Scientists Find Six Chemical Cocktails That Can Reverse Ageing, Revitalise Human Cells

Age reversal through chemicals: This is the first chemical approach to reprogramme cells to a younger state, something which was earlier possible only through powerful gene therapy.

Scientists have discovered some chemicals which can reverse ageing in humans, and rejuvenate human cells. This is the first chemical approach to reprogramme cells to a younger state, something which was earlier possible only through powerful gene therapy. The study, conducted by researchers at Harvard Medical School, was recently published in the journal Aging. 

When certain genes, called Yamanaka factors, are expressed in one's body, adult cells could be converted into induced pluripotent stem cells, which are cells reprogrammed from somatic cells into embryonic-state cells capable of producing any type of cell. This discovery won researchers John B Gurdon and Shinya Yamanaka the 2012 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. The genes have been named after Yamanaka. 

Why chemical reversal of ageing is a better technique than age reversal through gene therapy

However, there has always been a question of whether it is possible to reverse cellular ageing in a safe manner, without causing cells to become too young and turn cancerous.

It is this concern that the new study addressed. Researchers searched for molecules that could perform the dual tasks of reversing cellular ageing and rejuvenating human cells, and developed certain techniques to differentiate between young cells and old and senescent cells. They identified six chemical cocktails that reverse the ageing of cells in less than a week, and restore cells to their youthful states.

Earlier, the Harvard researchers had shown that viral introduction of specific Yamanaka genes into cells can reverse cellular ageing without uncontrolled cell growth. This technique indeed showed promising results when tried in mice. Their vision was improved, and lifespan increased. Scientists have also conducted studies on the brain tissue, muscles, optic nerve and kidney, and found promising results. 

Significance of the new study

The new study, which showed that chemical cocktails can help reverse ageing, is important because the results can be used for developing regenerative medicine, and performing whole-body rejuvenation. 

The chemical alternative to reversing age through gene therapy will be a breakthrough in the treatment of ageing, injuries and age-related disorders, and also a lower-cost and faster solution to these problems, compared to gene therapy. 

In a statement released by the official website of the Aging journal, David A Sinclair, the lead scientist on the project, said that until recently, the best researchers could do was to slow ageing, but now, new discoveries suggest we can reverse it. Earlier, reversal of ageing required gene therapy, which limited the widespread use of age reversal. 

He also explained that the new discovery has a lot of potential, including the ability to reverse ageing with a single pill, improving eyesight, and effectively treating age-related diseases. 

As part of the study, the researchers engineered mice in a way such that they aged rapidly. A particular mouse was aged to 150 per cent the age of its sibling. The aim was to test the new therapy on the mice, and check its effectiveness.