Towards Mitochondrial Replacement Therapies

A great deal of evidence shows that declining mitochondrial function is important to the aging process. This is directly downstream of various forms of damage, such as to mitochondrial DNA. It is also long way downstream to other forms of age-related disarray that lead to epigenetic changes that impact mitochondrial function - far enough downstream that it is unclear as to how exactly the causes of aging produce this outcome. One common view is that the quality control process of mitophagy suffers as the result of reduced production of necessary proteins, and thus damaged mitochondria accumulate. Thus we come to mitochondrial replacement as a form of therapy. Cells do take up mitochondria from the surrounding medium, and so it is possible in principle to deliver large numbers of mitochondria into the body and expect to see results. Some progress has been made in this direction; see the biotech startup Cellvie, for example. The big unanswered question for those of us interested in rejuvenation is the degree to which the effects of this therapy will last. Will fresh mitochondria quickly succumb to the same issues of the aged environment that lead to loss of native mitochondrial function? The fastest way to find out is to try. Mitochondrial Transplantation as a Novel Therapeutic Strategy for Mitochondrial Diseases In recent years, advances in molecular and biochemical methodologies have led to a better understanding of mitochondrial defects and their mecha...
Source: Fight Aging! - Category: Research Authors: Tags: Medicine, Biotech, Research Source Type: blogs