A new study in mice has confirmed that a receptor in the membrane of red blood cells, which is known to promote release of oxygen from haemoglobin at high altitudes, may ‘mitigate cognitive decline and hearing loss associated with ageing by improving oxygen supply to tissues’.
US scientists at the University of Texas noted ageing is accompanied by a decrease in oxygen supply to tissues and suggested this ‘triggers immune changes that promote chronic inflammation’ – linked to almost all conditions of old age.
The researchers studied a receptor in the membrane of red blood cells known as A2B or ADORa2B and, in theory, a drug that ‘increases activity in this pathway could help combat age-related declines’ and provide ‘potential targets for new anti-ageing drugs’.
The study was published in PLOS Biology and lead researcher Dr Yang Xia told medicalnewstoday.com: ‘Our finding immediately highlights that enhancing O2 (oxygen) delivery mediated by ADORA2B signalling is likely a new rejuvenating approach.’ The scientists studied mice genetically engineered to lack ADORA2B in their red blood cell membranes.
The animals ‘appeared to age at a younger age than normal mice’, also experienced ‘steeper declines in their spatial learning, memory and hearing abilities’ and on a cellular level ‘showed signs of inflammaging, including increased production of pro-inflammatory cytokines (signalling molecules that encourage inflammation) Dr Xia summed up: ‘Our findings reveal the red blood cell ADORA2B signalling cascade combats early onset of age-related decline in cognition, memory and hearing by promoting oxygen delivery in mice – and immediately highlight multiple new rejuvenating targets.
‘We plan to validate our mouse finding i humans in the near future.’
