X-Message-Number: 31661
Date: Fri, 1 May 2009 10:02:23 -0700 (PDT)
From: 
Subject: nattokinase may increase human maximum lifespan


[According to autopsy results, the most common cause of death in 
supercentenarians is senile systemic amyloidosis. Nattokinase is effective in 
degrading amyloid in vitro. If it was effective in vivo, then it could be 
expected to reverse senile systemic amyloidosis.]

http://www.sens.org/index.php?pagename=amylosens

J Agric Food Chem. 2009 Jan 28;57(2):503-8.
Amyloid-degrading ability of nattokinase from Bacillus subtilis natto.

  Hsu RL, Lee KT, Wang JH, Lee LY, Chen RP. Institute of Biological Chemistry, 
  Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan.

  More than 20 unrelated proteins can form amyloid fibrils in vivo which are 
  related to various diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease, prion disease, and 
  systematic amyloidosis. Amyloid fibrils are an ordered protein aggregate with 
  a lamellar cross-beta structure. Enhancing amyloid clearance is one of the 
  targets of the therapy of these amyloid-related diseases. Although there is 
  debate on whether the toxicity is due to amyloids or their precursors, 
  research on the degradation of amyloids may help prevent or alleviate these 
  diseases. In this study, we explored the amyloid-degrading ability of 
  nattokinase, a fibrinolytic subtilisin-like serine protease, and determined 
  the optimal conditions for amyloid hydrolysis. This ability is shared by 
  proteinase K and subtilisin Carlsberg, but not by trypsin or plasmin.
PMID: 19117402

Ann Med. 2008;40(3):232-9.

Senile systemic amyloidosis affects 25% of the very aged and associates with 
genetic variation in alpha2-macroglobulin and tau: a population-based autopsy 
study.

  Tanskanen M, Peuralinna T, Polvikoski T, Notkola IL, Sulkava R, Hardy J, 
  Singleton A, Kiuru-Enari S, Paetau A, Tienari PJ, Myllykangas L. Department of
  Pathology, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Central Hospital, 
  Helsinki, Finland.

  BACKGROUND: Senile systemic amyloidosis (SSA) is characterized by deposition 
  of wild-type transthyretin (TTR)-based amyloid in parenchymal organs in 
  elderly individuals. Previously, no population-based studies have been 
  performed on SSA. METHODS: Here we have studied the prevalence and risk 
  factors for SSA in a Finnish autopsied population aged 85 or over, as part of 
  the population-based Vantaa 85+ Autopsy Study (n = 256). The diagnosis of SSA 
  was based on histological examination of myocardial samples stained with Congo
  red and anti-TTR immunohistochemistry. The genotype frequencies of 20 
  polymorphisms in 9 genes in subjects with and without SSA were compared. 
  RESULTS: The prevalence of SSA was 25%. SSA was associated with age, 
  myocardial infarctions, the G/G (Val/Val) genotype of the exon 24 polymorphism
  in the alpha2-macroglobulin (alpha2M), and the H2 haplotype of the tau gene 
  (P-values 0.002, 0.004, 0.042, and 0.016). CONCLUSION: This population-based 
  study shows that SSA is very common in old individuals, affecting one-quarter 
  of people aged over 85 years. Myocardial infarctions and variation in the 
  genes for alpha2M and tau may be associated with SSA.
PMID: 18382889

Hypertens Res. 2008 Aug;31(8):1583-8.
Effects of nattokinase on blood pressure: a randomized, controlled trial.

  Kim JY, Gum SN, Paik JK, Lim HH, Kim KC, Ogasawara K, Inoue K, Park S, Jang Y,
  Lee JH. Yonsei University Research Institute of Science for Aging, Department
  of Food and Nutrition, College of Human Ecology, Yonsei University, and 
  Department of Family Medicine, Mizmedi Hospital, Seoul, Korea.

  The objective of this study was to examine the effects of nattokinase 
  supplementation on blood pressure in subjects with pre-hypertension or stage 1
  hypertension. In a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, 86 
  participants ranging from 20 to 80 years of age with an initial untreated 
  systolic blood pressure (SBP) of 130 to 159 mmHg received nattokinase (2,000 
  FU/capsule) or a placebo capsule for 8 weeks. Seventy-three subjects completed
  the protocol. Compared with the control group, the net changes in SBP and 
  diastolic blood pressure (DBP) were -5.55 mmHg (95% confidence interval [CI], 
  -10.5 to -0.57 mmHg; p<0.05) and -2.84 mmHg (CI, -5.33 to -0.33 mmHg; p<0.05),
  respectively, after the 8-week intervention. The corresponding net change in 
  renin activity was -1.17 ng/mL/h for the nattokinase group compared with the 
  control group (p<0.05). In conclusion, nattokinase supplementation resulted in
  a reduction in SBP and DBP. These findings suggest that increased intake of 
  nattokinase may play an important role in preventing and treating 
  hypertension.
PMID: 18971533

Rate This Message: http://www.cryonet.org/cgi-bin/rate.cgi?msg=31661