Age reversal by chemical cocktail
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Everything about human ageing and related diseases
Can a chemical cocktail reverse aging?
Loss of Cellular information is one of the most important reason for ageing. In a multicellular organism, the informations are stored in genome and epigenome, genome consist of complete information about the cell and the living organism.
Chemical mixture-example |
Image credit; Wikipedia
Harvard genetics professor Mr. David Sinclair and his team identified a chemical cocktail,they claim this cocktail can reverse aging. The cocktail is a mixture of six or more chemicals. The chemicals includes.. Valproic acid, pramipexole, tranylcypromine ete.There findings published in AGING journal on July 12, 2023. Before we go deep in to the topic we should understand, what are stem cells. Cellular Senescence, Yemanaka factors, DNA methylation etc.
Stem cells
Stem cells are the basic cells, their functionality is not specialized,but they are able to renew themselves and can transform in to many specialized cells. They are divided into embryonic stem cells and adult stem cells. Embryonic stem cells are pluripotent means they can develop into any cells or tissues in our body.
Adult stem cells are present in almost all tissues and organs. They are also called as somatic cells these cells cells are used to replaced damaged cells in organs or tissues,
Cellular Senescence
Human cells can perform cell divisions around 50 times then it will enter in a state that is senescence stage , In this stage a cell cannot replicate again because of errors in biological informations stored in their genome. It is noted that the length of telomeres is decreasing in each cell division.
Yemanaka factors
In the year 2006 Shinya yamanaka and Kazutoshi Takahashi discovered four transcription factors that can re program somatic cells Into induced pluripotent stem cells. These factors include oct3/4, Sox2, Klf4, and Myc, collectively known as Oskm. These Factors are highly expressed in embryonic stage but their experiment shows adult somatic cell also can convert in to pluripotent.
DNA Methylation
DNA Methylation is a chemical process in which a methyl group is attaching to C5 position of cytosine to form 5 methyl cytosine, after Methylation the particular gene became in off position, so the gene is not able to produce any proteins. This is happening because of drugs, stress, hormones, diet, and other environmental factors.
Rejuvenation of cells by chemical cocktails
Discovery of yemanaka factors (oct3/4, Spx2, klf4, and Myc) is the key reason behind this experiment. It is realised that mammals can restore their youthful DND Methylation pattern . The chemical cocktails they developed is tested on mice and recently on monkeys. They claim, study on kidney, optic nerves, muscles and brain tissues shown estra ordinary results. Extended life span and improved vision also achieved the mice and monkey's. Human trails wil be conducted next year. According to them the chemical cocktail can rejuvenate human cells without losing cellular identity.
Valproic acid they used in cocktail is a well known histone deacetylase inhibitor, It spread rapid deacetylation mak on genome. It help in partial epigenetic reprogramming.Another deacetylase inhibitor is Sodium butyrate which helps to improve gene expressions. and the Forskolin is used as an activator Of adenylyl cyclase,helping for reprogramming and the rejuvenation remains to be identified.
Senescent cell disrupted nuclear transmission signals, old people have a lot of senescence cells in their bodies. This problem is considerably reverse in mice by cocktail treatment.
Conclusion
Yemanaka and Takahashi discovered four genes (OSKM) which are highly expressed In embryonic stage. Which regulate the developmental signal network necessary for cells pluripotency. They got nobel Prize for this discovery in 2012.later it is realized that adult somatic cells can be converted to pluripotent cells. Chemical cocktail experiment is also conducted because of yemanaka's success I hope this experiment may change every thing. How ever some scientists says this experiment is a hype and preliminary.
What is your opinion plz comment..
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