Around 2012, a group led by Andrew Schally (1977
Nobel-laureate) at University of Miami developed a new peptide of 29 amino
acids called MIA-602 which antagonizes with GHRH (growth-hormone releasing
hormone) for its receptor, and found its potent anti-cancer activity (1). In
2016, a Chinese group in collaboration with Andrew Schally, nailed-down the precise
molecular mechanism underlying its anti-cancer action. MIA-602 suppresses the
PAK1 gene expression (2). Thus, MIA-602 is a new member of PAK1- blockers.
In other words, GHRH and its receptor are essential
for the activation of PAK1 gene, and if its receptor is abnormally activated
somehow, a wide variety of PAK1-dependent diseases/disorders would emerge, and
eventually shorten our lifespan. Interestingly, GH (growth-hormone)-deficient
mice are dwarfs, but live longer than the wild-type (3). Thus, it
is almost certain that MIA-602 extends our healthy lifespan.
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