The research discovered that there is a gene associated with the greater longevity of centenarians and that its administration to the cells rejuvenates the human heart.
A team of researchers from the University of Bristol discovered that there is a gene in a population of centenarians that helped keep their hearts young and to protect them from diseases associated with aging.
This gene was found in a group of people who live in the blue zones of the planet — the blue zones refer to parts of the world where the population lives longer than average and include Okinawa in Japan, Sardinia in Italy, Nicoya in Costa Rica, Ikaria in Greece and Loma Linda in the United States.
Individuals living in these areas often exceed 100 years of age and also have less cardiovascular disease. The new search published in Cardiovascular Research sought to understand why and scientists have discovered that there is a gene common to many centenarians which protects cells against aging.
A single administration of this mutant anti-aging gene halted the degradation of cardiac function in middle-aged mice. When administered to aged mice, this gene rejuvenated the biological age of the heart to a human equivalent of more than 10 years, writes the Interesting Engineering.
The research also analyzed the effect of the gene on human cells from elderly patients with cardiovascular problems, including some who were the targets of transplants, and compared its functioning with that of healthy individuals.
“The cells of elderly patients, in particular those that support the construction of new blood vessels, called ‘pericytes’, were less efficient and more aged. By adding the longevity gene/protein to the test tube, we observed a cardiac rejuvenation process: cardiac cells from elderly patients with heart failure they are working properly againproving to be more efficient in the construction of new blood vessels”, explains the main author of the study, Monica Cattaneo.
Centenarians are also known to pass on their healthier genes to their offspring, and this research may have finally deciphered which gene it is. The authors believe that the discovery may fuel a “new wave of treatments inspired by the genetics of centenarians”.
ZAP // 
