In a discovery that could transform our understanding of aging and age-related diseases, a team of scientists has shown that A simple monthly injection of an antibody can extend the life of mice by 25% and keep them healthy.
This breakthrough, led by biochemist Jesús Gil at the London Medical Sciences Laboratory, has generated great enthusiasm in the scientific community and It has begun to be tested on humans, with the aim of combating age-related diseases.
The treatment, which involves the administration of the X203 antibody, has shown amazing results in mice. In studies on rodents about a year and a half old (equivalent to 55 human years), those who received the antibody lived up to 25% longer than their untreated peers. They also showed a notable improvement in their general health: lower incidence of cancer, lower cholesterol levels and greater muscle strength.
Cardiologist Stuart Cook, co-director of the research, explains that mice treated with X203 looked slimmer and more active, with better coat color, better vision, hearing and ability to walk. The X203 antibody works by blocking interleukin 11a protein whose concentration increases with age and causes inflammation and cell damage. This intervention not only prolongs life, but also significantly improves the quality of life.
Human trials: A step towards the future
Although the results in mice are promising, scientists are cautiously optimistic about applying this treatment to humans. Cook notes that trials in humans to block interleukin 11 are already underway, but cautions that these studies are not yet designed to assess long-term aging. However, early results in humans have shown an excellent safety profile.
Cook’s Enleofen is working with German pharmaceutical company Boehringer Ingelheim on these trials. Other companies, such as the American company Lassen and the Chinese company Mabwell, have also started similar projects with the aim of treating age-related diseases such as pulmonary fibrosis.
Future prospects and challenges
Spanish biochemist Jesús Gil, whose team in London specializes in the study of cellular senescence, is optimistic about the potential of the X203 antibody. “Inhibiting interleukin 11 can inhibit senescence,” Gil says, noting that his experiments have also shown positive results in human cells.
Rafael de Cabo, head of Translational Gerontology at the US National Institute on Aging, highlights the magnitude of the life extension observed in mice, but warns of the need for further studies in various genetic strains of rodents to confirm these results. “It is crucial to conduct long, well-designed studies in humans to validate these findings,” stresses de Cabo.
Research into interleukin-11 is just one of many strategies that the scientific community is exploring to prolong healthy life. Other promising interventions include rapamycin and metformin, as well as more ambitious efforts to reverse aging, such as those undertaken by the US company Altos Labs.
Despite these advances, De Cabo stresses that currently the most effective interventions to promote a long and healthy life remain calorie restriction and increased physical activity. “Eating less and moving more remains the safest prescription, without the need for injections,” he concludes.
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