Anti-cancer gene p53 doubles up as anti-ageing agent

The latest research suggests that one of the genes that protects us from cancer may also help delay the ageing process.

A new study has found that a particular gene, p53 which has been previously linked to premature ageing, along with one of its cellular regulators, called Arf, may boost the body's antioxidant activity to keep cells younger longer and thereby slow down the aging process.

The regulatory chemical Arf, lets p53 know that a particular cell is in trouble and marked for elimination.

Manuel Serrano, a researcher at the Spanish National Cancer Research Centre in Madrid, says the body ages as a result of the accumulation of faulty cells and p53 delays ageing for exactly the same reason that it prevents cancer.

The p53 gene, when it is working properly, ensures that damaged cells destroy themselves and do not divide uncontrollably to cause tumors; if the gene is mutated or inactivated the control mechanism does not work.

Previous cancer studies have also shown that p53 can actually cause premature ageing symptoms but Serrano says his research strictly regulated the gene so that it turned on only when needed.

The researchers genetically engineered mice to have an extra copy of p53 and found that the mice actually lived 16 percent longer even after the impact of having less cancer was accounted for.

As the role of p53 in cancer has been well documented Serrano says he and his team simply applied this knowledge to the problem of ageing and targeting damaged cells and tested the expectation that having more p53, would give the mice stricter quality control for cells, leading to less cancer and less ageing.

Serrano says mice and worms that eat less have slower metabolisms and live longer but his study offers evidence that the mice can benefit from the extra copy of the genes without needing to be starved.

The study promises the possibility of drugs based on p53 that delay ageing, but the researchers say the right balance will need to be found to prevent the potentially harmful effects of p53.

Serrano says chemical compounds have already been developed by drug companies which are able to boost p53 and are currently being tested for their possible anti-cancer properties and hopefully for their possible anti-ageing ability.

He believes the findings could lead to new drugs that prevent or fight cancer while extending healthy youth and lifespan.

The study is published in the journal Nature.