Researchers link a protein in red blood cells to cognitive function and aging

A new study has linked a protein found in the membranes of red blood cells to age-related cognitive decline. The research was conducted by scientists from the US and China. It was published in the open-access journal PLOS Biology in June 2021. While health inequalities persist, the global average life expectancy has nearly doubled since 1950. This has resulted in millions of older adults suffering from aging-associated diseases such as cognitive decline, heart disease, and diabetes. Age-related diseases affect the elderly’s ability to perform the activities of daily living, cause rising healthcare expenditure, and impose a heavy burden on modern society Research teams from different countries have been working to discover interventions that could help alleviate aging-associated deterioration. The research team in this study set out to determine whether aging in the brain might be affected by a protein on the membrane of red blood cells — adenosine receptor A2B (ADORA2B). ADORA2B is known to streamline the discharge of oxygen from blood cells so it can be used as needed in the body. The scientists depleted the protein ADORA2B from the blood of research mice and conducted tests to compare physiological and behavioral measures with normal mice. Interestingly, the team discovered that the doctored mice had faster declines in memory, increased brain inflammation, and delays in auditory processing. After experiencing a period of oxygen deprivation, young mice without ADORA2B showed more severe physiological and behavioral effects compared to normal young mice. The study led to the conclusion that cognitive decline naturally declines when ADORA2B is present. Further testing, however, is required to establish whether levels of this protein naturally decline with age and whether treatment with drugs that activate ADORA2B can help reduce cognitive decline in normal mice. “Red blood cells have an irreplaceable function to deliver oxygen to maintain bioenergetics of every single cell within our body. However, their function in age-related cognition and hearing function remains largely unknown. Our findings reveal that the red blood cell ADORA2B signaling 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,” said Dr. Yang Xia, a study author and a professor at the University of Texas Health Science Center Houston. The study provides a proof of concept on the beneficial role of ADORA2B in diminishing cognitive decline under oxygen deprivation and during the normal aging process in mice. However, that’s still a long way to go. There is no evidence that this could work in human beings, or how these findings could be translated into a practical anti-aging product yet.