EPS8 protein links ageing to neurodegeneration

Researchers at the CECAD Cluster of Excellence for Ageing Research, led by Professor Dr David Vilchez, identified the protein EPS8 as a molecular switch that accumulates with age and activates signaling pathways promoting toxic protein clumping in the brain. In the nematode worm Caenorhabditis elegans, reducing EPS8 activity prevented protein buildup, protected nerve function, and preserved healthy ageing. Similar results were observed in human cell models of Huntington's disease and ALS. The study, titled 'The ageing factor EPS8 induces disease-related protein aggregation through RAC signaling hyperactivation,' was published in List of Nature Research journals. The findings provide a direct molecular link between ageing and neurodegeneration and suggest EPS8 and its signaling partners as potential targets for future therapies against age-related brain disorders.