8week 2session (2)

Aging Research Importance

• Explored from a social perspective.

• Focused on two methods to control aging mechanisms:

  • Epigenetic reprogramming.

  • Metabolic interventions (caloric restriction).

Exercise as an Anti-Aging Method

• Exercise is a key factor in slowing down the aging process.

• Mechanism of exercise impacts on aging will be discussed.

Correlation between Steps and Mortality

• Graph shows the relationship between daily steps (X-axis) and age-related mortality (Y-axis).

  • Increased steps correlate with lower mortality rates (negative correlation).

  • Higher step counts lower the risk of various chronic diseases (cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, stroke, diabetes).

  • Recommendation: At least 1000 minutes of walking per week for longevity.

Role of Myokines in Exercise

• Exercise induces muscle to secrete various proteins, termed myokines.

• Key myokines include:

  • BDNF (Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor).

  • Irisin.

  • IL-6 (Interleukin-6).

  • IL-15 (Interleukin-15).

• Myokines improve organ functions and slow down aging.

NAD and Muscle Health

• Study from 2012 identified four groups of elderly: younger adults, trained older adults, untrained elderly with normal activity, and sedentary older adults.

• Analysis of blood metabolite levels showed:

  • Exercise boosts NAD (Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide) levels similar to younger adults.

• Higher NAD levels enhance cellular functions and slow aging progression.

Targeting Cellular Senescence for Longevity

• Revisited the concept of senescent cells which accumulate with age due to stress exposure.

  • Senescent cells display:

    • Lack of proliferation.(rapid increase or multiplication of cells)

    • High secretion of inflammatory factors (SASP - Senescence-Associated Secretory Phenotype).

• Research into therapies to:

  • Remove senescent cells.

  • Block inflammatory factors from these cells.

Therapeutic Approaches

• Peptide Therapy:

  • Targeting apoptosis (process of programmed cell death in which cells undergo an orderly death in response to specific signals). pathways in senescent cells.Senescent cells are cells that have accumulated damage and stress over time, leading to a state where they stop dividing and functioning normally. They display a lack of proliferation and secrete inflammatory factors known as the Senescence-Associated Secretory Phenotype (SASP)

  • Example: Peptide "Fixo 4 DRI" that inhibits binding of PI3K to promote senescent cell death.

• Small Molecule Drugs:

  • Example: Senolytics designed to selectively eliminate senescent cells.

  • Notable compounds:

    • Dasatinib and Quercetin cocktail.

    • Other examples: Fisetin, Labralactone.

Senolytics and Aging-Related Disorders

• Studies show positive outcomes on functions (e.g., maximal running speed, grip strength) in aged mice treated with senolytics over four months.

• Investigating links between senolytic treatments and age-related diseases like osteoarthritis.

Exploring Blood Manipulation as an Anti-Aging Method

• Research into rejuvenating factors in blood to slow aging processes.

  • Early cinematic concepts visualize the rejuvenation through mythical fountains.

• Noted that blood circulates multiple times daily, carrying vital proteins and factors.

Blood Factor Analysis in Aging

• Order of protein changes in blood as individuals age; study from 2019 revealed:

  • 3,653 proteins analyzed, identifying significant increases and decreases with age.

• Noteworthy finding: Critical age intervals (34, 60, and 78 years) show dramatic changes in protein patterns.

Parabiosis Studies and Future Directions

• Parabiosis used for studying blood factor impacts by connecting young and old mice:

  • Results showed respective rejuvenation or acceleration of aging in the animals.

• Aim to identify and utilize anti-aging factors isolated from blood for therapeutic applications.

• Current investigations on treatments with documented effects on age-related disorders such as Alzheimer’s.

Risks and Ethical Considerations

• Noted the controversy and regulatory challenges around blood transfusion for anti-aging.

• FDA guidelines advised against such practices due to ethical concerns.

Conclusion

• Focused on aging being a rising societal challenge.

• Research aims at:

  • Slowing aging manifestations.

  • Promoting healthy aging.

• Highlighted four main strategies:

  1. Epigenetic reprogramming.

  2. Metabolic interventions (exercise, caloric restriction).

  3. Senolytic treatments.

  4. Blood factor manipulation.

• Addressing health span—living without disease until the end of life—is a primary research goal.