Older mice lived an average of four months longer after receiving a substance that blocks an enzyme found in their bodies.
In humans and animals alike, aging is accompanied by many changes. Muscles lose strength, memory can become less efficient, and cells accumulate damage. Researchers wanted to find out whether targeting a single enzyme could slow several of these effects at once.
What if a simple pill could give us more than a decade of extra life?
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This enzyme is called AEP, or legumain. It normally breaks down certain proteins, particularly to enable their recycling within cells. But its activity can increase with age. Previous research has linked it to several diseases and mechanisms that weaken tissues.
The team used an experimental substance called #11a, which can slow the activity of this enzyme. The researchers added it to the food of mice around 18 months old, then monitored their health. Other mice of the same age received a regular diet for comparison.
The results are striking: untreated animals lived an average of 24 months, compared with 28 months for those receiving the substance. These four additional months represent an increase of about 17% in average lifespan.
The effects are not limited to longevity. The treated mice also showed fewer signs of frailty and achieved better results in certain physical and memory tests. The researchers observed improvements in metabolic function, particularly in insulin response, as well as a reduction in several markers of inflammation.
How could a single enzyme affect so many functions? The researchers believe that its excessive activity damages proteins that are important for protecting cells. By slowing it down, they may be able to limit several phenomena associated with aging. However, this mechanism still needs to be confirmed by further experiments.
Above all, these results concern mice only. There is no evidence that this substance is safe or effective in humans. Before considering a treatment, it will be necessary to understand its long-term effects and verify that slowing this enzyme does not disrupt its normal functions. A 17% gain would represent about 13 additional years of life.