Experimental Drug Prevents Aging of Lungs and Vascular System in Mice

Researchers from Northwestern Medicine have recently discovered a protein that plays a critical role in cell and physiological aging. This experimental drug inhibits a protein's effect and potentially prolongs the lifespan in a mouse model of accelerated aging.

"A drug like this could help reduce complications in clinical conditions that reflect accelerated aging," said Douglas Vaughan, M.D., senior author of the study, via Science Daily. "This had a very robust effect in terms of prolonging life span."

The study shows that researchers fed the rapidly aging mice the experimental drug more than four times longer than those in the control group. Findings showed that their lungs and vascular system was protected from accelerated age.

In the future, researchers note that they hope to use the experimental drug to treat human disease that can cause accelerated aging--including diabetes, kidney disease and HIV.

According to the study reports, the rapidly aging mice fed the experimental drug lived more than four times longer than a control group. It was observed that their lungs and vascular system were also protected from accelerated aging. 

Researchers believe the experimental drug could be potentially used to treat human disease that cause accelerated aging like chronic kidney disease, diabetes and HIV infection. 

"It makes sense that this might be one component of a cocktail of drugs or supplements that a person might take in the future to extend their healthy life."

Researchers have come to this conclusion following 25 years of study on the matter.

"We made the intellectual leap between a marker of senescence and physiological aging," Vaughan added, via the news organization. "We asked is this marker for cell aging one of the drivers or mechanisms of rapid physiological aging?"

What do you think?

More information regarding the findings can be seen via the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.