Heart HealthRNA Methylation Enzyme ALKBH5 Drives Cardiac Aging via Glutamine Metabolism
As hearts age, levels of a molecular eraser called ALKBH5 rise, stripping chemical tags called m6A from messenger RNA. This removal reduces a key glutamine transporter (SLC38A3), starving heart muscle cells of glutamine. Without adequate glutamine, mitochondria malfunction, oxidative stress climbs, and the hallmarks of cardiac aging accumulate. Researchers showed that silencing ALKBH5 in young adult mice protected the heart from age-related remodeling and dysfunction, while overexpressing SLC38A3 or simply supplementing with glutamine produced similar protective effects. Critically, the intervention only worked when started before significant aging had occurred — suggesting a prevention window rather than a reversal strategy. This research identifies the ALKBH5–SLC38A3 axis as a promising target for slowing cardiac aging at the epigenetic and metabolic level.
