Ageing and its associated consequences are all something we have to worry about, but new research from the Babraham Institute may have discovered a way to reverse the biological clock on skin cells.
Woman ageing. Credit: Master1305 / Shutterstock
Long-term applications of regenerative therapy could see human lifespans grow significantly. These new processes could also improve the quality of life for older people in the near future. Credit: Master1305 / Shutterstock
Representing a potential major breakthrough in the field of regenerative medicine, early research suggests regenerated cells "act like younger cells" in experiments such as simulating a wound - a stepping stone for humans to regenerate and live longer, healthier lives.
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In short, the team was able to partially restore the function of older cells, but further understanding of the process may allow them to have more of an effect. The results of these early tests were published in the eLife journal.
“This work has very exciting implications. Eventually, we may be able to identify genes that rejuvenate without reprogramming, and specifically target those to reduce the effects of ageing. This approach holds promise for valuable discoveries that could open up an amazing therapeutic horizon,” lead researcher Professor Wolf Reik said.
As humans age, the ability to regenerate cells fades, which is one of the ways in which ageing kills people. Through the field of regenerative biology, new stem cells can be created from old cells, which can, in theory, be made into any type of cell. But scientists do not yet know of a way of reliably reconditioning these cells.
The regenerative process of cells. Credit: Babraham Institute
The new process halts the problem of entirely erasing cell identity by making the switch during the process, which the team reports allows scientists to mix the regenerative properties of new cells without taking away their specialised cell function.
While the results on human skin could be significant enough alone, there is a chance the research could be replicated on other cell types, which could, in the long-term, have major effects on the overall health of humans.
Current estimates suggest this tech could stand to "turn back the clock" for human skin cells by around 30 years.
Through the advent of modern medical techniques and ease of access in some parts of the world to healthcare, the average life span of humans has more than doubled since 1900.
Life spans are only going to increase as even better healthcare and technology become more accessible.
The first known case of a scientist turning a normal cell into a stem cell was back in 2007. Shinya Yamanaka reprogrammed a cell during a 50-day process using four key molecules which were eventually named after him - the Yamanaka factors. The research saw him awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 2012.
The new process developed by the Babraham Institute exposes cells to these factors for a period of 13 days which reportedly makes the cells lose their identity and negates age-related changes.
The partly reprogrammed cells were then given time to grow under normal conditions, to see whether their specific skin cell function returned.
“Our understanding of ageing on a molecular level has progressed over the last decade, giving rise to techniques that allow researchers to measure age-related biological changes in human cells. We were able to apply this to our experiment to determine the extent of reprogramming our new method achieved," said Dr Diljeet Gill, a Babraham postdoc, who conducted this research as part of his PhD.
As part of the research, the team utilised several different methods to test for signs of ageing, including the epigenetic clock, which sees chemicals tags on the genome that indicate age. This, alongside the second method, the transcriptome method, which presents all "readouts" - think of it in a similar vein to computer data - present on the genome.
The team reports the "profile" of the cells matched those of cells 30 years younger.
“Our results represent a big step forward in our understanding of cell reprogramming. We have proved that cells can be rejuvenated without losing their function and that rejuvenation looks to restore some function to old cells. The fact that we also saw a reverse of ageing indicators in genes associated with diseases is particularly promising for the future of this work," Gill added.
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The Institute claims the immediate effects of the process would make people look younger, while also having cells functioning like younger cells too, with them producing more collagen, allowing for stretchier skin which could also aid in the healing of wounds.
Perhaps more strikingly is the effects the process could have on other age-related symptoms. These preliminary trials suggest a reduction in APBA2 gene levels, the major gene associated with Alzheimer's disease as well as the MAF gene, which is linked with cataracts.
Should this be replicated, it could significantly improve the quality of life for millions of older people.
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