Anti-Aging Strategies And Ex Vivo Organ Rejuvenation
As we age, our organs naturally experience a decline in function, driven by various “molecular hallmarks” – tiny changes at the cellular level that accumulate over time and increase the risk of chronic diseases. To combat this, scientists are exploring innovative strategies to extend the healthy lifespan of organs.
One promising technique is called “partial reprogramming.” This involves briefly activating specific genes, often referred to as “Yamanaka factors,” within cells. These factors can effectively turn back the cellular clock, reversing age-related damage and restoring youthful “epigenetic and transcriptional signatures” – essentially, the patterns of gene activity and regulation that define a cell’s state – without causing the cells to lose their original function or “cell identity.”
Another groundbreaking technology is “ex vivo machine perfusion.” This method allows organs to be kept alive and functioning outside the body using specialized equipment. This creates a unique window of opportunity to directly treat and improve the organ before it is transplanted.
The exciting potential lies in combining these two strategies. By applying partial reprogramming therapies to donor organs while they are being sustained by ex vivo machine perfusion, it may be possible to rejuvenate organs that might otherwise be considered suboptimal due to age or damage. This combined approach could significantly enhance the quality of donor organs, expand the pool of available organs for transplantation, and ultimately lead to improved outcomes for patients in need of life-saving transplants.
Source: link to paper