Life expectancy can grow by 80% with anti-aging breakthrough

health

by Adriana Diaz

April 28, 2023 | 8:07 p.m

Do you want to be young forever?

An advanced study might show you how.

Researchers from the University of California San Diego conducted a study to reprogram the cellular aging process.

The study concluded that they were able to increase the lifespan of yeast cells by 82% – and claimed the same could be done with human cells.

The study has been published in Refereed scientific journal Thursday.

Yeast cells are single-celled microorganisms that undergo an aging process similar to that that occurs in human cells — and while the latter is more complex, experts are optimistic about the potential to transfer the science.

Yeast cells contain a transcriptional switch that allows them to die in one of two ways: nuclear degradation (the fragmentation of the cell’s protein-making properties) or mitochondrial decay (the waning of the cell’s energy production).

These paths naturally stop each other. When one occurs, the other is eliminated.

However, the researchers were able to rewire the transcription switch into a negative feedback loop, causing the yeast cells to oscillate between the two states of senescence – increasing their lifespan by 82%.

“Our work represents a proof-of-concept, demonstrating the successful application of synthetic biology to reprogram the cellular aging process, and may lay the foundation for designing synthetic gene circuits to effectively promote longevity in more complex organisms,” the researchers wrote.

Senior author Nan Hao, Ph.D., of the Department of Molecular Biology in the College of Biological Sciences and also co-director of the Institute for Synthetic Biology at UC San Diego, explained the significance of the findings, noting that they were “the first principles of synthetic biology and computationally directed engineering have been used to recreate Rationally design gene circuits and reprogram the aging process to effectively promote longevity.”

“Our results demonstrate a link between gene network structure and cellular longevity that could lead to rationally designed epigenetic circuits that slow aging,” he said. According to Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology News.

Cell aging is a fundamental biological process and a primary driver of many diseases.

This research is in line with the growing movement of scientists who believe that aging can be treated and managed as a disease.

While the anti-aging industry has always had a market, experts are increasingly delving into the science of longevity.

Celebrities and wellness trends are doing the same by focusing on movements like biohacking and treatments including cryotherapy.