Researchers may have discovered fountain of youth by reversing aging in human cells
By Eric Mack
May 27, 2015
Japanese noriben, in the shape of mitochondria (Credit: University of Tsukuba)
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Researchers in Japan have found that human aging may be able to be delayed or even reversed, at least at the most basic level of human cell lines. In the process, the scientists from the University of Tsukuba also found that regulation of two genes is related to how we age.
The new findings challenge one of the current popular theories of aging, that lays the blame for humans' inevitable downhill slide with mutations that accumulate in our mitochondrial DNA over time. Mitochondrion are sometimes likened to a cellular "furnace" that produces energy through cellular respiration. Damage to the mitochondrial DNA results in changes or mutations in the DNA sequence that build up and are associated with familiar signs of aging like hair loss, osteoporosis and, of course, reduced lifespan.
So goes the theory, at least. But the Tsukuba researchers suggest that something else may be going on within our cells. Their research indicates that the issue may not be that mitochondrial DNA become damaged, but rather that genes get turned "off" or "on" over time. Most intriguing, the team led by Professor Jun-Ichi Hayashi was able to flip the switches on a few genes back to their youthful position, effectively reversing the aging process.
The researchers came to this conclusion by comparing the function level of the mitochondria in fibroblast cell lines from children under 12 years of age to those of elderly people between 80 and 97. As expected, the older cells had reduced cellular respiration, but the older cells did not show more DNA damage than those from children. This discovery led the team to propose that the reduced cellular function is tied to epigenetic regulation, changes that alter the physical structure of DNA without affecting the DNA sequence itself, causing genes to be turned on or off. Unlike mutations that damage that sequence, as in the other, aforementioned theory of aging, epigenetic changes could possibly be reversed by genetically reprogramming cells to an embryonic stem cell-like state, effectively turning back the clock on aging.
For a broad comparison, imagine that a power surge hits your home's electrical system. If not properly wired, irreversible damage or even fire may result. However, imagine another home in which the same surge trips a switch in this home's circuit breaker box. Simply flipping that breaker back to the "on" position should make it operate as good as new. In essence, the Tsukuba team is proposing that our DNA may not become fried with age as previously thought, but rather simply requires someone to access its genetic breaker box to reverse aging.
To test the theory, the researchers found two genes associated with mitochondrial function and essentially experimented with turning them on or off. In doing so, they were able to create defects or restore cellular respiration. These two genes regulate glycine, an amino acid, production in mitochondria, and in one of the more promising findings, a 97-year-old cell line saw its cellular respiration restored after the addition of glycine for 10 days.
The researchers' findings were published this month in the journal Scientific Reports.
Whether or not this process could be a potential fountain of youth for humans and not just human fibroblast cell lines still remains to be seen, with much more testing required. However, if the theory holds, glycine supplements could one day become a powerful tool for life extension.
Similar research from the Salk Institute has also recently looked at other ways to slow down or stop aging at a cellular level, while yet another team is looking into a new class of drugs called senolytics that could help slow aging.
Source: University of Tsukuba
Eric Mack has been covering technology and the world since the late 1990s. As well as being a Gizmag regular, he currently contributes to CNET, NPR and other outlets. All articles by Eric Mack
Nelson Chick - there aren't "too many of us". There is a failure to commit to further explorization and colonization of the universe.
An expanding humanity spread to different worlds would be far less controllable by the old money elites and people might find ways of ridding themelves from elite control once and for all ... that can't be allowed. How can one be a KING if one doesn't have subjects willing- or forced - to be ruled.
EverettPowell
Sue, As a species we have always liked playing with fire, of course we will get burned but we also learn new things. I suspect if you were to follow life sciences you would find every week someone has discovered something new that will extend your life, most of them of course won't work and those that do will no doubt have side effects, some of which maybe good.
katgod
Playing with fire.
SueMcFarland
Wait, glycine supplements are already available. Does that mean that hey have to be administered in a different way to make you immortal, or if I take them now will I get younger?
Ranscapture
The trickle-down theory means a death sentence for us but maybe not so for our children. Stay tuned...
Kevin Ritchey
Which research outfit is calling dibs on naming their stuff "boosterspice"? ;-)
Galane
Great, as if there are not already too many of us, guess going to have to raise those projections that humanity will peak at eleven billion.
Nelson Chick
Gotta love the model. Seaweed and rice in a dish.
Art_Toegemann
Where can I get glycine supplements?
ezeflyer
I will be watching this space for more news ! No doubt the 1`% will earmark the lot for themselves !
vcr
My 84 years experience leads me to believe that lifelong proper diet & exercise would accomplish much the same thing, although I am not a shining example. My Dad never abused the bod , succumbed to prostate cancer age 97. We both easily avoided A T & D,s
Len Simpson
As i'm reading the end specialist (or The Postmortal if you're american) this is interesting news. Although how plausible putting this information into a virus as a vector is yet to be seen...............
DavidNphTurner
Inspired picture editorializing.
quax
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