Study: Say Bye-Bye to Wrinkles, Cataracts and Diseases by Removing ‘Deadbeat’ Cells
- Posted on November 3, 2011 at 1:00pm by
Liz Klimas
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Mayo Clinic researchers think they have found a solution to help not only prevent wrinkles, cataracts and muscle degeneration but also diseases and tumors that result because of aging.
What they found was that if they killed senescent cells — cells that are no longer functioning or dividing — in lab mice, the mice retained their more youthful features. But making patients look young isn’t the ultimate goal.
“By attacking these cells and what they produce, one day we may be able to break the link between aging mechanisms and predisposition to diseases like heart disease, stroke, cancers and dementia,” said co-author James Kirkland, head of Mayo’s Robert and Arlene Kogod Center on Aging and the Noaber Foundation Professor of Aging Research in the news release. “There is potential for a fundamental change in the way we provide treatment for chronic diseases in older people.”
This is the first study of its kind to show that removing these cells will have any effect one way or the other. Our immune system is generally sweeping away non-functioning cells all the time, but with aging it becomes less and less effective at doing so, allowing these retired cells to accumulate.
The New York Times reports that when the researchers removed these cells the mice exhibited the following characteristics:
They did not develop cataracts, avoided the usual wasting of muscle with age, and could exercise much longer on a mouse treadmill. They retained the fat layers in the skin that usually thin out with age and, in people, cause wrinkling.
Fat cells from an untreated mouse (left) are smaller than those from a mouse that had its senescent cells removed. (Image: van Deursen Laboratory via the New York Times)
How did researchers take out these cells? They genetically engineered mice to have a molecule that identified senescent cells. The researchers then exposed these mice to a drug only effecting cells with this identifier molecule. The drug created holes in these cells’ membranes, thus killing the cells.
The current research does not support that killing off these cells will extend lives. The Times reports that researchers used a type of short lived lab mouse prone to heart attacks and that they plan to conduct the experiment with mice that don’t have this problem.
This research, of course, still would need to be proven effective for humans. The study was published in Nature online.
[H/T Gizmodo]
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Glytch
Posted on November 4, 2011 at 1:25amBonnieBlue2A – How is this a vanity thing? It “prevent wrinkles, cataracts and muscle degeneration but also diseases and tumors that result because of aging.” Now wrinkles are a little bit on the vanity side, the prevention of cataracts, muscle degeneration, and all the rest are major. If this truly works it’s amazing. As for OzChambers – Obviously there is a possibility of unknown side effects, or other things happening because of it that we cannot foresee… But isn’t that the reason they test them over and over again. While I agree I don’t like the idea of them trying to genetically alter anyone, I think that’s not something we truly need to worry about any time soon.
Report Post »On a side note, this does kind of make me think of that new movie, “In Time” where people are genetically altered to stop aging at 25… hmmm
Alborn49
Posted on November 3, 2011 at 9:59pmHurry, my cataracs are coming.
Report Post »Hickory
Posted on November 3, 2011 at 5:44pmGive Pelosi a shot of that stuff and she will start lying about her age more often.
Report Post »lylejk
Posted on November 3, 2011 at 4:56pmI read this article a year ago about a new drug that would give the elderly the immunity of a teenager. This may be a drug that would help keep you young especially if it maintains your immune system which is responsible for also removing deadbeat cells per this article. :)
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/12/101213140945.htm
Report Post »ozchambers
Posted on November 3, 2011 at 4:20pmThey had better be as cautious as possible regarding this kind of thing. Like the cloning fiasco, there could be yet unknown consequences.
Report Post »kcbrown
Posted on November 3, 2011 at 3:17pmBye, bye OWS!
Report Post »Bonnieblue2A
Posted on November 3, 2011 at 3:15pmGenetically altering humans in the name of vanity and a beauty statement, no thanks. People should not be afraid to age naturally.
Report Post »LadyLibertykicksASS
Posted on December 25, 2011 at 6:26pmI would like to be healthy and productive into old age, it has nothing to do with vanity. There will be a tsunami of “baby boomers” in the next 10 years; and if we are not healthy and productive into old age, we will become an huge drain on the Economy. If we are a drain…..the option then becomes, how does the World Government cope with the tsunami.??? I would rather burn myself out and die doing what I love, than to be put to sleep like an old dog. Think about it…!!!!
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