New Study Could Help Tackle Ageing and Treating Cancer

Study conducted at the University of Leicester offers future to assist tackling diseases and conditions associated with ageing and also in treating cancer. Dr Salvador Macip from the Mechanisms of Cancer and Ageing Lab and the Department of Biochemistry of the University of Leicester coordinated with a group of scientists and carried out the study to find new ways of identifying old cells in the body.

Accumulation of old cells, called ‘senescent’, in human tissue can contribute to symptoms of ageing. They can also appear as a result of the activation of the internal anti-cancer mechanisms of the human body.

Dr Macip said, "What we have found is a series of novel markers - a way to detect senescent cells.What is more, we have shown that they can be used to predict increased survival in certain types of cancer. Until now, good protocols to help spot these cells have been sadly lacking. Our research has described new markers located on the surface of the old cells. This makes these markers particularly useful to quickly identify these cells in laboratory and human samples using a range of techniques."

Researchers look forward to use these tools to selectively eliminate the old cells from the tissues and thus reduce their effects on promoting ageing in healthy individuals.

Source-Medindia