![]() The quest for longevity and disease resistance has been a long-standing challenge for humanity. Their unique protein could provide a template for new anti-inflammatory drugs that could not only save lives but also extend them. ![]() In the fight against diseases like Covid and conditions such as heart disease and arthritis, bats could prove to be an unexpected ally. As scientists continue to investigate bats’ remarkable resilience to viruses, they are gaining insights that could transform our approach to human health and longevity. The current study does, however, underscore the incredible potential that nature holds for medical breakthroughs. To fully understand how this protein works and to harness its power for human health, extensive further research is necessary. The discovery of bat ASC2’s potential is just the beginning. Indeed, the road from promising laboratory findings to effective human therapies can be long and arduous. However, she tempered her praise with caution, adding, “While the findings of this study are intriguing, more work is needed to translate these findings into new therapies that can be used in people to reduce mortality from viruses or increase longevity.” Next steps for the researchers She told The Telegraph: “The researchers have proved the concept that bat ASC2 protein can target the part of the immune system responsible for inflammatory responses, and therefore reducing inflammation in cells in a petri dish and in mice.” Professor Gilda Tachedjian, head of Life Sciences at the Burnet Institute in Australia, acknowledged the significance of the study. The research findings have sparked interest among experts worldwide. This theory suggests the metabolically costly flight could be a key driver for this adaptation. In addition, the ASC2 protein ‘substantially inhibited’ the Zika virus in these genetically engineered mice.īoth humans and bats carry the ASC2 protein, but the researchers speculate that it may have evolved to be stronger in bats due to the immense physiological stress that comes with flight.īats, the only mammals capable of powered flight, may have developed a means to suppress their inflammatory immune response as a survival mechanism. Interestingly, mice carrying the ASC2 adaptation saw their death rate from a deadly flu virus drop dramatically from 100 percent to 50 percent. ![]() “We are hoping to develop a new class of anti-inflammatory drugs for inflammasome-driven human diseases.” “We have filed patents based on this work and are exploring commercial partnerships for drug discovery,” said Dr. Wang further explained that this discovery could lead to the development of new medicines that mimic ASC2, offering a potential treatment for various viruses that trigger an inflammatory response in humans. But the overall dampening of inflammation most likely plays a role in health aging in bats.” What the discovery means for human healthĭr. He cautioned: “It may not be the only factor, as biology is never as simple as one molecule or one pathway. Linfa Wang, a professor of emerging infectious diseases at Duke-NUS Medical School, spoke to The Telegraph about the potential of bat ASC2 in contributing to human longevity and reducing mortality from viruses. The protein works by dampening inflammasomes – the part of the immune system that drives inflammatory responses when infection strikes.ĭr. When tested on human cells, these cells became more resistant to disease, showing the ‘therapeutic potential’ of bat ASC2. The mice demonstrated the same defensive properties against inflammation as the bats, as reported in the study published in the journal Cell.įurther investigation into why bats excel at fending off viruses revealed more about the ASC2 protein. ![]() The scientists tested this protein’s effectiveness by genetically modifying mice to carry the ASC2 protein. In a statement, the research team explained, “Our results demonstrate an important mechanism by which bats limit excessive virus-induced and stress-related inflammation with implications for their long lifespan.” The research team is optimistic that it may one day be harnessed to save millions of human lives.īat ASC2 is a modified version of a protein that halts the inflammatory response in bats, providing them with their unique resistance to viruses. The protein, named bat ASC2, showed remarkable promise in genetically engineered mice. The study, conducted by researchers at Duke-NUS Medical School in Singapore, led to the discovery of a protein that forms the backbone of bats’ extraordinary immune defense. This intriguing fact has prompted scientists to take a closer look at these animals, hoping to uncover the secret behind their resistance to sickness, and see if it can be replicated in humans.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |