Summary: Researchers discovered a biological “trash disposal” mechanism that directly controls how fast we age. While circular RNA has long been known to accumulate in cells as we get older, this study proves for the first time that this buildup isn’t just a side effect of aging—it actually causes it. By identifying the enzyme RNASEK, which degrades this aging-linked RNA, scientists have found a way to potentially reset the cellular clock.
Cells in our bodies produce RNA based on genetic information stored in DNA, and RNA serves as a blueprint for making proteins. Researchers at our university have discovered a new phenomenon: removing ‘circular RNA’ that accumulates in cells as we age can slow down aging and extend lifespan. This study provides crucial clues for uncovering the principles of aging and developing treatment strategies for related diseases.
Professor Seung-Jae V. Lee’s research team (RNA-Mediated Healthspan and Longevity Research Center) from the Department of Biological Sciences, in collaboration with research teams led by Professors Yoon Ki Kim and Gwangrog Lee, announced on the 18th that they discovered the RNASEK protein—an enzyme that degrades circular RNA—plays a vital role in slowing aging and extending lifespan.
Until now, circular RNA has been regarded mainly as an aging marker because of its stability, which allows it to accumulate over time. However, the molecular mechanism for removing this RNA and its direct link to aging had not been clearly identified. The research team conducted this study to determine how the accumulation of circular RNA affects aging and whether an intracellular management system exists to regulate it.
Using Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans), a short-lived roundworm widely used in aging research, the team first confirmed that the circular RNA-degrading enzyme RNASEK is essential for longevity. They also discovered that as aging progresses, the amount of RNASEK decreases, resulting in an abnormal accumulation of circular RNA within cells.
Conversely, artificially increasing the levels of RNASEK (overexpression) extended the lifespan and allowed the organisms to survive longer in a healthy state. This implies that the process of appropriately removing cellular circular RNA is critical for maintaining health and longevity.
The research team also found that RNASEK prevents the toxic aggregation of circular RNAs in aged organisms. . When RNASEK is deficient and circular RNA accumulates, “stress granules” form abnormally inside the cell, which can impair cellular functions and accelerate aging.
RNASEK works alongside the chaperone protein HSP90 (which helps proteins avoid misfolding or clumping) to inhibit the formation of these stress granules and help cells maintain a normal state. Notably, this phenomenon was observed not only in C. elegans but also in human cells. In mammals, RNASEK also functions to directly degrade circular RNA; a deficiency of RNASEK in human cells and mouse models led to premature aging.
The researchers explained that this study is significant as it identifies a mechanism for regulating aging at the RNA level. They suggested that research using RNASEK to control circular RNA could lead to the development of treatment strategies for human aging and degenerative diseases.
Professor Seung-Jae V. Lee of KAIST, who led the study, explained, “Until now, circular RNA was merely regarded as a marker of aging that accumulates over time due to its stability. This study proves that circular RNA accumulated during aging actually induces aging, and that RNASEK, which removes it, is a key regulator that slows aging and induces healthy longevity.”
Drs. Sieun S. Kim, Seokjin Ham, Sung Ho Boo, and Donghun Lee from the KAIST Department of Biological Sciences participated as joint first authors.
The research results were published on February 24 in the world-renowned scientific journal Molecular Cell.
Funding: This research was conducted with support from the Leader Researcher Program of the National Research Foundation of Korea.
News – Curated by Amanda Scott, Alias Group Creative
Follow her on Bluesky
Our books now available worldwide!
Online Sellers other than Amazon, Routledge, and IOPP Indigo Global Health Care Equivalency in the Age of Nanotechnology, Nanomedicine and Artifcial Intelligence Global Health Care Equivalency In The Age Of Nanotechnology, Nanomedicine And Artificial [...]
Unzipping the Code of Life: Scientists Pinpoint Where DNA First Opens
Researchers mapped where DNA first opens and how a helicase gate may release one strand as genome copying begins. Before a cell can divide, it must open its tightly wound DNA and begin copying the entire [...]
Scientists Tested an 8-Hour Eating Window and Found a Surprising Brain Benefit
Limiting the daily eating window may provide brain benefits beyond those associated with weight loss. Eating within a shorter daily window may provide cognitive benefits beyond those associated with weight loss alone, according to [...]
Focused Ultrasound Opens Blood-Brain Barrier to Treat Brain Cancer
Summary: A new study demonstrates that primary brain tumors (gliomas) are particularly receptive to targeted drug delivery using focused ultrasound (FUS) combined with microbubbles. The team developed a high-resolution MRI protocol to track blood-brain barrier [...]
AI’s promise and practical limits in drug discovery
AI tools are becoming increasingly common in early drug discovery, allowing scientists to analyse data and navigate large volumes of research. However, according to Dr Raminderpal Singh, turning that potential into consistent scientific workflows [...]
GHCE Concept
From the preface of the book Global Health Care Equivalency in the Age of Nanotechnology, Nanomedicine and Artificial Intelligence, Edited by Frank Boehm: Since the publication of my first book (Nanomedical Device and Systems [...]
Healthcare Headlines: Challenges and Advances in 2026
Health-related updates reveal financial adjustments by Universal Health Services due to Medicaid reimbursement uncertainties, significant pollution-linked health concerns from French-British oil firm Perenco in Congo, drug trial setbacks, potential restructuring at major medical firms, [...]
Scientists Discover the Brain Protein That Helps Alzheimer’s Spread Through the Brain
Scientists have identified a brain protein that may help Alzheimer’s spread, revealing a potential new target for slowing the disease’s progression. Alzheimer’s disease is closely linked to the accumulation of a toxic form of the protein [...]
How Immune Dysregulation Contributes to Psychiatric Disorders
Introduction Growing evidence suggests that disruptions in immune function may play an important role in the development and progression of psychiatric disorders. However, immune mechanisms probably contribute more strongly in some patients than others, [...]
Electrostatic Discharge Boosts Triboelectric Nanogenerator Current and Enables DC Output
Controlled electrical discharges could enable triboelectric nanogenerators to achieve higher peak currents, extending nano-enabled energy harvesting into chemical processing and self-powered sensing. Paper: Electrostatic discharge as a breakthrough strategy for triboelectric nanogenerators. A new review [...]
Swiss laboratory uses old drugs against rare diseases
Researchers at the University of Geneva are combing through collections of approved drugs to find new therapies for rare diseases – with some success. This approach is gaining traction around the world, while pharmaceutical [...]
Nanozyme Aptasensors Show Promise for Faster Food, Health, and Environmental Testing
By pairing robust artificial enzymes with highly selective aptamers, nanozyme aptasensors could help detect disease biomarkers, pathogens, and contaminants faster, but the review shows that real-world deployment still depends on overcoming matrix interference, biofouling, [...]
Paralyzed Man Feels Sensation Again With Brain Stimulation Device
Aneuroprosthetic system has allowed a man with paralysis to grasp and lift objects and feel touch again. The device helped 42-year-old Keith Thomas of Massapequa, New York, who was paralyzed from the chest down [...]
Global Cancer Cases Could Surge 67% by 2050, New Report Warns
New data reveal major geographic disparities and highlight the urgent need for global action on prevention, early detection, and equitable access to treatment. For roughly one in five people worldwide, cancer will become part [...]
A Deadly Ebola-Like Virus Is Spreading. Are We Ready?
BU virologist Nancy Sullivan says the Bundibugyo outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo underscores the need for broader outbreak preparedness. The death of a nurse marked the moment health officials recognized that [...]
Why Most Animal Viruses Never Become Human Pandemics
From receptor mismatch to risky human-animal interfaces, this article explains why spillover is common but true pandemic emergence remains rare. Introduction Humans are constantly exposed to animal viruses through farming, wildlife contact, and the [...]
