Wojciech Pokrzywa awarded NCN grant for research on organisms' adaptation to low temperatures and hibernation
The research project of Dr. Wojciech Pokrzywa's team entitled "Chilling resilience: Decoding phosphatases in cold adaptation" has been recognized by the scientific community, receiving long-term financial support from the National Science Centre (NCN), Poland. These innovative studies aim to understand the molecular mechanisms that enable organisms to adapt to low temperatures. As the scientists from the IIMCB emphasize, in the long run, the results of the research may enable human hibernation in the future.
Dr. Wojciech Pokrzywa emphasizes that a central point of his research is to discover the mechanisms that allow some organisms to survive in low temperatures. "Our work focuses on the nematode C. elegans, which enters a state resembling hibernation at temperatures close to 0°C," explains the scientist. Although hibernation is mainly associated with some mammals, like bears or groundhogs, studying simple organisms such as C. elegans can provide valuable information on how more complex organisms cope with the cold. Dr. Wojciech Pokrzywa points to potential medical applications arising from these studies, such as the induction of a controlled state of hibernation in humans to reduce the risk of tissue and organ damage during surgeries.
Studying the impact of cold, not only on the organismal level, but also in cells, poses a significant scientific challenge. Dr. Wojciech Pokrzywa and his team focus on the role of specific proteins from the phosphatase group, namely PAA-1 and VHP-1, which are crucial for cellular reactions to low temperatures. "Initial results indicate a key function of PAA-1 in regulating certain proteins in the initial phase of cold adaptation. On the other hand, VHP-1 activates in the regeneration phase after cold. Together, these phosphatases help nematodes adapt to the cold and regenerate as a result of a complex cellular regulatory network," explains the scientist.
Both PAA-1 and VHP-1 are evolutionarily conserved, meaning that they have human equivalents. Discovering their molecular mechanisms of action may shed light on human adaptive processes in the face of low temperatures. This, in turn, could open new possibilities in medicine, for example, in preventing and treating ischemia-reperfusion injuries of the heart muscle, a serious cardiological complication. The key here is to understand how protecting cells from the harmful effects of cooling can translate into protecting the heart from damage due to ischemia and subsequent reperfusion, i.e., restoring blood circulation in a previously closed vessel.
"This project is a thrilling journey into the microscopic world, unraveling how the cellular machinery works to adapt to cold. By studying the specific roles of PAA-1 and VHP-1 phosphatases in C. elegans, we will not only be decoding the secrets of cold adaptation but also opening doors to new possibilities in medicine and biology. Our project is an excellent example of how delving deep into small organism's survival strategies can lead to broader insights that one day might have significant implications for human health and well-being." – concludes Dr. Wojciech Pokrzywa, head of the Laboratory of Protein Metabolism at the International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology in Warsaw.
The research project "Chilling resilience: Decoding phosphatases in cold adaptation" has received a four-year PRELUDIUM BIS 5 grant from the National Science Centre (NCN), Poland, worth 688 080 PLN.