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Starvation’s secret: could a pill unlock longer life?

Exploring the genetic pathways behind calorie restriction and their potential to combat ageing

06-Jun-2013

Key points from article :

The idea of extending life through calorie restriction has long intrigued scientists, including Roy Walford from the University of California. Walford, who practiced what he preached by limiting his diet to 1,600 calories daily, believed such extreme measures could help humans live up to 120 years. Although he passed away at 71 from Lou Gehrig's disease, research into the connection between diet and longevity remains vibrant. Many wonder if the life-extending benefits of calorie restriction could one day be delivered in the form of a pill.

New findings, published in Nature by Pere Puigserver and his team at Johns Hopkins University, shed light on the genetic mechanics of calorie restriction in mammals. They discovered that SIRT1, the mammalian equivalent of a longevity-related gene called SIR2, activates in the liver during calorie-restricted states. This gene triggers other genetic pathways, such as PCG1, which helps regulate blood sugar, ensuring the brain gets energy while the rest of the body switches to burning fat. While these findings highlight a survival mechanism rather than a direct cause of extended lifespan, they offer vital clues about how metabolism and longevity are intertwined.

Research into these longevity pathways has inspired efforts to translate these discoveries into treatments. Cynthia Kenyon at the University of California, San Francisco, and Leonard Guarente of MIT, who co-discovered the SIR2 gene’s link to ageing, co-founded Elixir Pharmaceuticals. The company aims to develop drugs that slow ageing and combat diseases like diabetes, cancer, and heart disease by targeting pathways such as SIRT1. According to Elixir’s Jonathan Solomon, while their primary focus is on metabolic diseases like diabetes, their work may eventually have broader implications for ageing.

The potential of targeting SIRT1 is immense, as Guarente suggests, with possible applications not just for diabetes but for creating anti-ageing therapies. While the exact mechanisms behind calorie restriction’s effects remain under study, this research lays the groundwork for future breakthroughs in medicine aimed at both longevity and chronic disease prevention.

Mentioned in this article:

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Cynthia Kenyon

Calico’s vice president of aging research.

Elixir Pharmaceuticals

Biotechnology company

Johns Hopkins University (JHU)

Private research university in Maryland, USA

Leonard Guarente

Novartis Professor at MIT.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)

Private land-grant research university

Nature

Scientific journal covering research from a variety of academic disciplines, mostly in science and technology

Pere Puigserver

Professor of Cell Biology at Harvard Medical School

University of California, San Francisco (UCSF)

Public research university that is part of the University of California system and dedicated entirely to health science

Topics mentioned on this page:
Calorie Restriction, Drug Discovery
Starvation’s secret: could a pill unlock longer life?