Summary
The Dr. Podcast episode hosted by Peter Atia discusses the science of senescence or cellular senescence and its role in aging. Cellular senescence is when cells stop dividing due to encountering stress they cannot resolve, and these cells accumulate as we age. The episode explains various mechanisms of aging, including mTOR inhibition, caloric restriction, mitochondrial dysfunction, stem cell exhaustion, methylation of DNA, and epigenetic change. The episode also discusses the discovery of senescence cells and their harmful effects, as well as the potential benefits of eliminating senescent cells to treat age-related diseases such as osteoarthritis and atherosclerosis.
The episode also discusses a drug that has the potential to eliminate senescent cells in patients suffering from osteoarthritis. The drug was tested in a phase one trial, where it was injected into the knees of patients with osteoarthritis, and the patients were monitored for three months. The trial showed that the drug was safe, selective, and potent enough to eliminate senescent cells and provide pain relief. The study also showed that the drug's efficacy improved with dose, and patients experienced a dose-dependent reduction in pain. The phase two study is currently ongoing, and it aims to replicate the phase one study's results and extend the duration of the pain relief.
The episode also discusses the potential of eliminating senescent cells to treat age-related diseases, particularly those for which there are currently no treatments, such as dry macular degeneration. The drugs being developed target the bcl-2 protein family and work by inhibiting inhibitors of apoptosis. The podcast also briefly touches on the potential links between cellular senescence and type 2 diabetes and Alzheimer's disease.
Overall, the podcast provides context on the flexible and malleable nature of aging, control knobs that nature uses to bend and twist aging for its own purposes, and how these control knobs are turnable through drug hunting. The episode emphasizes the importance of identifying and addressing risks in any technological endeavor and the potential benefits of eliminating senescent cells to treat aging-related diseases.
