The search for the fountain of youth
is coming close to an end - right in our own bodies. The key lies in
our genes and while genetic research is still in the early stages, knowledge
is increasing at a rapid rate. The genes for obesity, asthma, diabetes,
and cancer, to name but a few, have already been identified. Now scientists
are closer to discovering the genes for immortality. Through genetic
manipulation, scientists have been able to increase the life span of
lower animals - worms and flies - by leaps and bounds. Cloning technology
is advancing to more complex animals. All this innovation has fascinating
implications for unlocking the secret to human life extension.
Double the Life Span
Researchers at the University of
California-San Francisco have been able to double the life span of the
c. elegans worm. Normally, the worm ages rapidly, undergoing development,
senescence, and death in less than three weeks. However, when the gene
daf-2 (related to insulin) was mutated to reduce activity, the worms
aged more slowly and lived for six weeks - yet their metabolic rates
were normal. Biologists at McGill University have been able to clone
daf-2, as well as two other c. elegans genes that have been shown to
increase life span.
Live 40% Longer
Tony Parks of the University of Guelph
Ontario, Canada led a recent study in which fruit flies lived an average
of 102 days, 40% longer than their normal life span of 80 days. Researchers
injected the nerve cells of these fruit flies with SOD1 from humans.
SOD1 is a gene found in all cells of all creatures, a gene that fights
cell damage and keeps the nervous system functioning effectively. It
functions as an antioxidant, protecting the body from the toxic byproducts
of the oxygen that, ironically, we cannot live without.
When the fruit fly's own supply of
SOD1 is enhanced by the addition of human SOD1, the impact is so significant,
that it's exciting to think about the expanding lifespans using other
genes. This research also has more immediate implications in treating
diseases that destroy the brain and nervous system: Lou Gehrig's disease,
Huntington's, Parkinson's.
No maximum Life Span
James Curtsinger of the University
of Minnesota, in collaboration with Jame Vaupel of Odense University
in Denmark, has been able to increase the fruit fly's life span two
fold. Again, the root of his research came from humans - not genes,
but Scandinavian church records. Looking at these records, recognized
to be some of the most reliable data on human longevity available, Curtsinger
noticed that after about age 85, the mortality rate actually declined
- the longer people lived, then the longer they would live.
Through genetic manipulation, Curtsinger
has been able to re-create this pattern in fruit flies, resulting in
an amazing increase in lifespan. His findings prompted him to conclude
that there is no "preordained lifespan." Life can continue
existence as long as the organism stays healthy. Curtsinger says this
pattern is now being seen in other insects, yeast, and even mice. Perhaps
it can be translated to human beings.
Cloned Cows
An advanced cloning method has produced
three healthy, identical calves at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst.
Dr Jose Cibelli and colleagues harvested fibroblasts, the nuclei of
connective tissue cells, from bovine fetuses and inserted special genetic
markers in the nuclei. This technique greatly enhanced both the life
span and number of cell divisions of the fibroblasts, greatly increasing
the viability of the cloning. Scientists may someday be able to produce
herds of cattle carrying any number of valuable human antibodies, tissues,
or organs - all harvested to save or improve human lives.
A4M Seminar and Board Exam Coming to the East
Coast
On August 15 and 16, at the Meadowlands
in New Jersey (just minutes from Manhattan), the American Academy of
Anti-Aging Medicine and the American Board of Anti-Aging Medicine (ABAAM)
will hold the first East Coast seminar for physicians focusing on the
clinical practice of anti-aging medicine. This 2 day seminar is approved
for 15 hours of Cat I AMA/AOA CME credit and will offer "how to"
hands-on training in establishing an anti-aging practice. On Monday,
17 August, ABAAM will conduct the written exam for physician candidates
wishing to be admitted to the ABAAM. Contact A4M headquarters at 773-528-4333.
Call for Papers, Presenters, Exhibitors for
December Conference
The Sixth International Conference
on Anti-Aging Medicine and Biomedical Technology will convene December
11, 12, and 13 in Las Vegas, with the focus on the early detection,
protection, and reversal of cancer, heart disease, and metabolic disorders
of aging. Over 3000 physicians and scientists are expected to attend.
If you are interested in presenting research or exhibiting your product,
contact Dr. White at A4M headquarters 773-528-4333.