Northwestern University scientists have shown that elevated
levels of special protective proteins that respond to stress in
a cell (known as molecular chaperones) promote longevity. Acute
stress triggers a cascading reaction inside cells that results
in the repair or elimination of misfolded proteins, prolonging
life by preventing or delaying cell damage. The findings are
published online today (Dec. 10) by Molecular Biology of the
Cell, a publication of the American Society for Cell Biology.
The article will appear in print in the journal's February 2004
issue. "Sustained stress definitely is not good for you, but it
appears that an occasional burst of stress or low levels of
stress can be very protective," said Richard I. Morimoto, John
Evans Professor of Biology, who co-authored the paper with lead
author James F. Morley, a graduate student in Morimoto's lab.
"Brief exposure to environmental and physiological stress has
long-term benefits to the cell because it unleashes a great
number of molecular chapero