Researchers at Stanford University in the United States of America have found that the royalactin protein, present in royal jelly, promotes the growth and proliferation of stem cells in mice. These cells are known to be pluripotent, that is, they are able to repair body tissues and have the potential to treat degenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's.
In addition, the researchers identified a protein similar to royalactin, NHLRC3, which was later called Regina, which is produced in the embryonic phase of the human body, playing an important role in the formation of the embryo and being able to promote the multiplication of stem cells.
How the study was done
Researchers at Stanford University, observing that the queen bee was larger than the others and analyzing their behavior, found that this difference in size was due to the consumption of royal jelly by the queen bee. Then, they detected that the royalactin, present in this jelly, was responsible for the growth of the bee, because it causes the stem cells of these insects to multiply.
After that, in the laboratory, the researchers injected this protein into 8-month-old female mice and after 8 weeks they harvested parts of the tissue that grew to analyze the effects of royalactin on the animals' bodies. When examining the tissue, the researchers observed a set of 519 genes, which were activated in contact with royalactin and found that some of these genes were responsible for the multiplication of stem cells. After this conclusion, the same researchers searched for substances similar to royalactin that were produced in the human body and that performed the same function.
Finally, they found the NHLRC3 protein , which they named Regina, which is produced in humans in the embryonic phase and also causes stem cells to grow, proliferate and can be used to regenerate degraded tissues, like what happens in Alzheimer's disease.
What remains to prove
It is important to highlight that this study is still in its initial phase and was performed only with mice and, although it has revealed the importance of royalactin and Regina protein in the production of stem cells, further research is needed to identify the complete mechanism of action of these substances in the human body and its application in the treatment of degenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's. In the meantime, see what's available for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease.
