Humanin and Alzheimer's disease: The beginning of a new field.
Niikura. Takako T
Key Findings
- Humanin can act inside and outside cells to block cell‑death signals linked to Alzheimer’s disease
- It helps lower amyloid plaque buildup, a hallmark of Alzheimer’s
- It was discovered as a natural, mitochondrial‑derived peptide with broad protective effects
Practical Outcomes
- Humanin looks promising as a future brain‑health supplement, but there are no proven dosing guidelines or commercial products yet. For now, biohackers should treat it as a research target to watch rather than a ready‑to‑use protocol.
Summary
Humanin is a tiny protein made by our mitochondria that was first found in the brain of an Alzheimer’s patient and appears to protect brain cells from dying and reduce harmful amyloid plaques.
Abstract
Humanin (HN) is an endogenous peptide factor and known as a member of mitochondrial-derived peptides. We first found the gene encoding this novel 24-residue peptide in a brain of an Alzheimer's disease (AD) patient as an antagonizing factor against neuronal cell death induced by AD-associated insults. This review presents an overview of HN actions in AD-related conditions among its wide range of action spectrum as well as a brief history of the discovery. HN exhibits multiple intracellular and extracellular anti-cell death actions and antagonizes various AD-associated pathomechanisms including amyloid plaque accumulation. This review concisely reflects accumulated knowledge on HN since the discovery focusing on its functions related to AD pathogenesis and provides a perspective to its potential contribution in AD treatments.
Study Information
pubmed
2021
2021-10-07T00:00:00.000Z
10.1016/j.bbagen.2021.130024
27
67