Scientists from the iMM João Lobo Antunes, coordinated by Carmo Fonseca and Bruno de Jesus, discovered a gene that reverses the ageing process in mice skin. The manipulation of this gene not only stops ageing, but it also leads old cells to behave as new ones.

Speaking to TSF, the President of the iMM, Carmo Fonseca, explains the pioneering discoveries:

“It’s a reversal that allows cells to divide again, to produce new cells, because one of the characteristics of ageing cells is that they no longer divide and that is why tissues lose their normal capabilities. In a young organism, the cells of the tissues are always being replaced with new ones. So, if we are able to get old cells to divide, to spread, we are increasing the life span of a tissue with younger characteristics. This shows that ageing is not irreversible, it is not a dead end.

The most important part of the discovery is the principle of the reversibility of ageing.

Usually, the attempts to manipulate ageing involve acting on proteins and what we have discovered is a molecule that has nothing to do with proteins; it is a ribonucleic acid (RNA) molecule that is very specific and about which very little is known. So, we are exploring an unknown territory and we are interested in understanding what these new molecules are, how and where they act and how they may be used. This was the first result that shows that manipulating molecules can have visible and useful consequences for human health.”

It is a giant leap, published on 9 January in the journal Nature Communications.

After confirming the result in mice, the next step will be to proceed with tests in human beings.

From left to right: Tânia Carvalho, Sérgio Marinho, Maria do Carmo Fonseca, Bruno de Jesus e Catarina Vale

Source: TSF