Researchers may have found a protein that can extend the lifespan of mammals

During ancient times, alchemists sought the elixir of life; a legendary potion believed to bestow eternal life upon its drinker. Alchemy has since given way to modern-day chemistry, but the quest for eternal lifeor at least longer lifepersists. While science has proven that the secret to longevity is not a potion, research has suggested that a protein might hold the answer.

A study published in Nature Journal of Science details the latest research on aging proteins, called sirtuins. A team led by Haim Cohen, a molecular biologist at Bar-llan University in Ramat-Gan Israel, has found that increased levels of SIRT6, one of the seven sirtuin proteins, can extend the maximum lifespan of male mice by about 15.8 percent.

Earlier research on the link between sirtuins and longevity focused on another member of the protein family. Researchers theorized that SIRT1, a protein in mammals closely related to a gene that promotes longevity in yeast, could extend the lifespan of mammals.

In 2001, a study published in Nature Journal of Science reported that SIRT1 increased the longevity in nematodes and fruit flies. The interest in this research was so high that in 2008, GlaxoSmirthKline, a drug company in London, invested $720 million in research targeting SIRT1 as a potential treatment for type 2 diabetes.

Later research found the SIRT1 study to be incorrect. The increased longevity was not an effect of SIRT1 but a result of unrelated mutations in the studied species.

PROTEINS WITH POTENTIAL

The hype surrounding SIRT1 was just the encouragement Cohen needed to begin his study of SIRT6.

People were mostly interested in SIRT1, Cohen said in Nature Journal of Science. So I thought it might be better for us as a new lab to work on something that is less crowded.

Previous studies had demonstrated that the aging process in mice lacking SIRT6 was accelerated. Cohen and his team decided to study the effects of higher than normal levels of SIRT6 in mice. While their results showed no effect on the maximum lifespan of the female mice, the male mice experienced an increase by as much as 15.8 percent.

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The Search for Immortality