[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.16″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.16″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
Rejuvenation<\/strong> is a complex concept. And at the moment it is also an unachievable goal. Yet there are many research groups around the world working on individual organs and systems to understand what accounts for the longevity of some individuals, those ultracentenarians<\/strong> who, thanks to the characteristics of their DNA, live healthier than average. Thus, just by analyzing the genetic makeup of “super seniors,” a research team has discovered how to counteract theaging of the heart<\/strong>. Going so far as to “rejuvenate” it by almost ten years. The finding comes from a study published in Cardiovascular Research<\/em>, coordinated by Hannibal Puca of the MultiMedica Group in Milan and Paolo Madeddu of the University of Bristol.<\/p>\n The subject of the study, conducted both in an animal model (i.e., in mice) and in vitro, i.e., in cultured cells, is one of the so-called “longevity proteins<\/strong>“. It is called LAV-BPIFB4<\/strong>, and alongwith sirtuins,<\/strong> it appears to underlie long life. The gene encoding the BPIFB4 protein, in its LAV (Longevity Associated Variant) variant, is indeed common in people over 100 years old. This variant was identified by Hannibal Puca, laboratory head at IRCCS MultiMedica, who also discovered its potential in preventingatherosclerosis<\/strong> and rejuvenating the immune system<\/strong>.<\/p>\n The gene encoding the BPIFB4 protein, in its LAV – Longevity Associated Variant, is common in people over 100 years old<\/p><\/blockquote>\n The in vitro<\/em> analysis conducted by the Italian group compared heart cells from elderly patients with heart problems to those from healthy individuals. In the first group, pericytes, i.e., the cells that support the construction of new blood vessels, were found to perform less well and age more, the researchers explained. By adding LAV-BPIFB4 protein to these cells,” they add, “there was a rejuvenation process. The pericytes of elderly and sick patients resumed proper function, proving more efficient in inducing new blood vessels.<\/p>\n In parallel with this analysis, the Bristol group carried out the in vivo<\/em> study in the animal model. The researchers administered the LAV-BPIFB4 protein to older mice to induce rejuvenation, and to middle-aged mice to prevent aging. And they noted improved vascularization, more efficient blood flow and decreased fibrosis<\/strong>. A phenomenon that, on humans, would be equivalent to having a younger heart by about 10 years. If this action were also confirmed by other studies, the authors conclude, therapy with LAV-BPIFB4 protein could be considered for rejuvenation not only of the vascular and immune systems but also of the heart pump.[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" A genetic variant very common in centenarians appears to have the ability to restore the function of certain heart cells, improving overall organ function and turning back the hands of the biological clock<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":22247,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[158],"tags":[159,171],"class_list":["post-23033","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news-en","tag-longevity-science-en","tag-rejuvenation"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nWhat is LAV-BPIFB4 protein and its long-lived variant?<\/h3>\n
Is it possible to rejuvenate heart cells?<\/h3>\n
What does the mouse study add?<\/h3>\n