Source: Science 317: 516-519
Article Type: Original Research
Authors: Outeiro et al.
As members of the histone deacetylase family of proteins, sirtuins play a prominent role in aging. Seven sirtuins, SIRT1 to SIRT7, have been identified in humans.
Most research on sirtuin-mediated modulation of life span focussed on the activation of sirtuins (especially SIRT1), e.g. via resveratrol, a stilbene present in red wine and other food plants.
In the July 27 issue of Science, Outeiro et al. now report on the rescue of alpha-synuclein-induced neurotoxicity in models (cell cuture and Drosophila m.) of Parkinson’s disease (PD) due to inactivation of SIRT2. The mechanism of action might be due to 1) alterations in alpha-synuclein aggregation and 2) microtubule stabilization. Whether SIRT2 inactivation also directly affects life span, however, has not been addressed in this article. Those interested in this aspect might want to have a look at a recent paper published by Wang et al. (Aging Cell 6(4), 2007), where the authors descibe elevated SIRT2 expression in response to caloric restriction, a classical ‘inducer’ of longevity.

If you are looking for more information on PD, have a look at the PD Blog Network.

Image taken from: www.pdmdcenter.com