Throw away the anti-ageing serums and stop worrying about your wrinkles because scientists might have found a way to stop the ageing process! <\/p>\n
Okay, maybe don't throw away the serums just yet - they're expensive, and the science does have some way to go. <\/p>\n
Researchers have made progress, though, as they've uncovered elements in our DNA which have the ability to destabilise genetic codes and cause ageing. <\/p>\n
By conducting research on worms, scientists have also found a potential way to control these elements. <\/p>\n
The discoveries came from researchers Dr dm Sturm and Dr Tibor Vellai, from Etvs Lornd University in Budapest, Hungary. <\/p>\n
The team looked at parts of our DNA known as transposable elements (TEs), also known as 'jumping genes', which can move around in our genetic code. <\/p>\n
When TEs move too much, the researchers found they can destabilize the genetic code and disrupt cell function, which in turn leads to ageing. <\/p>\n
However, there are some cells which do not age, including cancer stem cells, and scientists have identified a certain process at work in these particular cells, known as the Piwi-piRNA pathway. <\/p>\n
In their previous articles, titled 'The mechanism of aging: primary role of transposable elements in genome disintegration' and 'The Piwi-piRNA pathway: road to immortality', Dr Sturm and Dr Vellai theorised about the relationship between the Piwi-piRNA system and the concept of 'immortality'. <\/p>\n
Taking their theories to the next level, the scientists sought to strengthen the Piwi-piRNA pathway in a worm called Caenorhabditis elegans, by using techniques to 'downregulate' the activity of the TEs. <\/p>\n
When carried out on specific TEs in worms, the creatures showed signs of ageing more slowly. <\/p>\n
And when multiple TEs were controlled simultaneously, the effects multiplied to increase the worms lifespan by up to 30 percent. <\/p>\n
Controlling TEs also resulted in changes in the way genes worked in the DNA of the worms as they aged. <\/p>\n
Commenting on the findings, which have been published in Nature Communications, Dr. Sturm said: \"In our lifespan [experiments], by merely downregulating TEs or somatically overexpressing the Piwi-piRNA pathway elements, we observed a statistically significant lifespan advantage. <\/p>\n
\"This opens the door to a myriad of potential applications in the world of medicine and biology.\" <\/p>\n
The researchers added that the study could inform ways to extend life and improve health for humans in later years, with Dr Vellai adding: \"This epigenetic modification may pave the way for a method to determine age from DNA, providing an accurate biological clock.\" <\/p>\n
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\nScientists discovered a way to potentially slow or even halt the ... - UNILAD<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"