New Research Has Potential for Tackling Signs of Aging

The research, which has shown potential in clinical samples, was published November 20, 2014, in the scientific journal, Cell Death and Disease. The group of scientists coordinated by Dr. Salvador Macip from the mechanisms of cancer and aging lab and the department of biochemistry at the University of Leicester (UK) conducted the study to look for new approaches to identifying older cells in the body.

This is important because the accumulation of old cells, called “senescent,” in human tissue can contribute to symptoms of aging. However, old cells can also appear as a result of the activation of the internal anticancer processes of the human body. Dr. Macip said, “What we have found is a series of novel markers—a way to detect senescent cells. What is more, we have shown that they can be used to predict increased survival in certain types of cancer. Until now, good protocols to help spot these cells have been sadly lacking. Our research has described new markers located on the surface of the old cells. This makes these markers particularly useful to quickly identify these cells in laboratory and human samples using a range of techniques.”

As a first clinical application of these markers, the researchers discerned that they were present in high numbers in samples from different types of cancer and that this correlated with a better prognosis of the disease. This was especially apparent in breast cancer. Dr. Macip concluded, “These markers could be useful tools not only to study senescent cells in the lab but also they could be developed into diagnostics to help predict survival in cancer patients. Moreover, they could also be used in the future to define strategies to selectively eliminate the old cells from the tissues and thus reduce their effects on promoting aging in healthy subjects.”

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University of Leicester