Bone Drug Makes Old Mouse Organs Look More Like Young Ones
Graded Preliminary — an experiment in 18 mice over two months, plus lab cells and blood from 36 women before and after treatment, drawn from a randomized trial; animal and cell results do not transfer directly to people.
Animal study. Findings may not carry over to people, which is why the grade is capped at Preliminary.
- Design
- Animal study
- Participants
- 36
- Duration
- 9 weeks
- Funding
- US National Institute on Aging (NIH); Foundation for the National Institutes…
In old mice, the osteoporosis drug zoledronate shifted the cell mix of heart, liver and gut toward that of young animals.
Bisphosphonates have treated bone loss for more than 50 years. Clinical evidence hints at benefits beyond the skeleton, but nobody knows why. In old mice, the drug zoledronate shifted the mix of cells in the heart, liver and gut toward that of young animals.
The mice received the drug for two months. Afterwards, genes for burning fat, making energy in the cell's power plants and guarding against cell damage were more active in the liver and heart. The team also tested blood from 36 women over 65 with low bone density, before and after a 5 milligram infusion. About 400 blood proteins changed, including drops in proteins tied to aging processes. In lab-grown cells, low doses boosted growth, by 28 percent in heart muscle cells. They also shielded cells from slipping into an aged, non-dividing state after DNA damage.
The authors see possible protective routes, but also a risk: growth signals could spur abnormal cells too. The helpful low doses from the lab cannot be precisely reached with a standard infusion. Only women and female mice were studied.
Conflict of Interest Disclosure: The authors declare no competing interests.
Disclaimer: Research summaries are provided for informational purposes only and do not constitute medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making changes to your health routine.