Scientists have discovered a way to alter white blood cells to be 20 years younger, helping to avoid onset of age-related diseases.
Bioviva relies on both intra and extramural research to develop therapies for diseases often associated with age, including Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, cancer, and heart disease. With this experiment, they successfully reversed 20 years of ‘telomere shortening’ for the first time in history.
Essentially, telomeres are fragments of DNA that are at the ends of every chromosome. They act as protection against wear and tear, which naturally occurs as the human body ages over time. As we age, cells continue to divide more and more, which in turn causes the telomeres to becomes progressively shorter. After a certain point the shortened telomeres can no longer protect the chromosome; as a result, cells malfunction and age-related diseases can begin to develop.
This past September, 44-year-old Parrish voluntarily participated in two of the company’s experimental gene therapies. The first test was an attempt to halt the depletion of stem cells that happens with age, and the second was intended to prevent muscle mass loss that is virtually inevitable as we grow old.
Clinical testing prior to the experiment revealed that Parrish’s telomeres were abnormally short for her age, thus making her more susceptible to early onset of age-related diseases. Her participation marked the first time this particular version of gene therapy was conducted on a human subject, as all other previous tests had only been on cultured cells and mice by the Spanish National Cancer Research Centre in 2012.
In that study, lead scientist Maria Blasco stated that their findings “demonstrated that AAV9-Tert gene therapy was sufficient to delay age-related pathologies and extend both median and maximum longevity in mice. Many pathologies were delayed, including cancer.”
After performing the experiment on Parrish, Bioviva revealed the success of the experiment with the following statement:
If the experiment is as successful and accurate in longevity as what was immediately identified, Parrish believes that her company has “made history.” Her blood cells will continue to be monitored in the years to come to determine whether the treatment can be applied to other organs and tissues, and if similar results are found in other patients.“In March 2016, the same tests were taken again by SpectraCell revealed that her telomeres had lengthened by approximately 20 years, from 6.71kb to 7.33kb. This implies that Parrish’s white blood cells (leukocytes) have become biologically younger. These findings were independently verified by the Brussels-based non-profit HEALES (Healthy Life Extension Company), and the Biogerontology Research Foundation, a UK-based charity committed to combating age-related diseases.”
Of course, it is too early to determine whether this method of treatment has any residual effects that may cause harm, but it is a promising step in the medical world towards combating age-related pathologies.
http://www.trueactivist.com/first-human-to-ever-have-white-blood-cells-made-20-years-younger/
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