Researchers at the Buck Institute for Research on Aging have made a groundbreaking discovery about ketone bodies, which are produced by the liver when glucose is scarce. Instead of just providing energy for brain cells, ketones also play a crucial role in clearing away misfolded proteins that can accumulate and cause damage in aging and neurodegenerative diseases.
According to senior author John Newman, MD, PhD, ketone bodies interact directly with damaged and misfolded proteins, making them insoluble and allowing the cell’s waste disposal systems to remove them. This process is known as proteostasis, which involves regulating protein production, folding, and degradation in cells.
The research team found that β-hydroxybutyrate (BHB), a main ketone body produced during fasting or ketogenic diets, can bind directly to problematic proteins, changing their structure and marking them for removal. They demonstrated this effect both in isolated proteins and in living organisms, showing that ketone treatment could prevent the toxic effects of protein accumulation.
In a striking demonstration, the researchers restored movement in nematode worms engineered to produce human amyloid-beta, a protein that forms plaques in Alzheimer’s disease. The treated worms maintained their ability to swim, while untreated worms became paralyzed due to toxic protein accumulation.
The findings suggest that ketone bodies serve a dual purpose during periods of fasting or ketogenic dieting: they provide fuel for brain cells and trigger the cleanup of damaged proteins. This discovery provides crucial insight into why ketogenic diets and fasting may benefit brain health.
Source: https://scienceblog.com/549936/ketone-bodies-are-the-brains-natural-protein-cleanup-crew