A protein called interleukin-11 (IL-11) appears to play a key role in ageing, and scientists have been able to extend the lifespan of mice by up to 25 percent simply by blocking the effects of this molecule.
The research team, led by researchers from the Duke University and National University of Singapore (NUS) School of Medicine, Genetic engineering They turn off IL-11 production in a sample of mice and inject other mice with an anti-IL-11 drug.
Death toll cancer Both groups experienced reduced tumor growth and health conditions associated with the effects of aging, such as chronic inflammation and metabolic slowdown.
“This finding is extremely interesting.” To tell Stuart Cook, clinical scientist and cardiologist at Duke-NUS Medical School;
“The treated mice had less cancer and didn’t show the typical signs of aging and frailty, but they also showed less muscle wasting and better muscle strength. In other words, the old mice that received anti-IL-11 were healthier.”
Interleukin-11 has been of interest to scientists studying the aging process for years, as it has been found to build up in the body as we age, leading to increased inflammation, scar tissue and overall frailty.
In the genetically modified mice, lifespan increased by an average of 24.9 percent. In mice given the drug after 75 weeks of age (about 55 human years), average lifespan increased by 22.5 percent for male mice and 25 percent for female mice. Overall, the average lifespan of these animals was 155 weeks, instead of 120 weeks for the controls.
This is likely because IL-11 inhibition has multiple effects in different parts of the body, the researchers say. Dangerous inflammation For example, it can help organs heal faster after injury.
“IL-11 gene activity increases in all tissues with age in mice” To tell “When it’s activated, it causes multiple diseases that involve aging and loss of function throughout the body, from vision to hearing, muscle to hair, and the pumping of the heart to the kidneys,” Cook said.
This latest study checks many necessary boxes that have not been covered in many previous studies. Anti-aging researchIt works for both men and women, promises a healthier lifespan, and has no obvious side effects.
Clinical Trials Although human studies are needed to see if the findings here apply to humans, there may be a mechanism by which humans can stay healthy longer and reduce the risk of some diseases associated with ageing.
“Although our study was conducted in mice, given that similar effects have been seen in studies of human cells and tissues, we are hopeful that these findings will be highly relevant to human health.” To tell “These findings suggest that the microbial communities of the Earth’s surface are a sign of the ecology of the Earth’s environment,” says Anissa Widjaja, a biologist at the Duke-NUS Medical School.
This study Nature.
