Science is both an accumulation of knowledge and a means of discovery. It provides us with the ability to transform isolated facts into cohesive understandings of nature.
Changes to lifestyle can significantly slow the rate of aging and, in some instances, reverse it altogether. Tally Health has already introduced epigenetic approaches to anti-aging directly to consumers through their cheek swab test which estimates biological age.
T Cells Can Be Reprogrammed to Fight Aging
Scientists are investigating ways to reactivate T cells that have reached the end of their lifespan. T cell senescence, caused by repeated antigen recognition and homeostatic proliferation, has been associated with age-related conditions like cardiovascular disease and neurodegeneration; however, according to new research reversing this phenomenon may help rejuvenate both immune and central nervous systems.
Researchers demonstrated in their study that genetically reprogramming T cells to express an inhibitory molecule reversed their senescence. Reprogrammed T cells also displayed increased metabolic activity and were more efficient at recognizing and eliminating senescent cells than un-reprogrammed ones, without inducing inflammation responses and showing normal memory functions compared with mice results. Researchers believe the same outcomes would occur for human subjects as well.
The study showed that the reprogrammed T cells could cross the blood-brain barrier into the brain, suggesting they may be used as potential treatments for Alzheimer’s disease and other brain conditions.
T cell senescence is a prevalent feature of tumor microenvironments and plays an essential role in inhibiting immune response against tumor cells. Telomere length-independent senescence could also play a part in creating immunosuppressive environments.
Reversing T cell senescence can play an integral role in slowing the aging process and encouraging healthy aging, as it reduces chronic diseases, extends longevity, and enhances quality of life.
Future studies involving T cell reprogramming to combat age-related disease could provide novel strategies for the treatment of cancer and other serious disorders, including Alzheimer’s. Depleting senescent cells would significantly improve CAR-T and TCR-T cell therapies’ efficacy; such depleted cells have been seen in most leukemias linked to deletions of p16/p15, hypermethylation of 5’CpG islands within p15, or mutations that alter FOXO4 expression; understanding how these factors work will allow T cells senescence to reverse for optimized tumor immunotherapy treatment outcomes.
The Biological Clock Can Be Turned Back
Numbering the candles on your birthday cake may not be an accurate way of measuring how old you are. An increasing number of scientists believe that traditional chronological age only tells part of the story and that biological aging may also play a part, with certain genes having the power to reverse time and turn back time itself.
Scientists can measure biological aging by studying DNA methylation patterns of cells. Over time, these patterns may change due to events such as smoking or low caloric intake; by comparing this average methylation pattern with that of younger cells it’s possible to identify individuals that have aged faster or slower than their peers and identify beneficial longevity interventions or harmful factors that accelerate aging.
Researchers led by Bohan Zhang have recently made an astounding discovery: If old mice are surgically joined to younger ones, their biological age starts reversing itself in less than 30 days – this effect was observed across blood, muscles, liver and nervous systems as well as longevity increases correlated to longer lifespans. Their results were published April 21 in Cell Metabolism journal.
How the team managed this feat remains unclear, though it appears that their interaction caused the older mouse’s muscle clock genes to switch on, prompting their young counterpart’s brain clock genes to also switch on, leading both clocks back into normal functioning again.
Turning back on muscle clocks improved muscle function in older mice and reduced signs of aging, while turning on brain clock genes failed to restore it. This indicates a key communication link between muscle and brain clocks which are essential for healthy muscle function.
Scientists are working on developing biochemical time machines that could reverse biological aging in cells. Chemists in San Diego are conducting trials with chemical compounds known as “reversines”, which work by changing muscle cells of mice into embryo-like ones – similar to how newts re-grow their limbs. If successful, such methods could allow doctors to grow replacement tissue for failing organs.
The Blood Can Be Rejuvenated
Human bodies can be rejuvenated via the blood. Although it remains unknown exactly how this may be achieved, one possible strategy might involve swapping out older blood for newer one or diluting protein build-up that inhibits tissue repair in old age with younger blood. Furthermore, rejuvenation effects may also be achieved via specific chemicals released by cells supporting blood vessels.
The study’s results demonstrate that endothelial cells acted differently when exposed to old or young blood. While older cells became dysfunctional and were unable to support vessel stem cells, younger ones proved more functional by stimulating stem cell proliferation and acting like rejuvenative agents on endothelial cells – suggesting that blood from young animals had a rejuvenating effect.
This finding is particularly noteworthy as endothelial cell degeneration has been linked with cardiovascular and other degenerative diseases. Perhaps young blood’s rejuvenating effect will provide a potential therapeutic strategy against such ailments.
Rejuvenating blood can have ethical ramifications. For one thing, it will serve to demonstrate the need to manage scarce biological resources like blood (which can only come from certain people). Furthermore, using certain substances within certain people to rejuvenate others will break through the gifts metaphor so common today with non-remunerated blood donation and may spark new forms of altruism and create “blood bonds” between donors and those who need their services.
Supplying enough rejuvenating blood and managing its risks and benefits is often challenging, given that its demand will come from people eager to prolong their lives by rejuvenating it with young blood, many of whom already possess wealth. How this demand will be balanced against poorer people’s desires to extend their lifespan remains unknown in a society in which everyone wants longevity; also unknown is whether rejuvenating blood can really provide long-term safety or effectiveness benefits.