Can the Klotho Protein Unlock the Secrets of Ageless Minds and Longevity?

The ancient Greeks believed that beauty consisted of three major components: symmetry, proportion, and harmony. This concept is similar to what the Klotho protein aims to achieve. Named after the Greek goddess Clotho, the Klotho protein brings a beautiful harmony of longevity and enhanced cognitive ability. The protein klotho, initially identified as a key "longevity gene" over three decades ago, has now demonstrated its potential to enhance cognitive function in aging rhesus macaques.

Building upon recent findings in mice models, an international team of scientists administered klotho protein injections to 18 rhesus macaques, with an average age equivalent to around 65 human years. The results revealed significant improvements in working memory and task-completion abilities among the primates.

A Pathway to Human Trials and Implications for Healthy Aging

The research team, including scientists from the University of California, San Francisco, and Weill Institute for Neurosciences, has been devoted to studying klotho and its regenerative cognitive effects for more than half a decade.

In this study, the macaques engaged in repeated maze navigation tasks to assess their ability to recall the most direct paths. Following klotho administration, resulting in protein levels similar to those observed in juvenile macaques, the primates exhibited an average 6% improvement in easy mazes and a substantial 20% enhancement in more challenging tasks. Notably, the memory enhancement persisted for at least two weeks, and the dosage used in this study was relatively lower compared to previous mouse trials (1^✔ ✔Trusted Source
Longevity factor klotho enhances cognition in aged nonhuman primates

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Klotho, a transmembrane protein family comprising three subfamilies, including the well-known alpha-klotho, was only discovered in 1997, and its exact function remains incompletely understood.

However, it plays a crucial role in the aging process by regulating various pathways such as phosphate levels and insulin signaling. Produced naturally in the kidneys, klotho levels decline with age, contributing to age-related health conditions like arterial stiffening, hypertension, and vascular degeneration.

Cognitive Benefits of Klotho

Previous studies have demonstrated the cognitive benefits of klotho expression in mice models, including its elevation through intermittent fasting and plasma transfusions from younger to older animals resulting in muscle regeneration.

Dena Dubal, one of the co-authors of this study and a physician-researcher at the University of California San Francisco's Weill Institute for Neurosciences, likens the cognitive tests to real-life scenarios such as remembering the location of a parked car or recalling a series of numbers—skills that typically decline with age.

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Dubal, who has been researching the life-extending potential of klotho, emphasizes the importance of improving "health span" in humans, as it aligns with enhancing lifespan and overall well-being. While the mechanisms underlying Klotho's restorative abilities are not yet fully understood, the current research provides a compelling rationale for initiating human clinical trials without delay.

Reference:

1. Longevity factor klotho enhances cognition in aged nonhuman primates - (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37400721/)

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Source-Medindia