Healthy Life Extension

New Stem Cell Magic

posted on March 02, 2010

Do you remember reports over the past three years on induced pluripotent stem cells, or iPS cells for short?

Pluripotent means a cell is capable of turning into any one of the 210 cell types in your body. In other words, they would have the capacity to differentiate into any type of cell, just like the controversial embryonic stem cells (ESC).

This means the possibility of transforming your skin stem cells for example, into types of ESCs and fix or reverse practically anything that goes wrong with you. The advantage of iPS cells is, they are YOUR cells. In fact, they look and act like your original embryonic stem cells.

That means no rejection, no lifelong dependency on immunosuppressant drugs, and a whole new stem cell world. Now you have the basic building blocks to differentiate these cells into whatever kind of cell you need. Need a new heart? Grow one from your own iPS cells.

Scientists took human adult cells and essentially took them back in time to an embryonic-like stage by inducing a "forced" expression of certain genes.

However, depending on the methods used, reprogramming adult cells to obtain iPSCs posed risks that could limit its use in humans. For example, if viruses are used to genomically alter the cells, the expression of cancer-causing genes may potentially be triggered.

But two years ago, in ground-breaking findings, scientists announced the discovery of a technique that could remove these cancer causing genes after inducing pluripotency. Even more recently, last April, the group of Sheng Ding in La Jolla, California, showed that generating iPS cells was possible without genetically altering the adult cell.

Now, even better, Stanford University School of Medicine scientists transformed mouse skin cells in a laboratory dish directly into functional nerve cells, skipping the tedious and complex pluripotent type of stem cell step by simply adding three genes.

This finding could revolutionize the future of human stem cell therapy.

These are all major breakthroughs. They are HUGE! And did you notice how closely spaced apart they are? In a blink of an eye, we witnessed  three gigantic leaps ahead in regenerative medicine. They are keys to your survival and to your super longevity. Yet how many people even noticed?

This illustrates two important age-reversal lessons.

1. Research is accelerating exponentially. We hardly notice it, take it for granted and don’t see the significance until it impacts us. (And then we take it for granted.)
2. The masses never understand how or why something works. They just create a market for it when the benefits are available.

 

So we go quietly about our business until we can demonstrate big benefits. Then the public jumps on board.

All we have to do is educate a handful of people who can make a difference. Right now, those are the people who can be instrumental in supporting the private companies doing the research. Those are wealthy individuals and opinion influencers. All we need are enough resources to fuel and launch the technologies we have already identified.

Then the game is over and we have solved aging. Or, we find it will cost more than we thought. But by then, we have the attention of the investing public. They jump on board, en masse, and we transform you into a younger and improved version of yourself before you know it.

Either way, you win. The key of course is to do what you can to accelerate the research and to maintain your health so you live to see the day.

Long Life,
David Kekich
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REVERSING BLINDNESS WITH STEM CELLS

Researchers have been working to generate new retinal cells for some years now; it's one of the longer running initiatives in regenerative medicine. A reliable source of replacement retinal cells could be used to restore sight to those suffering from age-related macular degeneration, the genetic condition of retinitis pigmentosa, and some other forms of blindness. Some years after first generating retinal cells from stem cells, scientists have now reached the milestone of restoring sight in mice:

http://www.fightaging.org/archives/2010/02/reversing-blindness-in-retinitis-pigmentosa-with-stem-cells.php

CANCER STEM CELLS

http://www.fightaging.org/archives/2010/02/a-few-cancer-stem-cell-articles.php

"Cancer stem cell theories offers the prospect that various types of cancer spawn from characteristic stem-cell-like initial populations. Cancer exists because random mutations that occur in our cells as a result of damage and age will eventually produce one of these prolific and damaging cell types, possibly by damaging an existing adult stem cell, or possibly by radically mutating a normal somatic cell. Cancer stem cells are hard to eradicate completely through old-style chemotherapy, radiotherapy, or surgery, which is why cancers tend to recur - all it takes is one remaining errant stem cell to rebuild the cancer anew. But the nature of cancer stem cells also means that they are the weak link: destroy them and the cancer cannot survive. Fortunately, identifying and safely destroying specific cell types based on their biochemical differences is a core focus for biotechnology research these days. This is one of the reasons I am confident that my generation will not suffer greatly from cancer in later life: the cancer-killing therapies of three decades from now will be very safe, very effective, and very cheap."

NOTE: An exciting new technology may be developed within two years that could eliminate accelerating this threat when clinicians treat patients with their own (autologous) stem cells/
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LATEST HEALTHY LIFE EXTENSION HEADLINES

MICROVESICLES AND TISSUE REGENERATION (February 26 2010) http://www.longevitymeme.org/news/vnl.cfm?id=4615
Intriguing research: microvesicles "are several times smaller than a normal cell and contain genetic information such as messenger ribonucleic acid (RNA), other species of RNA and protein. During times of cellular injury or stress, or with certain diseases like cancer, infections and cardiovascular disease, these particles are shed and then taken up by other cells in the body. The genetic information and protein in the microvesicles helps to reprogram the accepting cell to behave more like the cell from  which the particle was derived. Our work suggests that when the lung is injured or diseased and cells within the lung are stressed or dying, they shed microvesicles. Those microvesicles are then consumed by cells within the bone marrow, including stem cells, which are present in small numbers within the circulatory system. Those bone marrow cells then turn into lung cells. Microvesicles not only supply information to stem cells with lung injury, but this process also occurs in other organs as well, like the heart, liver and brain. The change in those stem cells that have consumed microvesicles made by injured lung cells is very stable - the change appears to be permanent. This would be relevant to any type of disease - if you want to repair damaged tissue, these microvesicles potentially provide a durable fix, and the hope is that it would be fixed forever."

MESENCHYMAL STEM CELLS EXTEND MEDIAN LIFE SPAN IN MICE (February 25 2010) http://www.longevitymeme.org/news/vnl.cfm?id=4613
Chinese researchers here demonstrate that some forms of fetal stem cell transplant are unambiguously beneficial in mice - the absence of cancerous development is perhaps surprising. This suggests that if an individual's stem cells could be sampled, altered to look more like fetal stem cells, and returned to the body, then they could achieve the same end: a general improvement in tissue repair, bodily systems, and life expectancy. From the paper: "To determine the role of allogeneil graft of mesenchymal stem cells in mammalian longevity, mesenchymal stem cells were isolated from [mouse fetal tissue] and then were purified and amplified by adherent culture. Identified P1 mesenchymal stem cells were injected [into] the 15-month-old [mother mice] three times. The mice were evaluated. The results showed that after transplantation, the long-term surviving stem cells were found to be located in many organ tissues. Median life span was increased in these animals after transplantation. Skin, cardiac, lung, kidney and colon pathology development were delayed. [Amongst other markers of aging, the degeneration] of heart function was attenuated [and markers of oxidative stress] were reduced three months after transplantation. These results support the idea that longevity can be enhanced by transplantation of mesenchymal stem cells."

EXERCISE AND LONGEVITY: MORE COMPLEX THAN WE'D LIKE (February 24 2010) http://www.longevitymeme.org/news/vnl.cfm?id=4611
Given the vast weight of evidence, it would seem straightforward to say that regular exercise is good for health and longevity. But of course, nothing is ever as simple as we'd like in biology: "We know that exercise is good for us, and increasingly we're understanding how it works at the molecular and cellular level: Physical activity boosts levels of heat shock  proteins, which help cells resist stress; it also improves mitochondrial function in a manner reminiscent of calorie restriction (CR). Our knowledge is sophisticated enough that we can identify and develop small-molecule exercise mimetics and drugs that improve exercise tolerance. Overall, then, exercise and its molecular/cellular consequences are consistent with longevity assurance pathways and life extension interventions. However, there are complications emerging. In blood flow restriction (BFR) exercise, resistance training is combined with pressure cuffs that significantly decrease blood flow to the exercising muscle; it increases protein synthesis in muscle cells and activates the TOR pathway. Now, Fry et al. have shown that in older men (who don't increase muscle mass in response to ordinary resistance training), BFR activates TOR. Superficially, this would seem to represent a contradiction: a lifespan-extending intervention (exercise) activates a lifespan-shortening biochemical signaling pathway (TOR). How might this seeming paradox be resolved?"

AN INTRODUCTION TO FOXO3A (February 23 2010) http://www.longevitymeme.org/news/vnl.cfm?id=4609
Singularity Hub provides a popular science introduction to the FOXO3A gene and its role in human longevity: "The past few decades have seen a growing interest in longevity as medicine continues to advance life expectancy. Groups like the Methuselah Foundation (sponsors of the MPrize) are actively seeking technology to extend lifespans. Yet, understanding aging is not an exact science. We do know that genetics, environmental risks/lifestyle, and strong social bonds are all part of what helps someone live longer. Studies of centenarians, however, have suggested that while genetics don’t seem to make a big difference in the early decades of old age, they have a profound effect determining who makes it into extreme old age. Variants in FOXO3A may be one of the key ingredients that help take a healthy 80 year old, and turn her into a healthy 110 year old. Everyone has a FOXO3A gene. It is the variation in single sections of that gene (single nucleotide polymorphisms) which are important. As we better understand which of these SNPs are key for longevity, you'll be able to test for them with personal DNA tests or whole genome sequencing. The FOXO3A gene codes for the FOXO3A protein. If we figure out how longevity variants of FOXO3A change the protein (in its form, frequency, etc) we could then produce drugs that replicate that change and give our bodies long life."

THE ECONOMIST ON BIOPRINTING (February 22 2010) http://www.longevitymeme.org/news/vnl.cfm?id=4607
From the Economist: "The great hope of transplant surgeons is that they will, one day, be able to order replacement body parts on demand. At the moment, a patient may wait months, sometimes years, for an organ from a suitable donor. During that time his condition may worsen. He may even die. The ability to make organs as they are needed would not only relieve suffering but also save lives. And that possibility may be closer with the arrival of the first commercial 3D bio-printer for manufacturing human tissue and organs.  The new machine, which costs around $200,000, has been developed by Organovo, a company in San Diego that specializes in regenerative medicine, and Invetech, an engineering and automation firm in Melbourne, Australia. The first production models will soon be delivered to research groups which [are] studying ways to produce tissue and organs for repair and replacement. At present much of this work is done by hand or by adapting existing instruments and devices. To start with, only simple tissues, such as skin, muscle and short stretches of blood vessels, will be made [and] these will be for research purposes. The company expects that within five years, once clinical trials are complete, the printers will produce blood vessels for use as grafts in bypass surgery. With more research it should be possible to produce bigger, more complex body parts. Because the machines have the ability to make branched tubes, the technology could, for example, be used to create the networks of blood vessels needed to sustain larger printed organs, like kidneys, livers and hearts."

SOIL FOR SENS (February 22 2010) http://www.longevitymeme.org/news/vnl.cfm?id=4606

From the Immortality Institute: "Five years ago began one of the most interesting collaborative research projects in the anti-aging field. The concept was bioremediation of indigestible metabolic byproducts in order to improve the health and functioning of human cells. It is well known that these byproducts are prevalent in cases of Alzheimer's (amyloid beta and tau proteins) and heart disease (7 ketocholesterol) among many other age-related diseases. For whatever evolutionary reason, the human body does not produce enzymes to break down this 'junk'. Aubrey de Grey of the SENS Foundation theorized that out in the wilds of nature there must be some bacteria that break down this junk. The SENS Foundation put out a call around the world for interested longevity-minded people to send in soil samples. Immortality Institute members responded, enthusiastically sending in hundreds of samples from gardens, forests, deserts, and swamps. The tale of cooperation and outreach is preserved in this Imminst forum. The research was also the subject of an Imminst Sunday Evening Chat in 2007. Since the call went out, researcher John Schloendorn and several other Immortality Institute members [have] been testing the soil samples for bacterial enzymes that could break down the plaques and other junk. A multitude of bacteria were tested on the various types of cellular and extra-cellular junk to see which ones would thrive. Several bacteria were up to the job."

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