Harvard geneticist David Sinclair appeared on The Joe Rogan Experience to discuss partial cellular reprogramming, zombie cell elimination with senolytics, and an AI-guided search for small molecules that mimic reprogramming. He described a first-in-human trial of a gene therapy called OSK, which promotes optic nerve regeneration and reverses vision loss.<\/p>\n
In 2022, Harvard Medical School geneticist David Sinclair appeared on Joe Rogan\u2019s podcast and claimed to have developed a drink that rejuvenates mice. He also promised to have humans using this treatment within 10 years, and a cure for aging in 25. This sounded crazy at the time, but now, Sinclair\u2019s lab has a human trial for eye disease in the works.<\/p>\n
The therapy involves reprogramming cells to reset their molecular age without making them lose their identities. This is important because fully reset cells can turn into cancer. Sinclair\u2019s team is experimenting with three of the four Yamanaka factors that can do this, and he has found that introducing them into the eye pushes them toward a younger epigenetic state.<\/p>\n
He\u2019s partnered with Life Biosciences to test his treatment, called ER-100, in people with open-angle glaucoma and non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy. He tells the KED that the results are promising so far, and they\u2019ll be comparing visual function between people receiving the drug and those in a control group. In the future, he hopes to test this approach in other organs and diseases. Then, he wants to take the research further by focusing on drugs that mimic the effect of reprogramming and senolytics. By reprogramming cells and eliminating zombie cells, Sinclair believes that we can stop the aging process and extend healthy lifespans.<\/p>\n
Many scientists believe that reprogramming cells to a more youthful state is the key to slowing, or even reversing, aging. In this view, aging is a result of a gradual degradation in the information contained in the chemical modification patterns on DNA that control gene expression. When that information becomes corrupted, genes don’t express themselves correctly and the cell loses function, leading to physiological markers of aging. Partial cellular reprogramming techniques, such as the one being developed by Life Biosciences, can reset this information and restore proper function to a cell, making it appear more youthful. In a way, this approach is akin to rebooting a malfunctioning computer.<\/p>\n
A slim man with a shaved head and deep-ridged brow, Belmonte was responsible for the experiment that launched the cellular reprogramming gold rush when he turned back the developmental clock on adult skin cells by introducing four Yamanaka factors. He believes that he and other researchers are close to developing a version of the technique that will work in humans.<\/p>\n
This approach, called partial cellular reprogramming, involves activating only a small set of the hundreds of genes needed to convert cells back to an embryonic-like state. The goal is to make the cells behave more like their youthful counterparts, which would prevent them from forming tumors and other signs of aging that could shorten life. Reprogrammed cells could also repair damaged tissue, helping to reverse the effects of chronic diseases that have no cure in current medicine.<\/p>\n
The research into reprogramming cells has been highly speculative, and the process is risky. Scientists have found ways to improve the odds of reprogramming, but the conversion rate is still very low – only about one in 1,000 mature cells successfully converts to an induced pluripotent stem cell (iPS). HSCI Principal Faculty member Konrad Hochedlinger has recently published two papers showing how to increase these odds by selecting immature cells for reprogramming and blocking activity of genes that promote cell division.<\/p>\n
These methods may eventually lead to a gene therapy that will reactivate the Yamanaka factors in a patient’s own cells, turning them into iPS cells. Those cells can then be used to replace damaged or aging tissues. This would be a major step toward reversing aging, and it would enable scientists to study the genetic mechanisms of diseases that affect multiple organs or systems of the body, including eye disease.<\/p>\n
If you\u2019ve ever had a breakout or seen your skin deflate from plump to wrinkly as you age, you know how important it is to rejuvenate the face. But getting back that youthful glow can be more than a simple daily skin regimen or laser therapy. There are many non-invasive treatments that use your body\u2019s own healing powers to promote collagen and elastin. This results in smoother, brighter skin with a natural glow that develops over weeks.<\/p>\n
This approach has been a major area of research, and it is the focus of Dr. Sinclair\u2019s book Lifespan. His lab recently used gene therapy to reverse aging<\/a> in mice and nonhuman primates, and they are working to translate this technology to human cells. The goal is to restore the expression of genes associated with youthful epigenetic patterns, which can delay cellular aging and improve healthspan.<\/p>\n Unfortunately, Sinclair\u2019s claims of reversing aging have been met with significant criticism from other scientists, particularly those who have financial interests in his research. He has been accused of overhyping his work for notoriety and financial gain, as well as implying that he has created an age-reversal drug.<\/p>\n