Discovery of a key Gene in the Regulation of Brain Aging
January 15, 2009 –Published today in the renowned Journal of Neuroscience, a key study by Dr. Gilbert Bernier explains how the Bmi1 gene controls the normal and pathological aging process of neurons in the central nervous system.
Will scientists be able to someday stop the aging of the brain and retina, and prevent diseases such as age-related macular degeneration, Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s? The door has been thrown wide open.
Aging is the primary risk factor for degenerative diseases in the human central nervous system. Even though many research investigators have sought to gain a better understanding of the genetics and pathophysiology of these diseases, few studies have dealt with the basic molecular mechanisms that control neuronal aging.
“We have identified a mutation in mice that dramatically accelerates the aging process of the brain and the eye. Our findings reveal that the neurons in the retina and cerebral cortex require the Bmi1 gene to prevent the activation of senescence genes and the p53 gene pathway. In essence, we have established that the Bmi1 gene is a direct regulator of cellular aging in brain and retinal neurons of mammals,” says Dr. Bernier.
This important discovery offers great hope to people who live with degenerative diseases.
Dr. Bernier’s discovery received wide media coverage all around the world. Among other things, there has been an article in Le Devoir and a TV reportage on Radio-Canada (in French).
About the Study:
The study, entitled “The Polycomb Group Gene Bmi1 Regulates Antioxidant Defenses in Neurons by Repressing p53 Pro-Oxidant Activity,” was published in the January 14, 2009 edition of The Journal of Neuroscience; and is the work of Dr. Gilbert Bernier in collaboration with Wassim Chatoo, Mohammed Abdouh, Jocelyn David, Marie-Pier Champagne, José Ferreira and Francis Rodier of the Maisonneuve-Rosemont Hospital Research Centre.