Age catches up with us all eventually, but in some people the right genes can make that chase into our twilight years a relatively leisurely one.
in individuals who live longer than normal, including those in their late 90s and beyond. This finding prompted the researchers to take a closer look at the variant's physiological effects.
As well as the tests on mice, the team added the gene to human heart cells in a laboratory setting to see what the effects would be. The cells had been taken from 24 elderly patients with severe heart problems, including some who had previously experienced heart transplants.. The job of these cells includes building new blood vessels and keeping them well-maintained, which in turn keeps the heart functioning well for longer.
"The cells of the elderly patients, in particular those that support the construction of new blood vessels, called pericytes, were found to be less performing and more aged,", a cardiovascular researcher from the IRCCS Multimedica Group in Italy and lead author of the study. "By adding the longevity gene/protein to the test tube, we observed a process of cardiac rejuvenation: the cardiac cells of elderly heart failure patients have resumed functioning properly, proving to be more efficient in building new blood vessels."
While centenarians will naturally pass on the BPIFB4 gene mutation to their kids, the thinking is that this could be adapted as a therapy for people whose parents haven't lived to a grand old age, and who are experiencing heart issues.
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