Research on ageing is linked with a search for methods to prevent/delay/
cure ageing and age-related diseases/symptoms/characterisitcs.The market
for anti-ageing products is unsaturable. Perhaps that is why many of
the senior ageing researchers are now either opening up their own
companies or sitting on consultancy boards of other companies.
Apparently, there is a lot of money to be made!!!!!
Recently, two new discoveries have been published claiming certain
anti-ageing effects on human cells in culture. This week in the journal
EXPERIMENTAL CELL RESEARCH, VOL 212, PP 165, 1994; ROBIN HOLLIDAY
(of Holliday junction fame) has published senescence-retarding effects
of a dipeptide beta-alanyl-L-histidine, called carnosine, on human
fibroblasts. Maintenance of young morphology along with some other
cellular and biochemcial characterisitcs is the main effect seen. There is
a slight increase in cell proliferation too. Even senescence characteristics
can be reversed. Of course, at this stage nothing is known about the
mode of action of such a dipeptide in bringing about so big changes
in cellular physiology, ageing and lifespan.
That was the first report. The other one is coming out or may be it is
already out, I have not seen it yet, in the latest issue of BBRC.
This is about the famous Factor-X as anti-ageing miracle compound.
I cant tell the name yet until I see the published journal. Already
it has taken 8 years of companies-induced blockage on publication. I know
all this because I am the author of this second paper. So, in a day or
two I will tell you the detail of this other compound discovered by
..
Now get ready with all those mechanistic questions.
Suresh Rattan
Laboratory of Cellular Ageing
Department of Chemistry
Aarhus University
DK-8000 Aarhus - c
Denmark e-mail: Rattan at kemi.aau.dk
