Scientists from the Netherlands have created a molecule that causes aging cells to be destroyed. According to scientists, this can help prolong life. The drug has been tested in mice and has proven effective, and clinical trials in humans are planned soon.
According to experts, even a young organism contains damaged and old cells that accelerate the aging process and contribute to the development of diseases, in particular, cancer. The molecule, created by Dutch scientists, has the ability to selectively destroy such cells. According to the results of experiments, this produces a rejuvenating effect in mice, so it was decided to conduct clinical trials in humans.
With age, the number of aging cells in the human body increases. They disrupt the normal functioning of internal organs, including the pancreas, heart, and blood vessels. Moreover, such old cells can degenerate into malignant ones. In addition, they lead to the formation of a secretory senile phenotype in the human body - a persistent pro-inflammatory state. In this state, the body releases many soluble substances that cause inflammation.
One of the main reasons for the accumulation of old cells is the inclusion of genes that keep them alive. In the laboratory, scientists bred GMO mice in which the activity of unwanted DNA was suppressed. As a result, the body got rid of aged cells more actively, the number of plaques in the arteries decreased, and the life of the mice was prolonged. But such genetic experiments cannot be carried out on humans.
It is for this reason that researchers are forced to look for substances that help the body get rid of old cells. In laboratory tests, drugs called senolytics have been tested in people with kidney disease. These drugs are capable not only of destroying old cells, but also promoting the launch of regeneration mechanisms that help fill the formed space with new cells. Thus, tissues are rejuvenated. In addition, some senolytics are also capable of destroying malignant cancer cells.
However, the problem is that senolytics are mostly very toxic, and therefore can cause many side effects, in particular, a decrease in the number of platelets - the blood cells that are responsible for blood clotting.
Dutch scientists, led by cytologist Peter de Kaiser of the Erasmus University Medical Center, were able to develop a new strategy for the destruction of aged cells. They activated the protective protein P53 in senescent cells, which controls the processes of controlled cell death and aging. At the same time, the researchers found that another protein, FOXO4, binds to this protein, blocking its work. For this reason, biologists have created the peptide FOXO4-DRI, which carries that part of the FOXO4 protein that binds to the protective protein. This molecule in a Petri dish prevents two proteins from contacting each other, and P53 provokes the suicide of defective cells. At the same time, healthy cells remain intact and unharmed.
The researchers injected the developed drug into mutant mice, which aged much faster and lived half as much as normal mice. A few months after birth, mutant mice become lethargic, kidney function is disrupted, and hair falls out. Thanks to the synthesized peptide, the density of the coat and the physical activity of the rodents increased, the kidneys were restored. The developed protein was also tested in normal aging mice, and the result was much the same.
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The new drug also has opponents. So, in particular, the American scientist James Kirkland from the Mayo Clinic claims that the developed drug has limitations. The molecule breaks down after entering the gastrointestinal tract, so it can only be taken as an injection or inhalation.
Despite the fact that the synthesized protein in experimental mice did not reduce the number of platelets, the destruction of a large number of aged cells can provoke dangerous complications, in particular in patients suffering from cancer. In addition, senescent cells are involved in tissue healing, so their disappearance can negatively affect the ability to regenerate. It is for this reason that scientists are in no hurry to introduce their development into medical practice. Currently, they intend to determine if the molecule is capable of killing cancer cells isolated from glioblastoma. In the event that the safety and efficacy of the drug is confirmed, the researchers may well move on to clinical trials.
