Tag: mTOR

Researchers publishing in Nature Communications have determined that interventions that extend lifespan in mice may not have significant effects on the processes of aging. Improvement is not the same as slowing decline The researchers begin this paper by noting that previous studies have outlined a broad variety of dietary, environmental, and genetic factors that are...

A new study published in Frontiers of Pharmacology has shown that glutamine deprivation might speed up aging while glutamine supplementation reduces oxidative stress-induced senescence in mice [1]. Glutamine is an amino acid of paramount importance for many cellular functions. It is involved in the synthesis of various crucial molecules, such as the neurotransmitter glutamate and...

In a new study published in Pharmacology Biochemistry and Behavior, researchers have shown that a combination of two compounds targeting different autophagy pathways is effective in fighting the pathological mechanism of Alzheimer's disease in a mouse model [1]. Cleaning up is a big deal The accumulation of "junk", such as misfolded proteins and damaged organelles,...

Scientists have shown that a combination of rapamycin, acarbose, and phenylbutyrate has a synergetic rejuvenation effect when administered to 20-month-old mice for three months [1]. Fighting on multiple fronts In this paper, the authors argue that to tackle such a multifaced process as aging, it might be beneficial to target different molecular pathways using several...

Publishing in Aging, a team of researchers has discovered how puerarin, an extract of kudzu, ameliorates chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD) signs in cellular cultures by limiting mitophagy: the consumption of mitochondria by cells. When autophagy isn't a good thing Mitophagy is a subset of autophagy, the consumption of any organelle by a cell. This...

Scientists have discovered a new mechanism of action of one of geroscience’s favorite molecules, which is related to its anti-cancer effect [1]. Rapamycin – more than a geroprotector Rapamycin needs no introduction in the longevity community. This molecule was discovered in 1972 in a sample of soil from Easter Island (Rapa Nui in the native...