Common food group can prevent Type 2 diabetes, Alzheimer's and ALS: Here's the research

Calcium is one of the most important minerals for body as well as cellular functions.

But the way it controls the quality of proteins in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), a cellular organelle that synthesizes and transports proteins, is widely unknown.

This control system of protein quality, known as proteostasis, was put under a microscope by researchers to get a better understanding of the process, potentially revealing clues about how to prevent Type 2 diabetes, Alzheimer's and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).

The team consisted of researchers across multiple disciplines, led by Distinguished Associate Professor Masaki Okumura of the Tohoku University Frontier Research Institute for Interdisciplinary Sciences (FRIS) and Graduate School of Life Sciences, in an international collaborative study involving 17 research teams from Japan, Korea, and the UK.

After the research was published in Nature Cell Biology it was revealed that the team’s goal was to clarify how the control system of protein functions through Calcium.

It was found that Calcium induces the proper folding of protein for its functionality. The folding of a protein is basically the formation of a specific, stable, 3D shape that later becomes important for bodily processes.

Therefore, if this protein loses its function, misfolding can occur. The consequences for improperly folded proteins can be severe, such as diabetes or ALS.

However, not all is lost if there are mistakes in protein folding. They found that a process called "calcium-driven phase separation" in the ER essentially creates liquid-like droplets through condensation that can make corrections to the improperly folded proteins.

This knowledge gives us a better understanding of other calcium-driven processes within our body cells and how important the mineral is for us.

In addition, this research could be used in potential drug development for difficult-to-cure diseases like ALS, Alzheimer's and Type 2 diabetes.

What is ALS?

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is a progressive and fatal neurodegenerative disorder that attacks nerve cells (motor neurons) in the brain and spinal cord, causing voluntary muscles to weaken, waste away and eventually lose complete movement in the body, leading to paralysis.

What is Type 2 Diabetes?

It is a disorder where your body either grows insensitive to insulin or doesn't make enough insulin (an enzyme that controls blood sugar).

The insufficiency or insensitivity to insulin causes your blood sugar to spike as sugar is not absorbed into the cells for energy. 

What is Alzheimer's?

Alzheimer's is a brain disorder that slowly destroys your memory and your motor skills due to the deterioration of the brain nerves.