Key points from article :
A study showed that sirtuin SIRT6 has positive effects on multiple hallmarks of aging in the hearts of mice.
Sirtuins are a family of proteins with significant effects on longevity in multiple model organisms.
Researchers injected heart cells with doxocirubin (Dox) to cause senescence.
Cells subjected to Dox but did not express additional SIRT6 suffered from problems related to aging.
Showed significant mitochondrial DNA lesions and shortened telomeres, and expressed less SIRT6 than the control group.
Cells treated with SIRT6 showed much fewer of these symptoms.
SIRT6 knockout mice, compared to a wild-type, suffered from substantially increased aging.
Hearts of SIRT6-overexpressing mice aged slower in at least four ways: genomic instability, cellular senescence, mitochondrial dysfunction, and telomere attrition.
Therapy based on SIRT6 overexpression may substantially increase our lifespan and resilience against age-related diseases.
Study by University of Chicago published in Aging.
