Humanin

Also known as: HN, mitochondrial-derived peptide

Wellness

In plain English

Humanin is a small peptide, also encoded by our mitochondria, that protects cells from dying—originally discovered while studying Alzheimer's disease. In lab and animal studies it shows protective, anti-aging-type effects. There are no human treatment trials, so its benefits and safety as a therapy in people are unknown. It is not FDA-approved.

The science

Humanin is a 24-amino-acid mitochondrial-derived peptide identified by functional screening of an Alzheimer's patient brain (Hashimoto et al., PNAS 2001), where it abolished neuronal death induced by familial Alzheimer's mutations and amyloid-beta. Follow-up characterization detailed its neuroprotective specificity and structure-function requirements (Hashimoto et al., J Neurosci 2001). Mechanisms include anti-apoptotic signaling (interfering with Bax) and interaction with cytokine-receptor complexes; broader roles in metabolism and cytoprotection are described. Evidence is preclinical; there are no therapeutic human trials, and it is not FDA-approved.

References

• Hashimoto Y et al., Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 2001
• Hashimoto Y et al., J Neurosci 2001 (characterization)