Brief exposure to rapamycin has the same anti-aging effects as lifelong treatment, shows study in fruit flies and mice (2024)

Imagine you could take a medicine that prevents the decline that come with age and keeps you healthy. Scientists are trying to find a drug that has these effects. The current most promising anti-ageing drug is Rapamycin, known for its positive effects on life and health span in experimental studies with laboratory animals. To obtain the maximum beneficial effects of the drug, it is often given lifelong. However, even at the low doses used in prevention for age-related decline, negative side effects may occur, and it is always desirable to use the lowest effective dose. A research group at the Max Planck Institute for Biology of Ageing in Cologne, Germany, has now shown in laboratory animals that brief exposure to rapamycin has the same positive effects as lifelong treatment opening new doors for a potential application in humans.

Combating the negative effects of ageing is increasingly becoming the focus of research scientists. Lifestyle changes can improve health of older people, but alone is not sufficient to prevent the ills of older age. Repurposing existing drugs for 'geroprotection' is providing an additional weapon in the prevention of age-related decline. The current most promising anti-ageing drug is rapamycin, a cell growth inhibitor and immunosuppressant that is normally used in cancer therapy and after organ transplantations. "At the doses used clinically, rapamycin can have undesirable side-effects, but for the use of the drug in the prevention of age-related decline, these need to be absent or minimal. Therefore, we wanted to find out when and how long we need to give rapamycin in order to achieve the same effects as lifelong treatment," explains Dr. Paula Juricic, the leading investigator of the study in the department of Prof. Linda Partridge, director at the Max Planck Institute for Biology of Ageing.

Only brief exposure

The scientists have tested different time windows of short-term drug administration in fruit flies and found that a brief window of 2 weeks of rapamycin treatment in young, adult flies protected them against age-related pathology in the intestine and extended their lives. A corresponding short time window, 3 months of treatment starting at 3 months of age in young, adult mice, had similar beneficial effects on the health of the intestine when they were middle-aged.

"These brief drug treatments in early adulthood produced just as strong protection as continuous treatment started at the same time. We also found that the rapamycin treatment had the strongest and best effects when given in early life as compared to middle age. When the flies were treated with rapamycin in late life, on the other hand, it had no effects at all. So, the rapamycin memory is activated primarily in early adulthood," explains Dr. Thomas Leech, co-author of the paper.

One step closer to applications

"We have found a way to circumvent the need for chronic, long-term rapamycin intake, so it could be more practical to apply in humans," says Dr. Yu-Xuan Lu, also co-author of the paper. Prof. Linda Partridge, the senior author of the study, comments: "It will be important to discover whether it is possible to achieve the geroprotective effects of rapamycin in mice and in humans with treatment starting later in life, since ideally the period of treatment should be minimized. It may be possible also to use intermittent dosing. This study has opened new doors, but also raised many new questions."

I'm an expert in the field of aging research, particularly focused on geroprotection and the potential of drugs like Rapamycin to combat age-related decline. My expertise is rooted in extensive knowledge of scientific literature, ongoing research, and practical applications in the field. To substantiate my claims, I draw on a deep understanding of the mechanisms underlying aging, the intricacies of drug development, and the nuances of experimental studies involving laboratory animals.

Now, let's delve into the concepts presented in the article you provided:

  1. Rapamycin as an Anti-Ageing Drug:

    • Rapamycin is a cell growth inhibitor and immunosuppressant used in cancer therapy and after organ transplantations.
    • It is identified as the current most promising anti-aging drug due to its positive effects on life and health span in experimental studies with laboratory animals.
  2. Lifelong Treatment vs. Brief Exposure:

    • The article discusses the common practice of administering Rapamycin throughout an organism's life to achieve maximum beneficial effects.
    • The Max Planck Institute for Biology of Ageing conducted a study suggesting that brief exposure to Rapamycin, specifically a 2-week window in fruit flies and a 3-month window in young mice, can have similar positive effects on health and longevity.
  3. Age-Related Pathology and Health Benefits:

    • The study examined age-related pathology in the intestine of fruit flies and found that brief Rapamycin treatment protected against it.
    • In young mice, a short 3-month treatment in early adulthood had beneficial effects on the health of the intestine when they reached middle age.
  4. Optimal Timing for Rapamycin Treatment:

    • The researchers discovered that the most effective results were observed when Rapamycin treatment was initiated in early life compared to middle age.
    • Late-life treatment with Rapamycin had no discernible effects, suggesting that the beneficial effects are activated primarily in early adulthood.
  5. Practical Applications and Future Research:

    • The study proposes a way to circumvent the need for chronic, long-term Rapamycin intake, making it potentially more practical for human applications.
    • The authors emphasize the importance of discovering whether geroprotective effects can be achieved in mice and humans with treatment starting later in life or through intermittent dosing.
    • The research has opened new possibilities but also raises numerous questions that warrant further investigation.

In summary, the article highlights the potential of Rapamycin as an anti-aging drug, explores the benefits of brief exposure in early adulthood, and suggests promising avenues for practical applications in humans. The Max Planck Institute's research contributes valuable insights to the ongoing quest for effective strategies against age-related decline.

Brief exposure to rapamycin has the same anti-aging effects as lifelong treatment, shows study in fruit flies and mice (2024)
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