Rapamycin was tested on dogs

A cure for canine old age

Maria Perepechaeva, "First-hand Science"

Rapamycin is an antibiotic produced by the soil bacteria Streptomyces hygroscopicus. It was first discovered in 1964 in the soil on Rapa Nui Island (Easter Island archipelago). Currently, the drug is used in medicine to suppress the immune system after organ transplantation, and in oncological diseases as a cytostatic – a substance that stops cell division. And, unfortunately, it has serious side effects.

In recent years, rapamycin, despite its high toxicity, has been considered as a potential means to combat aging. While scientists are conducting experiments on animals. A recent study conducted on dogs showed improvements in the heart function of elderly dogs who were given rapamycin.

In the early 1990s, a protein was discovered whose activity is suppressed by rapamycin. It was named TOR – target of rapamycin, "target of rapamycin". Later it turned out that this protein-enzyme – mTOR-kinase – is involved in a variety of cellular processes, including the processes of cell differentiation, apoptosis and autophagy, cell response to stress factors, aging.

The mTOR kinase in the cell is part of two different molecular complexes: mTORC1 and mTORC2. The mTORC1 complex is sensitive to rapamycin; in response to the intake of amino acids and growth factors, it regulates cell size, participates in the processes of protein synthesis and autophagy – degradation of damaged proteins and intracellular organelles.

It has long been known that the suppression of mTOR activity by rapamycin prolongs the life of yeast, worms and flies, and recently discovered its ability to increase the lifespan of mice. However, it is not very clear whether it really increases life expectancy or simply reduces the likelihood of spontaneous tumors from which old animals die. Two groups of scientists were looking for an answer to this question, and came to opposite conclusions: "rapamycin slows down aging in mice" and "rapamycin has a limited effect on aging."

Researchers from the University of Washington, led by Matt Kaeberlein, decided to test how rapamycin acts on dogs (Worldhealth.net , Rapamycin Shows Further Promise for Anti-Aging). Cambarline, himself the owner of two dogs, considers them a suitable object for studying aging for several reasons. The conditions in which dogs live are much closer to human than in laboratory mice. At the same time, dogs age quite quickly, most live 10-13 years, that is, in just a few years, scientists can study the course of the aging process. In addition, a longer life of the dog will bring joy to its owner.

24 "middle-aged" dogs received the drug in a low dose for 10 weeks under the control of morphological and functional parameters of the heart using ultrasound. As a result of taking the drug, the condition of the heart of dogs either has not changed or has improved significantly, especially in animals with heart disorders.

The results of the experiment, conducted on only 24 dogs for several weeks, are not enough to draw any serious conclusions, so scientists plan to start long-term tests on dogs.

Kaberline is almost sure that rapamycin can slow down aging, both in dogs and in humans, and he is not alone in this: rapamycin is considered one of the promising anti-aging drugs. But researchers need to understand whether it is possible to slow down the aging process with doses of rapamycin that will not harm the body – if not human, then at least canine.

Portal "Eternal youth" http://vechnayamolodost.ru  01.06.2016