For years, we have been looking for a simple, safe way to reverse aging. It would be great if people could find an easy way to regain the capabilities they had in youth. Stem cell replacement offers promise: We’ve discussed that in a number of blogs and forum posts and even begun negotiations with a leading stem cell replacement company. But stem cell replacement is expensive and may be dangerous. So imagine our delight when scientists from University of California San Francisco announced rejuvenation of the brains of old mice just by infusion of blood from young mice.
Young blood reverses age-related impairments in cognitive function and synaptic plasticity in mice
Saul A Villeda, Kristopher E Plambeck,Jinte Middeldorp, Joseph M Castellano, Kira I Mosher, Jian Luo, Lucas K Smith, Gregor Bieri, Karin Lin, Daniela Berdnik, Rafael Wabl, Joe Udeochu, Elizabeth G Wheatley, Bende Zou, Danielle A Simmons, Xinmin S Xie, Frank M Longo & Tony Wyss-Coray
Nature Medicine (2014) doi:10.1038/nm.3569
Received 08 February 2014 Accepted 16 April 2014 Published online 04 May 2014
Abstract
As human lifespan increases, a greater fraction of the population is suffering from age-related cognitive impairments, making it important to elucidate a means to combat the effects of aging.
Here we report that exposure of an aged animal to young blood can counteract and reverse pre-existing effects of brain aging at the molecular, structural, functional and cognitive level. Genome-wide microarray analysis of heterochronic parabionts—in which circulatory systems of young and aged animals are connected—identified synaptic plasticity–related transcriptional changes in the hippocampus of aged mice. Dendritic spine density of mature neurons increased and synaptic plasticity improved in the hippocampus of aged heterochronic parabionts.
At the cognitive level, systemic administration of young blood plasma into aged mice improved age-related cognitive impairments in both contextual fear conditioning and spatial learning and memory. Structural and cognitive enhancements elicited by exposure to young blood are mediated, in part, by activation of the cyclic AMP response element binding protein (Creb) in the aged hippocampus. Our data indicate that exposure of aged mice to young blood late in life is capable of rejuvenating synaptic plasticity and improving cognitive function
Unlike stem cells, blood transfusions are common and wouldn’t need approval by the FDA. However, it might not be a simple and safe as it seems. For example, the blood of a 70 year old will likely have many unique factors that counter cancer and perhaps keep other immune challenges at bay that would be unique to their body. Blood for a 20-something donor would not have all those unique factors, so a simple transfusion might put the older recipient at risk. So much needs to be worked out.
Meanwhile, GDF11 (Growth Differentiation Factor), the protein that became famous for its heart rejuvenation capabilities, was in the news again, this time for its capability to rejuvenate the brain and the sense of smell.
On May 4, Harvard issued this press release:
Functioning of aged brains and muscles in mice made younger: More progress with GDF 11, anti-aging protein
May 4, 2014, Harvard University
Summary:
Scientists have shown that a protein they previously demonstrated can make the failing hearts in aging mice appear more like those of young health mice, similarly improves brain and skeletal muscle function in aging mice. In two separate articles scientists report that injections of a protein known as GDF11, which is found in humans as well as mice, improved the exercise capability of mice equivalent in age to that of about a 70-year-old human.
Harvard Stem Cell Institute (HSCI) researchers have shown that a protein they previously demonstrated can make the failing hearts in aging mice appear more like those of young health mice, similarly improves brain and skeletal muscle function in aging mice.
In two separate papers given early online release today by the journal Science, which is publishing the papers this coming Friday, Professors Amy Wagers and Lee Rubin, of Harvard’s Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology (HSCRB), report that injections of a protein known as GDF11, which is found in humans as well as mice, improved the exercise capability of mice equivalent in age to that of about a 70-year-old human, and also improved the function of the olfactory region of the brains of the older mice — they could detect smell as younger mice do.
Rubin and Wagers each said that, baring unexpected developments, they expect to have GDF11 in initial human clinical trials within three to five years.
Snip.
Doug Melton, co-chair of HSCRB and co-director of HSCI, reacted to the two papers by saying that he couldn’t “recall a more exciting finding to come from stem cell science and clever experiments. This should give us all hope for a healthier future. We all wonder why we were stronger and mentally more agile when young, and these two unusually exciting papers actually point to a possible answer: the higher levels of the protein GDF11 we have when young. There seems to be little question that, at least in animals, GDF11 has an amazing capacity to restore aging muscle and brain function,” he said.
Snip.
“From the previous work it could have seemed that GD11 was heart specific,” said Wagers, “but this shows that it is active in multiple organs and cell types… Prior studies of skeletal muscle and the parabiotic effect really focused on regenerative biology. Muscle was damaged and assayed on how well it could recover,” Wagers explained.
She continued: “The additional piece is that while prior studies of young blood factors have shown that we achieve restoration of muscle stem cell function and they repair the muscle better, in this study, we also saw repair of DNA damage associated with aging, and we got it in association with recovery of function, and we saw improvements in unmanipulated muscle. Based on other studies, we think that the accumulation DNA damage in muscle stem cells might be reflect an inability of the cells to properly differentiate to make mature muscle cells, which is needed for adequate muscle repair.
Snip.
“We think an effect of GDF 11 is the improved vascularity and blood flow, associated with increased neurogenesis,” Rubin said. “This should have other more widespread effect on other areas of the brain. We do think that, at least in principal, there will be a way to reverse some of the decline of aging with a single protein. It could be that a molecule like GDF 11, or GDF 11 itself, could” reverse the damage of aging.
Story Source:
The above story is based on materials provided by Harvard University. Note: Materials may be edited for content and length.
While the findings on GDF 11 are exciting, they do not offer immediate help to those who are heart challenged, and all of us who want to reverse aging. So while we will continue to follow these exciting developments, LivingTheCRWay will also focus on natural rejuvenation through lifestyle and diet.
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