An Overview of Early Work on the mTOR Inhibitor Rapamycin

The path to understanding that pharmacological inhibition of mTOR replicates some of the calorie restriction response to cause a slowing of aging started with studies of rapamycin. The primary mechanism of interest is upregulation of autophagy, a cellular housekeeping mechanism that is involved in a range of interventions that slow aging in short-lived species. Other mechanisms may well turn out to be involved, as altering metabolism is a complex business and still incompletely understood. The various mTOR inhibitors are collectively one of the most studied, and arguably best of the existing approaches to alter metabolism in order to modestly slow aging in mammals. This isn't rejuvenation, and isn't anywhere near as good as the effects of first generation senolytics when it comes to rapidly reversing aspects of aging in old animals. Rapamycin and other mTOR inhibitors are quite robust in their effects in comparison to many of the other alleged calorie restriction mimetics, however, so there is that. Rapamycin, the only drug that has been consistently demonstrated to increase mammalian longevity. An update. Prior to 2009 the consensus of scholars was that aging could not be treated or if it could be it must be a youth factor (e.g., growth hormone). Numerous advertised non-scientific approaches absconded with people's funds, mostly confused people, and were counterproductive for the field. However, there were two scientific settings in which aging could b...
Source: Fight Aging! - Category: Research Authors: Tags: Medicine, Biotech, Research Source Type: blogs