Scientists say they have made cells look younger using a chemical therapy, a potential breakthrough in anti-aging research.
The study is based on Nobel Prize-winning research on anti-aging genes, although it is still experimental and was conducted on small cell cultures, reports IFLScience .
The work, led by a team of scientists at Harvard Medical School, looked at specific genes called Yamanaka factors. These factors are directly involved in the transformation of cells into induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), which can transform into any other cell in the body.
In essence, they are capable of rejuvenating a cell.
Moreover, this process does not appear to create cancer-prone cells, a difficult problem in anti-aging research. Senescent cells are a mechanism that prevents cells from accumulating harmful mutations that lead to cancer, so stopping or slowing this process can often have alternative effects.
If these factors can be used in a targeted manner, i.e. iPSCs can be created from old cells, it would not only slow down aging, but also reverse it.
“Until recently, the best we could do was slow down aging. The new discovery means that we can now reverse it"
David A. Sinclair, a professor in the department of genetics and the project's lead scientist, said in a statement.
"This process previously required gene therapy, which limited its widespread use."
In this study, the researchers continued this approach and looked for new molecules that could be used in conjunction with Yamanaka factors to further reverse aging, and found promising results. They identified six chemical cocktails that, according to new tests they developed, were able to reverse aging and make cells biologically "younger" in less than a week.
In previous studies in mice, the researchers found that administration of Yamanaka factors via a viral vector
was able to improve vision and other signs of aging, suggesting it could be a viable therapy.
The research team is now looking to further develop their findings as they await human trials of anti-aging gene therapy due in 2024. It's not yet known whether the drugs will work in humans, but the approach certainly looks promising.
Featured image: axial.hu
