Summary
In the Peter Atia Drive podcast episode, Peter Atia interviews Matt Kay, a researcher at the University of Washington who is globally recognized for his work in the biology of aging. The episode focuses on the dog aging project, which aims to use dogs as a model to understand how genetic and environmental factors influence the aging process. The project tests interventions that extend lifespan and slow aging in laboratory mammals, such as mice, in a real-world setting. Dogs are considered an ideal model for this study because they share our environment and are socially relevant. The interview covers topics such as rapamycin, mTOR, nad, sirtuins, cancer, heart disease, and Alzheimer's disease.
The podcast discusses the age-related diseases that dogs experience, which are similar to those of humans. Cancer is the most common cause of death in dogs, and big dogs tend to get more cancers than small dogs. Dogs do not get atherosclerosis as much as humans, but there are breeds that die from heart disease and certain forms of heart disease. Dogs experience cognitive decline and dementia with age. The podcast also discusses the use of rapamycin in dogs to slow aging. However, the tolerance for side-effects from a regulatory perspective or even just public perception is very low when talking about intervening in a healthy dog.
The discussion revolves around the effects of rapamycin in humans and dogs. The speaker talks about the pharmacokinetics of rapamycin and how the peak and trough levels of the drug affect its efficacy and side effects. The speaker also discusses a study done on healthy elderly people using different doses and delivery methods of rapamycin and how it improved their immune function. The speaker also talks about a study done on middle-aged healthy companion dogs to measure the effects of rapamycin on heart function, which showed improvements after six to ten weeks of treatment.
The context discusses a study on the use of rapamycin in dogs for healthy aging. The study aimed to confirm the safety of the drug and its potential benefits on heart function. The results of the study showed no significant side effects, and improvements in heart function were observed in dogs on rapamycin. However, the study was underpowered and needs to be replicated.
The context discusses a study on the effects of rapamycin on dogs with dilated cardiomyopathy. The study found that a Doberman Pinscher with low cardiac function saw significant improvement when given rapamycin. The owner continued to give the dog echocardiograms every three months and saw improvement in cardiac function. There are ongoing studies on rapamycin's effects on aging and cancer in marmosets and dogs, respectively.
The discussion revolves around the potential of rapamycin as a therapy for Alzheimer's disease, particularly the metabolic variant of the disease. The conversation delves into the fact that Alzheimer's is a disease of aging and that therapies need to target the molecular causes of the disease. The conversation also touches on the gut microbiome and its potential role in the effects of rapamycin. The group also talks about the effects of caloric restriction and rapamycin on metabolism and the need to identify predictive signatures for rapamycin.
The loss of intestinal barrier function during aging may contribute to the increase in systemic inflammation. Rapamycin, an anti-aging drug, may potentially improve this function and impact the entire body. While it may be difficult to conduct anti-aging trials in humans, a study is being designed to test rapamycin on dogs. The study will be a five-year trial with three groups: placebo, short-term treatment, and continuous treatment. The study will track lifespan, heart function, activity, cancer incidence, kidney function, blood chemistry, metabolomics, and microbiome. The study will partner with five to seven veterinary schools in the United States. The study is estimated to cost around $5 million.
