Longevity Briefs: Promising new tool for implementing regenerative medicine

Longevity briefs provides a short summary of a novel research, medicine, or technology that caught the attention of our researchers in Oxford, due to its potential to improve our health, wellbeing, and longevity.

Why is this research important: Yamanaka factors consist of four genes: Sox2, Oct4, Klf4 and c-Myc. Increasing expression of yamanaka factors in an aged tissue has the ability to replenish the tissue of its depleted stem cell population. Repopulating the tissues with stem cells has opened up a new avenue for rejuvenation therapy.

What did the researchers do: In this study, researchers developed an adenovirus which successfully transported and infected rat fibroblast cells in culture with yamanaka factors and green fluorescent protein. Additionally, live rats infected with the adenovirus vector showed significant fluorescence within the hypothalamus, demonstrating the virus’s ability to penetrate deep into the brain.

Key takeaway(s) from this research: This adenovirus is an important tool, and represents an encouraging stepping stone on the pathway to utilising yamanaka factors in a therapeutic manner.