Sirtuins are proteins involved in metabolic regulation and DNA repair, implicated in aging. Compounds like resveratrol can activate sirtuins, potentially slowing aging, but caution is advised as results are difficult to replicate in the real world. Sirtuins are just one piece of the aging puzzle and ethical concerns arise with the possibility of “biological immortality.”
Sirtuins are proteins found in a wide variety of living organisms, from yeasts to people. These proteins appear to play a critical role in the aging process, which has made them of particular interest to human researchers interested in the possibility of extending life. Like many scientific breakthroughs, the sirtuin story was greatly simplified as it made its way into the mainstream media, which has led to some confusion about what these proteins do and how they work.
Studies on sirtuins show that they are involved in metabolic regulation. They turn particular genes on and off as needed, for example, and they also work to repair DNA damage. They are implicated in aging because as organisms age, the risk of DNA damage increases, and sirtuins can increasingly focus on targeting specific sites of damage, sometimes causing confusion in the activation of genes. Some researchers have suggested that the body may ‘forget’ which genes it should be on, inadvertently turning on genes that cause further damage, contributing to aging.
The term “sirtuin” is a play on Silent Information Regulator 2 (SIR2) protein, the formal name for this protein class. Like other proteins in the body, sirtuin levels can be affected by a wide variety of factors, and certain compounds, including resveratrol, a substance found in many plants, appear to activate sirtuins. Resveratrol is sometimes touted as an “anti-aging compound,” which is actually not the case, as resveratrol only plays an indirect role in the aging process.
If the theories are correct, increased consumption of compounds like resveratrol could slow the aging process by activating sirtuins. Some laboratory studies have supported these theories, showing that the use of such compounds in organisms such as mice actually slows down the systemic damage caused by aging. However, the researchers caution the lay public to be aware that these tests involve very controlled environments and very high levels of such compounds, and that these results can be difficult to replicate in the real world.
Sirtuins are also just one piece of the aging puzzle. Gerontology students are certainly interested in these proteins and how they work, but they are also interested in a wide range of other biological processes and chemical compounds. Ethicists have also raised questions about the potential for so-called “biological immortality,” suggesting that although humans may one day find a way to dramatically extend life, it could pose complex social, legal, ethical and personal problems.
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