Like stress our body harms cells in cleansing delusions

The reaction patterns of stress-affected cells

Toxins, a deficiency of nutrients, an infection with viruses, heat, physical or mental overload - this and more puts the body in a state of stress. Even though the word stress is often used, few people know what exactly happens in the body when it is exposed to stressful situations. In such situations, the body starts an anti-stress program in the affected areas to help protect against stress-related damage. German researchers have recently taken a closer look at this process.

When cells in the body get stressed, they start certain processes and reaction patterns. Scientists from the Biocenter of the Julius-Maximilians-University Würzburg (JMU) were able to identify new details of these stress reactions. With the new findings, neurodegenerative and stress-related diseases could be better understood and more effective therapies developed, the researchers hope. The study results were recently published in the journal "Molecular Cell".

Cells need the time to clean up the stress-related disorder in the body. If they fail to do so, disease-causing mechanisms are at risk. (Image: REDPIXEL / fotolia.com)

What do cells do when they get stressed??

Frequently, the cells respond to stress by shutting down the regeneration of cellular proteins. This saves valuable resources that they can then use to more effectively repair cell damage. In addition, with the additional resources, they can survive better and longer under stress. Under the microscope, such a process can be observed. During stress, so-called stress granules become visible. These are the smallest parts of proteins and messenger RNAs that arise when cells stop their protein production.

After the stress begins the big cleanup

When the stress situation is clarified, the cells return to their normal state and resume their usual work. The numerous stress granules are broken down and everything goes its usual course. If these cleanup processes can not be properly completed, this can have fatal health consequences.

Too much stress makes you sick

The Würzburg researchers point to recent studies suggesting involvement of stress granules in at least two incurable neurodegenerative diseases. It is the incurable nerve disease amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), which leads to atrophy and later in the terminal stage to a fatal paralysis, and to the frontotemporal dementia (FTD), the second most common dementia in under-65s. The research team used this latest study to build on these insights, making unexpected discoveries.

What happens when stress granules can not be resolved?

The so-called protein ZFAND1 is necessary for the normal dissolution of the stress granules. "If ZFAND1 is missing, some granules can no longer be dissolved and instead change their structure," reports study leader Professor Alexander Buchberger in a press release on the study results. These abnormal stress granules must then be disposed of by cellular waste disposal (autophagy). This process is much more complicated, according to Buchberger.

Important findings

Even if some laymen may not be able to do much with the information for the time being, the scientists emphasize the importance for medical research. "The accumulation of abnormal stress granules is considered to be a possible cause of neurodegenerative disease," explains Buchberger. The elucidation of the mechanisms of action in the formation and dissolution of stress granules is important in order to better understand the pathogenic effects of stress and to find possible targets for therapies for stress-related illnesses.

Study discovers new stress players

The researchers demonstrated that the protein ZFAND1 does not directly affect the degradation process. Instead, it uses a special enzyme complex that is needed to break down faulty proteins. This enzyme complex is called proteasome. ZFAND1 brings the proteasome into contact with the stress granules. As a result, they will be dismantled. This realization is completely new. So far, the science has assumed that defective proteins of the stress granules are disposed of in the context of autophagy.

New study is in the starting blocks

In further investigations Buchberger and his team want to focus the composition of stress granules more precisely and deal with the defective proteins that must be removed by the proteasome. The goal of the researchers is to clarify the regulatory processes around the formation and dissolution of stress granules in more detail and thus also to better understand the phenomenon of stress.

Actively fight stress

The Würzburg study provides further proof of the pathogenic effects of stress. It is all the more important to give the cells enough time to clean up. Targeted stress reduction can support this process. Yoga, autogenic training, progressive muscle relaxation and various natural remedies are just a few ways to actively combat the increasing stress. (Vb)