Combining Four Life Extension Therapies Doubles Life Expectancy in Middle-Aged Mice

Wednesday - February 21 2024, 15:42 UTC - 9 months ago

A recent study aimed to test the effects of combining four life extension therapies on the remaining lifespan of middle-aged mice. These therapies included senescent cell ablation, rapamycin, telomerase expression, and stem cell transplantation. Preliminary data suggests that the combination of these therapies could more than double the expected remaining life of a middle-aged mouse, with potential improvements of 33-56% for males and 20-60% for females. These findings have important implications for extending human lifespan and improving overall health and wellness.

As humans, we are all searching for ways to extend our lifespan and improve our overall health and wellness. Scientists have been conducting experiments on different life extension therapies, with each one potentially adding 10-35% to the remaining life of a mouse. But what if we combined the best ones? A recent study aimed to find out if combining four of the most promising therapies could have an even greater effect and potentially double the remaining life of a middle-aged mouse.

The four interventions studied were senescent cell ablation via galactose-conjugated Navitoclax (known as Nav-Gal), rapamycin in food at 42 ppm, enhanced telomerase expression via repeated TERT gene therapy (administered nasally with AAV-mTERT), and hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Each of these therapies addresses a different aspect of aging, such as eliminating senescent cells, inhibiting TORC1 activity, and preventing telomere erosion.

Telomerase, also known as mTERT, is an enzyme that can lengthen telomeres, the protective caps on the ends of chromosomes. Telomere length is known to decrease as we age, and shorter telomeres have been linked to higher mortality rates from heart and infectious diseases. However, it's important to note that telomeres alone do not determine lifespan.

Rapamycin, a macrolide drug, has been shown to extend lifespan in model organisms like mice. It can also delay age-related diseases, such as cognitive decline, spontaneous tumor growth, and dysfunction in the cardiovascular and immune systems. This makes it a promising candidate for life extension therapies.

Aubrey de Grey, a prominent scientist and advocate for life extension, described the ongoing study as an emerging story. While the experiment is not yet complete, there are clear indications of trends and potential conclusions.

When looking at the survival curves of the male mice, it appears that those with no treatment would have a 50% life expectancy of approximately 945 days. However, the male mice with all four treatments may reach this point at around 1200-1300 days, which is more than double the expected remaining life of one year. Extrapolating from the data, this would mean a remaining life of 365 days for those with no treatment and 485-565 days for those with all four treatments - a 33-56% improvement range.

In comparison, rapamycin alone was able to extend the life of male mice by about 50 days compared to those with no treatment, while all four treatments may add approximately 100-150 days beyond rapamycin alone. For female mice, rapamycin alone extended lifespan by 80-150 days compared to the no-treatment group, and all four treatments may add 20-60 days beyond rapamycin alone. Additionally, the life expectancy for females with all four treatments was approximately 955 days, with a 235-day improvement compared to the 580-day middle age starting point.

While the experiment is not yet complete and the researchers must provide their conclusions and analysis, the preliminary data suggests that combining four of the best life extension therapies could have a significant impact on extending the life expectancy of middle-aged mice. If these trends hold true, it could mean an even longer and healthier life for humans in the future.