After years of hard work, scientists have succeeded in creating genetically-engineered mice that could help accelerate anti-aging research for humans.
A team of scientists from the Washington State University (WSU) have taken one step ahead in the quest to unlock the secrets of extending human lifespan at the cellular level.
As per the team’s research, aging occurs gradually due to the shortening of telomeres–the protective caps at the ends of chromosomes that function like shoelace tips to prevent unraveling. s telomeres shorten over time, cells lose their ability to divide for healthy growth, and some eventually begin to die, says the press release.
However, it has been challenging to study the telomeres at the cellular level in humans.
Therefore, the scientists led by WSU College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences Professor Jiyue Zhu have developed mice that have human-like short telomeres.
It should be noted that normally mice have up to 10 times longer telomeres than humans.
First mouse model with humanized telomeres
The genetically engineered mice are being called HuT mice by the scientists. They will help the team to make progress in multiple research projects.
“This is the first mouse model with truly humanized telomeres because telomerase isn’t expressed in adult tissues in this model,” Zhu said. “Our paper demonstrates that they exhibit human-like telomeres. Now, we aim to observe how these mice age.”
The key areas of focus for researchers include studying how short telomeres reduce the likelihood of developing cancer and influence human lifespan, as well as exploring strategies to extend individuals’ health span– the period of life free from age-related diseases.
“One of our goals is to reduce telomerase expression in cancer cells, and this is an active area of research,” he added.
It can help in developing new drugs and treatments for the future. As Zhu pointed out, many diseases start at the cellular level, therefore, targeting drugs at that space is a good strategy.
Unlocking anti-aging in humans
In the long run, the research can also help them pave the way for making anti-aging in humans a reality to extend lifespans.
As per Zhu, the mouse model will allow for multiple aging related studies. One of the collaborating scientists studies how sleep impacts human health. The HuT mice will also be studied to understand how the stress of sleep deprivation and other life stresses affect telomere regulation and aging.
It took 10 years for Zhu and his team of scientists to develop the HuT mice. During this period they studied how telomeres differed in humans and other animals.
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Mice were finally chosen for the study “as they are similar to humans in terms of organ structures, genes, and genetic makeup.”
The scientists also want to share the mice with other researchers to advance studies on similar subjects.
“There are thousands of people studying aging and cancer, and we believe the new mouse model provides a valuable tool for scientists worldwide to explore these processes,” Zhu stated.
