Cream with rapamycin
Humanity's desire to prolong youth leads to the creation of lotions, dietary supplements, serums and diets. Soon another tool can replenish the arsenal of anti-aging cosmetology.
Rapamycin, a drug from the group of immunosuppressants commonly used to prevent organ rejection after transplantation, can also slow down the aging of human skin, according to a study conducted by the staff of the Drexel University Medical College (USA).
Studies have previously tested this drug to slow aging in mice, flies and worms. The current study showed the effect of rapamycin on the aging of human tissues, especially skin, the signs of aging of which were reduced with topical application.
The skin is a complex system containing, among others, immune, nerve, and stem cells, and it can be used to study the biology of drugs and aging processes.
In the current study, 13 participants over the age of 40 applied a cream with rapamycin every 1-2 days on one hand and a placebo on the other hand for eight months. The researchers examined the participants after two, four, six and eight months, and also performed a blood test and biopsy after six and eight months.
By the end of the study, an increase in the amount of collagen and statistically significant lower levels of p16 protein, a key marker of skin cell aging, were observed in the skin of most hands treated with rapamycin. Skin with lower p16 levels has fewer aging cells that are associated with the formation of wrinkles. In addition to cosmetic defects, p16 protein can lead to skin atrophy, leading to vulnerability and slow healing after cuts, as well as an increased risk of infection of the injured area.
Rapamycin blocks the so–called "target of rapamycin" (TOR), a protein that mediates the metabolism, growth and aging of human cells. The ability of rapamycin to influence the state of human health, in addition to improving its appearance, is made clear with a deeper study of the role of p16. It is expressed in response to the stress that human cells are exposed to when damaged, and is also involved in the prevention of cancer. When a mutation appears in a cell that would lead to the development of a tumor, p16 slows down the process of the cell cycle. In other words, in order to avoid a tumor, p16 promotes the aging process.
In addition to the mentioned indication of use (prevention of organ rejection), rapamycin is currently prescribed for lymphangioleiomyomatosis and as an anticancer drug. The current study opens up new possibilities for the use of this drug in small doses, including increasing life expectancy and improving the quality of human life.
Rapamycin, first discovered in the 1970s in bacteria living in the soil of Easter Island, also reduces stress in the cell by acting on cancer-causing free radicals in mitochondria.
In previous studies, the group used rapamycin in cell cultures, it reportedly improved cell function and slowed aging.
In 1996, a study of yeast in which rapamycin was used to block TOR proteins showed a decrease in the number of cell divisions and an increase in their lifespan.
The researchers note that there are still many questions about how to use this drug. In future studies, various schemes for the use of the drug in clinical settings, including in other diseases, will be considered. During the current study, it was confirmed that rapamycin was not absorbed into the bloodstream of the participants.
Two patent applications have been filed for this technology, both have been licensed by Boinca Therapeutics LLC.
Article C.Lee Chung et al. Topical rapamycin reduces markers of senescence and aging in human skin: an exploratory, prospective, randomized trial published in the journal GeroScience.
Aminat Adzhieva, portal "Eternal Youth" http://vechnayamolodost.ru based on Drexel Now: Rapamycin May Slow Skin Aging, Drexel Study Reports.