40% life extension! American scientists make a new breakthrough in nasal inhalation 'gene therapy', which is expected to land within 5 years
"The environment is the outside, the genes are the inside". As DNA segments that carry biological genetic information, genes affect the entire process from birth to death. Its special status makes gene therapy an important direction of scientific exploration and is widely used in many fields such as biomedicine.
Earlier this year, a new breakthrough in gene therapy was published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences "PNAS". Dabbu Jaijyan's research team from Rutgers Medical School found that the gene therapy administered by nasal inhalation once a month increased the lifespan of mice. Can be extended by 40%.
- Six consecutive "nasal administration" gene therapy, prolong life by 40%
In order to carry out more efficient and safe gene delivery, the researchers used a high-capacity cytomegalovirus (a member of the herpes virus family, but rarely causes human health problems) as a carrier, reducing the risk of gene mutation .
The researchers designed 7 experiments and control groups, which were administered by nasal inhalation and intraperitoneal injection, respectively, to explore different gene therapy methods. From the age of 18 months (equivalent to 56 years in humans), the experimental mice were injected with the gene for telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT), which lengthens telomeres, and the gene for follistatin (FST), which mainly strengthens muscles. Accepted once a month for six months.
The results of the study showed that the two gene therapies increased the lifespan of the mice by 41.4% and 32.5%, respectively. In addition, the health of the mice was greatly improved.
With FST gene therapy, the muscle strength of the test mice was 33% higher than that of the control group, and the growth process continued to 29 months of age, which is equivalent to a 25% increase in young adulthood.
The TERT gene therapy extended the telomeres of aged mice by 6 times and returned to the level of 8 months old, and various organs appeared rejuvenated, which is equivalent to achieving "rejuvenation".
Legend: the left is the control group, the right is the experimental group receiving gene therapy
At first glance, the nasal inhalation method of administration is comparable to, or even superior to, the traditional intraperitoneal injection. The discovery of this achievement provides a new idea for the promotion and application of gene therapy, and also opens up a new path for the current popular anti-aging.
- The new therapy has been recognized by the "Godfather of Anti-aging"
Facing the astonishing data of 40% life extension, Sinclair, director of the Harvard Center for Aging Research, known as the "Godfather of Anti-aging", posted multiple question marks and exclamation marks on social platforms, unable to hide his surprise and disbelief. He, who once threatened to "live to be 150 years old", clearly maintains a positive and open attitude towards this new gene therapy. After all, in terms of the core mechanism, this is quite similar to the coenzyme 1 anti-aging technology it discovered (such as the "Ruohui" popular among the wealthy in China), which focuses on maintaining or extending telomeres.
Telomeres are small sections of "protective caps" at the ends of chromosomes that maintain the stability of genetic information during cell division. Telomeres are regarded by academia as the "clock of life" due to their corresponding shortening in length with cell division. In theory, extending telomeres is like extending lifespan. Baylor College of Medicine went further in Sinclair's research on "exogenous supplementation of coenzyme 1 can prolong life by 30%" and found that coenzyme 1 can promote the secretion of telomerase to maintain telomere length.
This research has accelerated the popularization of the commercialization results of the molecule, and the domestic “Ruohui” technology products have been endorsed by authorities, and the landing on JD.com has attracted many high-net-worth individuals. According to this study, if the level of this molecule is maintained continuously, the cells will theoretically achieve a frozen age, and "Ruohui" technology products are therefore regarded as "youth preservatives". What's more, some people bought 20 bottles at one time, saying that "the whole family can take it together".
It is a pity that although the price of domestic "if back" has dropped by more than 95% compared with competing products in Japan and the United States, the 4-digit unit price still limits the audience to middle and high net worth groups. The portraits of JD.com transaction users show that 90% of their purchasing power comes from the first-tier economically developed areas along the coast, such as Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Shenzhen.
- The advancement of technology will eventually benefit the public
The TERT gene injected in this experiment extended the telomeres and extended life by 40%, which is even more effective than Sinclair's research. Compared with traditional intraperitoneal injection, it is more convenient for nasal administration, which also paves the way for its popularity.
But unfortunately, when you want to apply this gene therapy method to humans, there is a fatal hidden danger: cancer promotion. In order to be like the anti-aging technologies such as "Ruohui" pioneered by Sinclair, scientists need to make further breakthroughs in the future. Dabbu, the head of the experiment, said that it may take 5 to 10 years before it goes out of the laboratory for clinical application.
However, as Sinclair said: "Today's aging research is like the Wright Brothers' aircraft at the beginning of the last century. More advanced and mature aircraft such as Concorde and Boeing are waiting for us not far ahead." With further breakthroughs in technology, people will have more choices, and the anti-aging technology will also benefit the general public. We will wait and see.