Unlocking the Anti-Aging potential of Sirtuins
The science of aging has made an enormous progress in the last few years, with human trials about to begin in the near future. Scientists are trying to shift the attention of the medical community from optimising lifespan to optimising health span. According to the biological clock, every individual is aging; a teenage person is aging, young infants are aging, even in the womb we are aging. The study of sirtuin proteins made a real breakthrough in the field of anti-aging by resetting the aging clock of the body.
Sirtuins have risen to scientific prominence in aging and age-related diseases such as diabetes, cancer, neurodegenerative diseases and cardiovascular diseases. Studies revealed that the broken chromosomes disrupt the structure of the DNA and the cells start to lose their function as well as identity. And ultimately, the outcome of losing cellular identity is aging. Sirtuins play a vital role in sustaining genome integrity. They take part in maintaining normal chromatin condensation state, DNA damage response and repair, modulating oxidative stress and energy metabolism. Sirtuins can only function in the presence of (NAD+) nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide, a coenzyme found in all living cells. In mammals, there are seven sirtuins (SIRT1–7) that occupies different cellular compartments.
Several lines of evidence suggest that benefits of calorie restriction are mediated through sirtuins. Trials in non-human primates and humans have indicated that sirtuin-activating compounds (STACs) and NAD+ precursors that improved organ function, physical endurance, disease resistance and longevity may be safe and effective in treating inflammatory and metabolic disorders. Sirtuin also play a role in memory formation by modulating synaptic plasticity. Hypothalamic functions that affect endocrine function and circadian rhythmicity are regulated by SIRT1. Sirtuins (SIRT1) have a dual role in cancer, functioning as tumour suppressors or as an oncogenic factor, depending on the type and stage of cancer. Since the NAD+ levels decline with age, hypothesis suggests that deficiency of NAD+ may be the primary factor related to the SARS-Cov-2 disease spectrum and the risk for mortality. SIRT1 inhibitors can be an effective solution to treat Novel Coronavirus, based on the research on reduction of many virus growth and replication. These inhibitors are associated to the halt of cells apoptotic response. In addition, SIRT1 reduce ACE2 activity, the receptor which Coronavirus uses to enter in the host cells.
Future studies should indicate whether modulation of sirtuins could have implications for cancer treatment. However, the mechanism of sirtuin proteins are very complex and not entirely understood yet. These advances have demonstrated that it is possible to rationally design molecules that can possibly extend the health span in humans. The ongoing quest to discover and develop safe and potential sirtuin-activating compounds to alleviate multiple aging-related diseases and the use of such compounds in clinical trials is discussed in the context of the challenges that lies ahead to reach their full potential in medicine. As the sirtuins field continues to expand, this leaves scope for incredible research opportunities into how activating sirtuins with NAD+ precursors can lead to more exciting discoveries.
