Gene alteration, deletion can improve longevity: study

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The concept of having a fountain of youth may lie in one's genes, researchers have found.

According to the Telegraph, a study published in Cell Metabolism showed that turning off a set of ageing genes may extend life by up to 60 percent. Following 10 years of research by the Buck Institute for Research on Ageing and the University of Washington, researchers has identified 238 genes that when inactivated, may increase the lifespan of yeast cells. Such genes are found in mammals, including humans.

"This study looks at aging in the context of the whole genome and gives us a more complete picture of what aging is," lead author Dr. Brian Kennedy explained. "Almost half of the genes we found that affect aging are conserved in mammals."

Dr. Kennedy added: "In theory, any of these factors could be therapeutic targets to extend health span. What we have to do now is figure out which ones are amenable to targeting."

Researchers analyzed 4,698 strains of yeast, each one with a single gene deletion, to find out which ones were linked to ageing. The genes were then monitored to see how long they lived before they stopped multiplying. Researchers discovered that the deletion of a gene called LOS1 increased lifespan by 60 percent. LOS1 is also linked to a genetic master switch that has been associated with calorie restriction via fasting and increased lifespan. According to Dr. Kennedy, "Calorie restriction has been known to extend lifespan for a long time."

Study co-author Dr. Mark McCormick from the Buck Institute also added that "Our best results were single gene deletions that increased lifespan by around 60 per cent compared to normal yeast."

The New Zealand Herald reports that according to an earlier study from the University of Southern California, a five-day fasting-like diet may slow down ageing and boost the immune system, while reducing the risk for heart disease and cancer. The diet plan reduces the number of daily calorie intake to about 35 percent of the regular intake. For three months, the diet plan was implemented on participants, who later experienced reduced biomarkers linked to ageing, diabetes, cancer, and heart disease, and also reduced the amount of overall body fat.

Daily Mail reports that LOS1 also influences the gene Gcn4, which helps govern DNA damage repair. According to Dr. Kennedy, "The DNA damage response is linked to aging as well. LOS1 may be connecting these different processes."

This study is only a part of a larger body of work research that determines to map the relationships between genes that relate to cell ageing. By determining these relationships, scientists may come up with drugs or therapies that may extend healthy lifespan.