A Class of Calorie Restriction Mimetic Targeting NRF2

NRF2, or SKN-1 in the nematode worm Caenorhabditis elegans, is one of the many coordinating stress response genes activated by calorie restriction or a range of other forms of mild cellular stress. Part of the way in which this results in improved health and extended life span in a range of species is through activating cellular protection and repair mechanisms. Researchers are interested in ways to recapture this reaction to stress via pharmaceuticals rather than diet, and so are working their way through the drug databases in search of prospects. The results here are an example of the sort of thing they are looking for: a drug already approved for use that might be adapted as a calorie restriction mimetic treatment. Sadly this is marginal work; calorie restriction does have very positive effects on human health, but only small effects on human life span. Short-lived species have a much greater plasticity of life span in response to environmental circumstances than is the case for long-lived species such as our own. So calorie restriction is worth pursuing as something that is free, but it is not worth billions in research and development investment when there are other, potentially far more effective ways forward. Why tinker with adjusting metabolism for tiny gains when we could follow the SENS rejuvenation research road and add decades of health life with the same investment in time and funding? The real battle in aging research these days is shifting from convincin...
Source: Fight Aging! - Category: Research Authors: Tags: Daily News Source Type: blogs