University at Buffalo Boosts TTP Protein in Aging Mice
SkimNews Take
Targeting specific RNA-binding proteins may offer a more precise approach to mitigating age-related decline by directly influencing inflammatory pathways, rather than broadly suppressing the immune system.
Get the Health newsletter
Daily health & science — research, biotech, public health, the studies worth knowing. Free.
- Tristetraprolin (TTP), an RNA‑binding protein that degrades inflammatory signals, naturally declines in immune cells as mice age.
- University at Buffalo scientists genetically engineered elderly mice to keep TTP levels stable, which led to increased strength, higher activity, and improved bone health versus untreated mice.
- National Institutes of Health funded the six‑year study with a $2.1 million grant, supporting the research that culminated in a January 2026 publication in Aging and Disease.
- Keith Kirkwood served as senior associate dean for research and led the project, emphasizing TTP’s role in combating “inflammaging.”
Why it matters: Older adults stand to gain stronger, more resilient bodies, while the $2.1 M NIH investment underscores a public‑health push to curb the 15% frailty rate among U.S. seniors.
