In a study done on worms, metolazone extended lifespan by almost 10 days.
- Conducted on worms, the experiment showed that metolazone, a drug used to treat high blood pressure and heart failure, helped activate the mitochondrial response, which allows cell regeneration.
- This process extended the life of the worms by 10 days.
What if the Fountain of Youth was in our medicine cabinet? From Osaka University researchers (Japan) found that treatment for hypertension increases life expectancy. They highlighted these beneficial effects of the drug in a study on worms. “Even though aging is not a disease, drugs could slow it down or prevent its negative health effects“, explains Dr. Kage-Nakadai, author of this study, to clarify his approach.
A cellular self-regeneration system
With her team, she became interested in mitochondria. These structures present in most cells participate in the transmission of energy. When they are degraded or damaged, they have a repair system, which keeps cells alive: the mitochondrial response of the unfolded protein, or mitochondrial unfolded protein response in English (UPRmt). Scientists had a hypothesis: if a drug can activate this process, it could help regenerate cells, prevent their aging and therefore increase life expectancy.
More than 3,000 drugs have been analyzed by this team. All have been tested on worms Caenorhabditis elegans, often used in the laboratory. The first step consisted in genetically modifying these invertebrates so that they shine in the event that taking the treatment causes them to express the hsp-6 gene. Researchers have previously seen strong expression of this gene when UPRmt kicks in. Metolazone created this reaction in worms: this drug is used to treat heart failure and hypertension.
Proven tests in worms
In a second part of the study, Dr. Kage-Nakadai and his team studied the effect of this molecule in unmodified worms. The worms that did not receive the drug survived about 25 days, compared to just under 35 for the worms that were treated. But the effectiveness of the drug was not identical in all worms. Those with an inactive atfs-1, ubl-5 or nkcc-1 gene had the same lifespan as the other, untreated worms. The first two genes contribute to the proper functioning of the UPRmt and the last is part of the protein targeted by metolazone. For the drug to activate this process and have beneficial effects on life expectancy, it is necessary to have these genetic variations.
A drug already available
The main author of the study is already delighted with these results. “Worms always give us many clues”, she comments. One of the strengths of these discoveries is that the drug having passed all these stages is already approved by the various medical authorities. If its beneficial effects are confirmed in further research, this could speed up the development of the treatment. Today, the fight against aging is above all aesthetic and is characterized by anti-aging creams, maybe in a few years we will consume capsules to live a few more years!
.
