Healthspan Compass – Vol. 16

From the Editor

Eve Herold
Editor-in-Chief

In the scheme of things, longevity science is a relatively new field. But we’re starting to reap the rewards of several decades spent identifying the foundational causes of the biological aging process, with the potential of manipulating it and improving the healthspan. No doubt there’s still much to learn, but as one discovery builds upon another, we’re getting closer to controlling the aging process and developing powerful weapons against age-related conditions. Major advancements have just been announced, so in this time of uncertainty while the world around us seems to be going down in flames, healthspan science is reaching new heights. Welcome to The Healthspan Compass!

Safer Rejuvenation Through Partial Cellular Reprogramming

Stem cells are powerful agents of rejuvenation, but they can also go rogue. Ever since 2006, when Shinya Yamanaka made his landmark discovery of the four proteins, called transcription factors, which can reverse mature cells to a pluripotent state, scientists have been searching for safe ways to control reprogrammed cells and their derivatives in live animals. The trick is to harness the natural activities of cells and tweak them without having them over-proliferate, become the wrong kinds of cells or create tumors. This slippery state of affairs has been one of the main reasons that scientists are cautious about introducing stem cells in humans.

According to Scientific American, a team led by Yuangheng Lu, now at the Whitehead Institute in Cambridge, MA, has developed a novel approach to reversing adult cells into stem cells by introducing only three of the Yamanaka proteins. The technique created safer, more targeted cells used in the eyes of mice with retinal and optic nerve damage similar to human age-related conditions like glaucoma. The engineered cells safely rejuvenated the mice’s retinal cells. The study is a precursor to human safety trials aimed at using partially reprogrammed cells to reverse aging in retinal nerve cells. Coming soon: a small trial in older people with glaucoma conducted by Life Biosciences to build upon the successful safety tests in mice. This is a first step in what’s hoped to be more human trials that go beyond safety and actually reverse retinal and optic nerve damage without the risk of tumors or out-of-control cell proliferation.

Genes and Aging: Way More Important Than We Thought

For decades, scientists have thought that genetics play only a 20 to 25 percent role in determining the human lifespan. But a new study published in Science and led by Ben Shehar at the Weizmann Institute of Science suggests that lifespan is written in our genes far more than we thought. In fact, lifespan may be up to 50 percent determined by heritable factors. This conclusion is based on an analysis of three large twin databases from Sweden and Denmark, which included twins who were raised apart. The scientists used mathematical simulations of virtual twins to weed out deaths by confounding factors like accidents and other external causes, which until now have been hard to tease apart from data on lifespans. The surprising result was that once external factors were weeded out from the data, heritability of lifespan approached 50 percent. This discovery, if duplicated and confirmed, could lead to more focus on gene therapies as a way to manipulate the aging process and increase both lifespan and healthspan.

Peptides: Miracle Compounds or Snake Oil?

There’s a new word getting a lot of attention these days thanks to the widespread use of GLP-1 drugs—peptides. They’re the new darlings of social media health influencers and under consideration for looser restrictions by the FDA. Peptides are short chains of amino acids that occur naturally in the body, but that are being formulated in large, hopefully therapeutic doses and applied to a broad array of conditions. Insulin and GLP-1s are the best-known peptides, but there’s also one called BPC-157, thought to reduce inflammation, and a copper peptide that claims to rejuvenate the skin. Other peptides are aimed at everything from anti-aging and muscle growth to osteoporosis, cellular repair and sleep quality. Three categories of peptides are currently available to the public. One includes peptides that have been approved by the FDA, such as GLP-1s. The second category is off-label use of federally approved peptides, and the third is compounded peptides advertised to the public but often lacking in rigorous study and with potentially little quality assurance. Overall, the jury is still out about using any and all peptide formulations that claim to deliver health benefits without risk. Chelsea Hagopian, an assistant professor at Emory University, says, “These are powerful medications that, in some cases, can have long-term health implications…They are not benign, and some have potent effects on the body.” For more of the lowdown on peptides, check out this CNN overview of the field.

Healthspan Action Coalition and Regenerative Medicine Foundation Answer the Call on Embryonic Stem Cells

On January 23, the NIH Office of Science Policy announced a request for comments on its upcoming review of the need for embryonic stem cells in research. In some quarters, the need for the existence of a national embryonic stem cell registry and NIH funding for research using hESCs, when induced pluripotent stem cells and other sources are available, has been questioned. However, while HSAC and its sister organization RMF welcome the use of pluripotent cells from all sources, there are solid scientific reasons why ethically sourced hESCs are still critical in the search for treatments and cures. hESCs still harbor unknowns that can inform all of stem cell research and contribute to the development of advanced research products such as organoids. While it’s entirely possible that we’ll reach the point when no hESCs are necessary in the development of new therapies, we’re not there just yet. Read our joint letter to the NIH laying out exactly why the registry is still necessary along with the ability of scientists to conduct research using the foundational cells for all of human biology.