Choline helps keep blood cells young
Scientists from the Max Planck Institute of Immunobiology and Epigenetics (Germany), together with ETH Zurich (Switzerland), have created the world’s first integrated map of metabolic and molecular changes in human blood stem cells. This discovery allows us to understand how these cells behave during aging, during differentiation (maturation), and during the development of leukemia. It is especially interesting that the key factor in keeping them young turned out to be a common nutrient, choline, found, for example, in eggs, fish and soy. The work, published in the journal Nature Cell Biology, lays the foundation for future research in nutrition, anticancer therapy, and anti-aging approaches.
Hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) are rare but vital bone marrow cells. They create all types of blood cells, from red blood cells to immune cells. However, with age or with diseases such as leukemia, their ability to regenerate is impaired, and this makes the body vulnerable to infections, inflammation, and other stresses.
Until now, it has been extremely difficult to study the metabolism of these cells, because they are found in very small numbers in the body, especially in humans. To solve this problem, a team of scientists has developed highly sensitive methods that allow us to study metabolism even based on a minimum number of cells. This made it possible to measure hundreds of metabolites and lipids and combine this data with a profile of gene activity to create a map of metabolic processes at different stages of cell life.
The results showed that blood stem cells are less metabolically active than their adult descendants. They have fewer substances needed for energy production and protein synthesis. This is logical: stem cells are at rest in order to maintain their abilities and not wear out ahead of time.
However, a particularly important discovery was how choline levels affect cell health. Its level is high in healthy young stem cells, but it decreases with aging and especially with leukemia. Experiments have shown that the addition of choline stimulated the production of lipids and helped the cells maintain a youthful appearance — they remained in the stem state longer and did not pass into differentiated forms.
The changes also affected the structure of cell membranes: it changes with age, and this affects the perception of signals from the external environment. The researchers emphasize that metabolism is not just an “internal fuel”, but a mechanism that determines the behavior and interaction of cells with the outside world.
If certain nutrients, such as choline, are really able to support the health of stem cells, this really opens the way to new types of therapies that prolong youth and the health of the hematopoietic system.
Published
July, 2025
Duration of reading
3-4 minutes
Category
Medicine
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