Decoding aging is one complicated process that scientists across globe are busy working on. <\/p>\n
While a revolutionary breakthrough is still awaited, a group of scientists from Allahabad have developed unique model of rat which can go a long way in helping them find a formula to control the process. <\/p>\n
Perhaps taking a cue from Bollywood blockbuster Paa, the scientists have developed a model of rat which displays a higher rate of aging.<\/p>\n
The accelerated aging model of rat provides a great tool for scientists to study aging and also to test anti-aging drugs, claims prof SI Rizvi from the Biochemistry department of Allahabad University (AU).<\/p>\n
Rizvi is leading the research team.<\/p>\n
The teams findings and achievement have been published in the recent issue of the prestigious research journal Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications published from US. <\/p>\n
Explaining his new research, prof Rizvi said that his team created a rat model which mimics the human condition of Progeria, a disease in which the patient starts to show a faster rate of aging. <\/p>\n
Progeria syndrome was highlighted in the acclaimed Hindi movie Paa wherein the character was portrayed effectively by Amitabh Bachchan. <\/p>\n
Progeria is a rare genetic condition that causes a childs body to age fast. Most kids with progeria do not live past the age of 13. The disease affects both sexes and all races equally. It affects about 1 in every 4 million births worldwide. Medical experts believe that India has around 8-10 reported cases of progeria and potentially 66 unreported cases. <\/p>\n
To study aging, scientists rely on animal models such as C elegans (an earthworm), fruit flies, and mice. The consideration for choosing an animal is primarily based on its lifespan. Shorter lifespan provides an opportunity to study age-dependent changes in a shorter time frame.<\/p>\n
To create the Progeria model of rat, the Allahabad University scientists subjected normal rats to chronic treatment of 30 days with dihydrotachysterol, a chemical similar to vitamin D. A look into relevant scientific literature reveals that very few studies have been conducted on such a model of rat.<\/p>\n
Normal experimental rats have a lifespan of two years, which is too large a time for conducting experiments. The rat model mimicking Progeria provides a very good model to study aging process in a short span of time, added prof Rizvi. <\/p>\n
The young progeria-mimicking rats display a certain level of oxidative stress (an established hallmark of aging) equivalent to old age rats. <\/p>\n
The research group will now test Metformin, a common anti-diabetic drug, as an experimental anti-aging drug on increased aging model rats. Initial results using Metformin as an anti aging drug have been very exciting, added prof Rizvi.<\/p>\n
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Read more here: Decoding aging is one complicated process that scientists across globe are busy working on. While a revolutionary breakthrough is still awaited, a group of scientists from Allahabad have developed unique model of rat which can go a long way in helping them find a formula to control the process. Perhaps taking a cue from Bollywood blockbuster Paa, the scientists have developed a model of rat which displays a higher rate of aging. Continue reading
\nAllahabad University scientists create 'accelerated ageing model' in ... - Hindustan Times<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"