Lysosome activation clears aggregates and enhances quiescent neural stem cell activation during aging

TLDR

Lysosomes maintain the youthful state of neuronal stem cells, and aging diminishes their regenerative capacity. The study isolated quiescent and activated neural stem cells from mice and compared their transcriptomes. Large lysosomes in quiescent neural stem cells accumulate protein aggregates, but stimulating lysosomal function clears these aggregates and restores the cells’ ability to activate, potentially improving proteostasis during aging. Leeman et al., Science, p.1277.

Abstract

Lysosomes keep neuronal stem cells young An important consequence of aging is loss of regenerative capacity in stem cells, particularly those of the nervous system. Leeman et al. isolated quiescent and activated stem cells from mice and compared their transcriptomes. The findings emphasize the role of large lysosomes in quiescent neuronal stem cells in which aggregated proteins accumulate. Treatments that stimulated lysosomal function allowed aged quiescent stem cells to clear protein aggregates and restored the cells' ability to be activated. Such restoration of stem cell function might alleviate compromised proteostasis in aging. Science , this issue p. 1277