Gene therapies which could delay ageing in people suggested by Chinese, US research on mice
- World-first research on gene inactivation in mice by Chinese scientists shows animals can live 25 per cent longer and regain physical strength
- US study finds older mice that have a hormone blocked or deleted perform tasks as well as younger ones. Both studies offer hope of delaying ageing in people
The march of time can be unkind to the human body, but new research in mice by scientists in China and the United States hints at possible causes – and potential solutions – for some of the ailments and decline in people that often come with age.
Scientists in Beijing have developed a gene therapy which can reverse some of the effects of ageing in mice and extend their lifespans, findings which may one day contribute to similar treatment for humans.
The method, detailed in a paper in the Science Translational Medicine journal this month, involves inactivating a gene called kat7 which the scientists found to be a key contributor to cellular ageing.
The specific therapy they used and the results were a world first, said co-supervisor of the project Professor Qu Jing, 40, a specialist in ageing and regenerative medicine from the Institute of Zoology at the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS).
“These mice show after 6-8 months overall improved appearance and grip strength, and most importantly they have extended lifespan for about 25 per cent,” Qu said.
The team of biologists screened thousands of genes for those which were particularly strong drivers of cellular senescence, the term used to describe cellular ageing.