Scientists from Portugal have found a new way to combat aging, based on preventing the appearance of an abnormal number of chromosomes in cells. The preprint of the study is published in the BioRxiv repository. org. With age, the number of cells in which aneuploidy occurs is a change in the number of chromosomes. It is shown that this phenomenon is associated with aging of the human body. Thus, the activity of genes responsible for cell division through the mitosis process changes, in which the chromosomes are strictly distributed equally between the two new nuclei. Experiments in mice have demonstrated that if the mechanism that provides mitosis is damaged, signs of progeria develop (Hutchinson-Gilford syndrome), a genetic disease in which premature aging occurs. Scientists analyzed aging markers in fibroblast cells isolated from male Caucasians, the general age of which ranges from infancy to late adulthood. It turned out that aging was associated with the suppression of the transcription factor Forkhead box M1 (FoxM1), a protein that binds to DNA and regulates the activity of the G2-M genes controlling cell division.

The researchers increased the level of the Forkhead box M1 in cells isolated in the elderly and in patients with progeria, and prevented the appearance of aneuploidy. In addition, the number of aging markers has decreased. According to experts, the results of the study will help develop therapeutic methods to combat aging and, based on increasing the effectiveness of mitosis through FoxM1. More important news in the Telegram channel "The Tape of the Day". Subscribe!.

Original article: A new way to combat aging.