Since the first myths of humanity, we have been obsessed with cheating death. On the clay tablets of ancient Mesopotamia, King Gilgamesh embarked on a desperate quest for immortality after the death of his friend Enkidu, and thousands of years later, Hebrew scriptures spoke of Methuselah, the man who lived 969 years. Over the centuries, alchemists and scientists have pursued the same dream under other names (fountain of eternal youth, elixir of life, philosopher’s stone), without the answer seeming within our reach.
Today, the search for longevity has changed scenario, but not dynamic. They are no longer concoctions or spells, but molecules, tissues and algorithms. The concept that everyone the secrets of life are found in the world around usin plants, in microbes, even in other animal species, is more alive than ever. The paradox is that while science attempts to decipher these biological keys, humanity continues to destroy the ecosystems that might hold the cure and the answers.
Meanwhile, a discovery was made in the most unexpected place. Molecules that could explain why we age and how we could age better have been discovered in the blood of dogs.
Allies to decipher biological age
A study by scientists at Tufts University and the University of Washington analyzed blood samples from almost 800 dogs of different breeds, sizes and ages enrolled in the ambitious program Dog Aging Project. The objective was to trace the chemical traces of aging in one of the most common animal companions to our biology, our environment and our way of life.
The researchers found that approximately 40% de small molecules present in canine bloodcalled metabolites, vary with age. These data, seemingly technical, are a clue to the fact that aging is not limited to the visible wear and tear of tissues, but leaves a deep trace in the internal biochemistry, as if time gradually rewrote the molecular language of each organism.
Among these molecules, scientists have identified a particularly revealing group, that of post-translationally modified amino acids, or ptmAA. These compounds are formed from two ways different: some appear when gut bacteria digest food, while others when the body’s own proteins break down. In both cases, ptmAAs appear to act as markers of the passage of time, a chemical record that reflects the balance and deterioration of vital processes such as digestion, cellular repair, and kidney function.
The role of the intestine and kidneys in aging
The study found that levels of these compounds increased when the kidney function was weakened. In other words, dogs whose kidneys were filtered less effectively accumulated more ptmAA in their blood. This finding reinforces a central idea in the biology of aging that physiological decline does not affect organs in isolation, but is a problem. systemic processwhere metabolic waste becomes alarm signals.
Furthermore, the link between ptmAA and the intestinal microbiota suggests that aging is not only written in genes, but also in the microscopic communities that inhabit us. Scientists propose that changes in the bacterial composition of the intestine They could modify the production of these molecules, thus influencing the rate at which cells and organs age. Understanding this relationship – which microbes are associated with a “younger” metabolism or which accelerate breakdown – could be key to developing preventative therapies, both in dogs and humans.
From the laboratory to the future of preventive medicine
The next phase of Dog Aging Project will follow the same dogs for several years, analyzing how their internal chemistry changes as they age and correlating these changes with factors such as muscle mass, diet or physical activity. The objective is to draw a longitudinal map of biological agethat is to say, not so much knowing the age of an individual, but rather knowing to what extent he is aging.
The results could transform preventive medicine. If the same molecular patterns are confirmed in humans, these molecules could serve as biomarkers able to predict disease risk, organ health or even life expectancy. It would no longer just be a question of extending the years, but rather of extending the quality of these years.
Reference:
About The Author
