HOUSTON — A study led by researchers at MD Anderson Cancer Center was published in Nature Aging on June 16, 2026. This research identified a connection between nucleic acid structures called R-loops and age-related inflammation.

An R-loop is a temporary cellular structure formed during transcription when a double strand of RNA and DNA tangles with a third displaced single strand of DNA. The study identified DDX1 and XPO1 as two proteins involved in exporting R-loops from the cell nucleus. The DDX1 protein attaches to the R-loop inside the nucleus and transports it outside. The XPO1 protein acts as an exit gate that allows R-loops to be moved into the cytoplasm by forming a complex with DDX1.

As cells age and enter senescence, they increasingly export R-loops into the cytoplasm. These exported R-loops attach to DNA debris fragments in the cytoplasm, which triggers an immune response and inflammation. The administration of KPT-330 prevented R-loops from being exported in preclinical models. KPT-330 is a Food and Drug Administration-approved drug for treating multiple myeloma that blocks nuclear export.

The administration of KPT-330 altered inflammation levels, liver fibrosis, fat gain, muscle mass, and overall lifespan in preclinical models. Rugang Zhang, professor and chair of Experimental Therapeutics, led the study. Zhang said, "Chronic, widespread inflammation is a driving factor in many age-related diseases, including cancer, and our research has discovered one reason why this happens. Understanding the cause is the first step toward developing treatments. We saw encouraging results using a drug that has already been tested in humans, paving the way for potential clinical use to alleviate age-related conditions." Researchers plan to investigate blocking the DDX1 protein specifically as an alternative to shutting down all nuclear export. A separate experiment observed that the inflammatory response triggered by R-loops assists the immune system in eliminating precancerous cells.

No independent assessment was available for this report.