A brain cell protein slows whole-body aging in mice

The protein is called fibroblast growth factor 13 (FGF13). It is produced in astrocytes, which are supportive cells in the brain. The researchers found that FGF13 levels decline in astrocytes as mice age. They observed similar patterns in macaque data.

Less FGF13 accelerates aging beyond the brain

When FGF13 was knocked out in the astrocytes of older mice, the animals declined rapidly. They performed worse on memory tests than age-matched controls. Effects were also visible outside the brain. The accumulation of senescent cells (cells that stop dividing but remain active) increased in the heart, skin, liver, spleen, and kidney. Levels of inflammatory molecules in the blood also rose. The researchers concluded that the brains of these mice were amplifying and transmitting aging signals to other tissues via the bloodstream.

Raising FGF13 protects other organs too

The researchers then did the reverse. They increased FGF13 specifically in the astrocytes of older mice. On memory tests, these mice performed similarly to young mice. On related spatial reasoning tests, they also scored significantly better than untreated old mice, though they did not quite reach the level of young mice.

The benefits were not confined to the brain. Inflammatory molecules in the blood, including IFN-γ and IL-6, dropped substantially. Senescent cell burden in the skin, liver, spleen, and kidney also decreased, though the effects were modest. No difference was found in the heart.

The study was published in the journal Aging Cell. These are mouse experiments; whether the same effects occur in humans has not been studied.

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