The pursuit of immortality and youth restoration has been idealized by humanity for centuries, as depicted by myths such as the Fountain of Youth. While the discovery of a tried and true method of immortality has not yet occurred, effective lifestyle methods can prolong and improve the quality of life. For instance, a nutritious diet and a consistent exercise regimen have proven to be sources of longevity. However, a recent study seems to have accomplished results in age reversal, promising a potential new method of extending life expectancy.
The research conducted by Dr. David A. Sinclair and his team discovered that aging has a considerable epigenetic component. Epigenetics is the degradation in which DNA is organized and regulated without changing the genetic code. Since all genes contain the same genetic material, epigenetic factors communicate with the cell how to determine which genes are active or inactive, enabling the body to generate muscle and nerve cells from stem cells. The constant DNA process of breakage and regulation causes these epigenetic components to play an influential role in the aging of humans. Dr. Sinclair’s breakthrough data found that restoring the integrity of the epigenomes reverses these characteristic signs of aging.
This insight was found by observing signs of aging in two mice who belonged to the same litter, thereby having the same DNA sequence. One mouse received inducible changes to the epigenome (ICE), while the other did not. The ICE mouse had an enzyme that cut its DNA at a rate three times as fast, resulting in incorrect gene activation or deactivation and cell dysfunction– turned on for three weeks. Due to the accelerated DNA breakage, the ICE mouse endured more epigenetic changes and appeared to look older than the control mouse after three weeks. Furthermore, the Sinclair research team discovered that they could safely reset the epigenetic structures in their aged mice using gene therapy to repair the epigenetic information. This treatment reversed blindness and restored the youthful state of organs and tissues. To ensure the aging wasn’t a result of mutations, they read the entire chromosome of each mouse, confirming that epigenetic changes were the only age-related factors involved.
The former school of thought proposed that aging resulted in permanent DNA loss. These new findings, however, show that cells still have their DNA intact and need to be retaught how to read the proper genetic sequence. If this can become replicated in humans, age manipulation may be much more tangible than we ever thought possible.
Featured Image: leremy
