Researchers at the Hefei Institutes of Physical Science have found that magnetotactic bacteria extended the average lifespan of Caenorhabditis elegans worms by more than 43 percent. The Hefei team identified that the treatment suppressed ferroptosis, a form of cell death driven by iron accumulation and oxidative damage.
Scientists working with the Chinese Academy of Sciences discovered that administering Magnetospirillum magneticum AMB-1 to laboratory worms altered their aging trajectory. The treatment pushed average longevity up by 43.39 percent while preserving intestinal integrity and neurological function in older specimens.
Magnetosomes and the Mechanism of Ferroptosis Suppression
The study, published in Free Radical Biology and Medicine and led by Prof. An Xu, investigated microorganisms known for containing specialized structures called magnetosomes. These bacteria offer good biocompatibility and have previously drawn interest for drug delivery and cancer treatment, though their influence on aging had remained largely unexplored.
To uncover how the bacteria achieved these results, the Hefei team examined internal cellular changes. Worms treated with the strain showed reduced iron buildup and lower lipid peroxidation, which effectively blocked ferroptosis. Genetic analysis pointed to specific pathways involving the genes ftn-1, bli-3, and ads-1 in regulating this lifespan expansion.
The team also tested whether the physical production of magnetosomes drove the longevity benefits. Wild-type AMB-1 delivered a stronger effect than reversibly non-magnetotactic RNM-AMB-1, while non-magnetotactic NM-AMB-1 failed to extend lifespan at all.
Broader Lessons from Global Longevity Initiatives
While laboratory researchers explore microbial interventions, public policy experts study how societies adapt to expanding lifespans on a macro scale.
Carstensen noted that the human aging process has not changed much, if any, genetically over the last several thousand years. Longevity is not synonymous with aging. It is a metric of length, Carstensen explained in an interview detailing the center’s evolution since 2007, noting that the center’s interest is in the challenges and opportunities that longer lives present.
“The initial response people had was, ‘Like the Methuselah Foundation? You are going to extend life?’”
Laura Carstensen, Fairleigh S. Dickinson Jr. Professor in Public Policy and professor of psychology at Stanford
Comparing institutional approaches, Carstensen pointed to international efforts such as the Queenstown Health District in Singapore, a very intentional all-ages community that is incorporating principles from the New Map of Life. Compared to some countries, like Singapore, Carstensen would give the U.S. a C-minus.
Продолжение темы
