Protein Homeostasis and Aging

Taking Care of Proteins From the Cradle to the Grave

Morimoto, Richard I.
Cuervo, Ana M.

¹Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, and Cell Biology, Rice Institute for Biomedical Research, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois
²Department 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: [email protected]

Received December 9, 2008; Accepted December 10, 2008

Decision Editor: Huber R. Warner, PhD

Journals of Gerontology Series A: Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences 64A(2):p 167-170, February 2009.

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.