This month: Elongation of Very Long Chain Fatty Acids Protein 2
What on earth is that?
It’s the admittedly lengthy name of a protein-coding gene, which we will shorten to ELOVL2 for ease.
I’m assuming this has been in the news?
Yep. Scientists carrying out research on mice have identified the role that it plays in the ageing of the eye.
What did they find out?
An age-related decrease in ELOVL2 gene expression was associated with increased DNA methylation of its promoter.
What is methylation?
The process by which groups of carbon and hydrogen atoms are transferred from one substance to another. In the case of DNA, methylation of regulatory regions negatively impacts expression of the gene.
So what happened in the study?
When researchers reversed hypermethylation in vivo, they boosted ELOVL2 expression and rescued age-related decline in visual function in mice.
What does that mean?
It indicates that ELOVL2 actively regulates ageing in mouse retina and provides a molecular link between polyunsaturated fatty acids elongation and visual functions.
It suggests novel therapeutic strategies for treatment of age-related eye diseases.
Is this protein coding gene found in humans as well?
Yes, it is. And it regulates levels of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), a polyunsaturated omega-3 fatty acid abundantly found in the brain and retina. DHA is associated with a number of beneficial effects.
What happened next?
The lead author behind this work said: “I have been asked whether I think ELOVL2 is the ageing gene. After thinking about it, it is not unreasonable to think that lower ELOVL2 expression might be
the basis for many age-related conditions. Future work in our lab will address that question.”