- The search for the secret of eternal life has advanced
a step, after scientists claimed they had located the gene responsible
for healthy old age.
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- Icelandic biotechnologists said they had isolated the
Methuselah gene, which they believe could lead to the development of drugs
enabling people to live longer.
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- The gene - a stretch of DNA - has been named after the
Old Testament figure said to have lived for 969 years.
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- Kari Stefansson, the chief executive of DeCode Genetics,
said: "There is no reason why we cannot do this.
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- "We know the location of this gene. Soon we will
study its exact DNA sequence and work out how it works in the body. You
can then think of making drugs that could replicate its
action."
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- Researchers pinpointed the gene by using Iceland's
uniquely
comprehensive family records to compare 1,200 people who had lived beyond
90 with a similar number with average lifespans.
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- They found those who lived longer were much more closely
related than in the other group.
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- Mr Stefansson said: "Our tight heritage and records
are ideal for this sort of work. We have the same genes as everyone else
on the planet, but because we have a small, tight population of only
270,000,
it is much easier to pinpoint those of us that carry genes that have
interesting
functions."
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- The scientists discovered that those who lived longer
appeared to have inherited a single gene that protected them against old
age, rather than being born into families which did not inherit genes that
made them vulnerable to illnesses.
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- DeCode's work follows research published by Harvard
Medical
School in the US last year, that claimed people who lived past 100 had
in-built defences against old age.
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- The study, which was aimed at protecting people from
ageing, found such people had a longevity gene which was inherited, so
their children were also likely to live ten to 15 years longer than
average.
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- It also found that the brothers and sisters of
centenarians
were four times more likely than average of living to 90. The Harvard
researchers
discovered that all 137 100-year-olds they studied had Methuselah-type
genes, which appeared to enable them to fight off conditions such as
cancer,
dementia and heart disease.
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- Scientists had previously believed thousands of human
genes worked together to determine how long people live.
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- Professor Thomas Perls, a geriatrician involved with
the Harvard study, said: "An average set of genes will allow you to
live to your mid to late eighties. To get another 20 healthy years, you
have these disease -resistant genes."
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- http://thescotsman.co.uk
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