Slowing down human aging is possible thanks to the research and modification of the mechanisms that regulate the life cycles of cells. This is the conclusion of a research conducted by researchers at the University of California San Diego (UC San Diego) and published in the journal “Science“. It is widely accepted that the length of human life is linked to the aging of our individual cells. Three years ago, scholars from the University of California of San Diego he had identified the fundamental processes underlying aging. Recently, this search has been expanded, via the synthetic biology. Researchers have succeeded in designing a solution that prevents cells from deteriorating over time.
All cell types, including those of yeast, plants, animals and humans, contain gene regulatory circuits responsible for many physiological functions, including aging. “These gene circuits can function like ours household electrical circuits that control devices such as household appliances and automobiles“said the professor Nan Hao of the Department of Molecular Biology of the School of Biological Sciencessenior author of the study and co-chair of the Department of Molecular Biology at the UC Institute of Synthetic Biology San Diego.
How research can extend life
The interesting thing is that scholars have rewired these circuits, effectively slowing down the cell degeneration, leading to a significantly longer lifespan. Like the electrical engineers, the researchers in this study first used computer simulations of how the core aging circuit works.
This experimental phase helped them design and test ideas before building or modifying the circuit in the cell. This methodological approach has significant advantages in saving time and resources to identify effective strategies pro-longevity, compared to more traditional genetic strategies. “This is the first time that computer-guided synthetic biology and engineering principles have been used to rationally redesign gene circuits and reprogram the aging process to effectively promote longevity’“, he has declared Hao.
A connection between the gene network and longevity
The new research provides evidence that aging can be slowed down by actively preventing cells from deteriorating and dying. “Our results establish a connection between the gene network architecture and the lcellular longevity which could lead to rationally designed gene circuits that slow down aging“, note the researchers in their study. The research team is still working on and expanding the applications of the aging study of different types of human cells, including stem cells and neurons.