. If you have a lower presence, it can mean a shorter lifespan.
The researchers discovered the protein when they studied a larger group of proteins and genes.
“We identified ten genes whose lifespan was affected by changing their expression,” says Zhiquan Li, another of the authors.
“We decided to focus on one of these genes that affected longevity the most, namely OSER1”.
Hope for new drugs
Now the researchers hope that OSER1 can generate new drugs for age-related diseases such as cardiovascular diseases.
“The discovery allows us to better understand the lifespan of humans,” says Zhiquan Li.