Experimental Drug May Prolong Your Life: Mouse Lifespan Extended

Could there be a drug that can prolong a person's lifespan? When it comes to mice, there just may be. Scientists have created an experimental drug that inhibits a protein involved in physiological aging and actually prolongs the lifespan of a mouse.

When cells or tissues age in a process called senescence, they lose the ability to regenerate and secrete certain proteins. One of these proteins, called PAI-1 (plasminogen activator inhibitor), was the focus of the scientists' research.

"We made the intellectual leap between a marker of senescence and physiological aging," said Douglas Vaughan, one of the researchers, in a news release. "We asked is this marker for cell aging one of the drivers or mechanisms of rapid physiological aging?"

The scientists bred rapidly aging mice, which had much shorter lifespans than regular mice. These mice actually produced increased levels of PAI-1 in their blood and tissue. The researchers then fed the mice TM5441, an experimental drug. In the end, the researchers found that mice fed the drug quadrupled their lifespan when compared to mice not fed the drug.

"A drug like this could help reduce complications in clinical conditions that reflect accelerated aging," said Vaughan in a news release. "This had a very robust effect in terms of prolonging life span."

The experimental drug is still in the early stages of testing, but it could possibly be one component in a cocktail of drugs or supplements that a person could take to extend their healthy life. Currently, more research needs to be conducted to test the safety and the use of this drug. That said, it's possible that in the future, this new drug could be a huge part of staying healthy well into later years.

The findings are published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.