London, Dec 18 (IANS): A substance found in broccoli can reduce disease-related defects in children who suffer from Hutchinson-Gilford Progeria Syndrome (HGPS).

The HGPS is said to be responsible for premature ageing in children, mainly due to a defective protein in their cells.

Scientists at Technische Universitat Munchen (TUM) University in Germany have identified the system responsible for removing cellular debris and for breaking down defective proteins.

They also succeeded in reactivating protein breakdown in HGPS cells and reducing disease-related defects with the help of a substance found in broccoli.

The defective protein is referred to as progerin, which causes the cell to "age".

Consequently, HGPS patients develop classic diseases of old age such as atherosclerosis, osteoporosis, heart attacks and strokes.

The disease is, therefore, regarded as a possible model system for the natural aging process in cells.

In order to find out which specific metabolic pathways are affected by the mutation and the defective protein, professor Karima Djabali and her team conducted a comparative study of diseased and healthy tissue cells in which they investigated the composition of proteins in the cell nuclei and looked for differences.

During the research, they found a substance in broccoli called sulforaphane that activates protein degradation in cells.

The scientists treated the HGPS cells with the substance and found that significantly less progerin accumulated within the cells.

Moreover, DNA damage and nuclear deformations, other effects of the disease, were also reduced in treated cells as compared with untreated cells.

"Of course our experiments are very basic, but every active substance and every new approach brings us a step closer to a treatment for HGPS patients. It could also help us develop anti-aging strategies in the future," Djabali said.