Anti-ageing gene therapy passes lab test

Wednesday November 1st, 2017

Scientists in Barcelona have unveiled proposals for a gene therapy to protect against age-related cognitive and memory defects.

So far the therapy has successfully been tested on laboratory mice, according to the researchers at the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Spain.

The therapy involves seeking to regulate the Klotho gene, which, the scientists say, regulates age-linked processes and can increase life expectancy.

In the laboratory study, the researchers injected a single dose of therapy into the central nervous system, using an adeno-associated viral vector.

They have reported their findings in Molecular Psychiatry.

Researcher Miguel Chillón said: “Taking into account that the study was conducted with animals which aged naturally, we believe this could have the therapeutic ability to treat dementia and neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's or multiple sclerosis, among others.”

Secreted ?Klotho isoform protects against age-dependent memory deficits. Molecular Psychiatry 31 October 2017; doi:10.1038/mp.2017.211 [abstract]

Tags: Brain & Neurology | Elderly Health | Europe | Genetics

Printer friendly page