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New Techniques Boost Healthy Mouse Lifespans to the Equivalent of 120 Human Years
Spanish researchers are reporting that they have created mice that live the equivalent of 120 human years. How? By changing the expression of two genes. The first is a gene for telomerase which prevents chromosomes from unraveling as they age (making cells senesce) and the second boosts the activity of the cancer-fighting Par-4 gene. Making Par-4 more active is crucial because telomerase doesn't just slow aging. Cancer cells generally reactivate telomerase to help them proliferate and is a target for experimental anti-cancer vaccines.
According to the Telegraph:
The researchers found that mice which had been created in this way had better muscle in old age, healthier skin tissue and fewer digestion problems.
"By simultaneously increasing the amounts of telomerase and the resistance to cancer we are able to delay ageing in mice and also to extend their life span by 40 per cent," said Maria A. Blasco, from the Spanish National Cancer Research Centre (CNIO), who carried out the study with colleagues from Valencia University.
"These mice get to live for as long as the eldest mice in records of the same kind.
"If we were to parallel it to humans, then it would mean reaching 120 years of age and also to start ageing much later in life."
Despite this progress, it doesn't sound as though these mice would be eligible for the Methuselah Foundation's multimillion dollar Mouse Prize.
Whole Telegraph article here.
|11.14.08 @ 10:47AM|#
This is terrible news
All people living longer means is that they have to work longer,
and the longer they work the longer the cycle lasts of having to
protect their antiquated jobs.
"I've been working as a typewriter manufacturer for 30 years, and
I've only got another 30 years until retirement. Won't someone help
me keep my "good" job?"
|11.14.08 @ 10:52AM|#
Uh, Ron, you realize that Oil Can Harry represents capitalism,
right? Some libertarian you are for choosing Mighty Mouse.
(drink)
|11.14.08 @ 10:57AM|#
It's okay, this all turns out fine. Those of us who opt for longer lives will move to a planet orbiting Tau Ceti. We'll call it New Earth at first, until we later decide that Aurora is a cooler name. Then we'll oppress you Earth scum for a thousand years.
robc|11.14.08 @ 11:08AM|#
Epi,
I was about to make a Ceti Alpha 5 joke. Damn you!
However, it occurred to me that I dont understand why they were
even wanting to check out Ceti Alpha 6. Even if it had been there,
it was too close to Khan for safety, there was a not entirely
unreasonable chance they would have intrastellar spacecraft by
then, I would think.
|11.14.08 @ 11:11AM|#
Please, can we not cross the genre streams this once? Crossing the genre streams is bad.
|11.14.08 @ 11:16AM|#
ProL
I'm going to build a papier-mache Earth right next to ours and call
it Chia Earth, and I'm goint to entice people to go there with an
offer of free T-shirts, and then this earth will be all mine to
rule!!!
|11.14.08 @ 11:20AM|#
Please, can we not cross the genre streams this once?
Crossing the genre streams is bad.
Well, you're the one who put a bunch of genres on a genre stream
and then crossed those genres over and over like a genre jerk.
|11.14.08 @ 11:31AM|#
We live in interesting times with a myriad of
possibilities.
We'll probably fuck it up.
Just Plain Brian|11.14.08 @ 11:35AM|#
Crossing the genre streams is bad.
I'm fuzzy on the whole good/bad thing. What do you mean,
"bad"?
|11.14.08 @ 11:40AM|#
I have a Steve Winwood CD in my car. I'm gonna go get
it.
That's for you, bumblebee
|11.14.08 @ 12:35PM|#
That had to be one of the most awesome scenes that's ever
been on tv.
It's one of my favorites, dude. Just brilliant.
"I, on the other hand, have not taken a shit in days."
Another Phil|11.14.08 @ 1:39PM|#
I have a Steve Winwood CD in my car
And the other day, you were complaining about Cat Stevens.
Hypocrite.
(Just kidding. I love some Steve Winwood.)
Just Plain Brian|11.14.08 @ 1:43PM|#
And the other day, you were complaining about Cat Stevens.
Perhaps he was talking about Catherine Stevens, wife of Alaskan
Criminal Senator (although I repeat myself) Ted Stevens.
concerned observer|11.14.08 @ 1:56PM|#
Doubtless this treatment will be available primarily to super-rich, while everyone else gets left in the dust. That's just what we need. Bill Gates gets to live 200 years and your neighbors still die in their 70s or 80s.
|11.14.08 @ 2:00PM|#
Like most science stories, they left out the most salient fact -
all the cats had been removed from the lab!!!
Mice typically live centuries - their predominate cause of death is
cats and scientists.
Just Plain Brian|11.14.08 @ 3:16PM|#
Is that the cartoon where Mighty Mouse gets coked up?
I hated that one, he just kept talking and talking. If you think
John Galt gave long speeches, you should see what Tweaky Mouse can
do.
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