Researchers discover genes in worms that could slow aging in humans

Researchers at the University of Saskatchewan have identified two genes in worms that could be the secret to slowing aging in humans.

The results have been published in the Aging Cell journal.

Senior author Michael Wu told CTV News they used a type of worm called the C. elegans, and it took about three years to complete the study.

“We were able to identify two specific genes that in worms at least if you turn them off, can cause premature aging. What's interesting about these two genes is that in humans we also have the two genes,” Wu said.

Wu said that the DNA information of the worms was 40 per cent similar to that in humans.

“Now that we've identified our genes of interest, we are more interested in understanding how can we alter the activity of these genes. The first approach is to look for a pharmacological intervention,” Wu said. “So drug compounds or natural compounds that can potentially exert or influence the activity of these genes.”

He said the next step was to run tests on animals.

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“Our long-term goal is to hopefully translate this into higher animals first, that are closer to humans, say mice or rats or even human cell lines to see that can we get a similar type of responses in the drug molecules. If we can do that, then we can sort of think about ways that we can translate these into humans,” he explained.

However, that could take a long time to complete due to the lifespan of rats or mice, Wu said.

“These rodents can live anywhere between two to five years. So if you're trying to follow how these molecules may influence aging in a mammalian model, this can take two to five years just to collect a single data.”

Wu said it could take at least a decade to complete the research.

“Age is sort of the number one risk factor in the development of all the chronic diseases that sort of plague society. Our approach is that to begin understanding what causes these age-related diseases, we really need to take a step back into understanding what drives aging.”