A new editorial article has been published in the magazine aging We argue that in multicellular organisms, neighboring cells are in constant competition.
The fundamental causes of aging remained unknown for a long time. However, in 1977 Thomas Kirkwood proposed that organisms gain a fitness advantage by reducing their investment in somatic maintenance if they are able to invest more resources in more important processes such as reproduction. We hypothesized that it might be possible. Therefore, the accumulation of somatic damage is inevitable, and his disposable somatic cell theory has dominated gerontology ever since.
However, as our understanding of aging advances, it becomes increasingly difficult to reconcile all aspects of aging with the damage that accumulates. For example, mutations that increase damage accumulation may also extend lifespan, while rejuvenating revelations such as parabiosis and the Yamanaka factor do not require high energy costs and may also increase youthfulness despite high levels of damage. This shows that you can regain your sense of self.
In a new editorial, Newcastle University researchers James Wordsworth and Darryl Shanley discuss a recently published paper. paper About Selective Destruction Theory (SDT). SDT is independent of cumulative damage, suggesting a mechanism of aging consistent with epigenetic rejuvenation. The authors used agent-based modeling to explain how aging undergoes positive selection independent of energetic costs.
“The mechanism of selective destruction is currently theoretical. Our most developed models suggest that slow cells induce epigenetic changes in fast cells, slowing down their metabolism (rather than killing the cells). , we demonstrated that not only unnecessary cell death is reduced, but the likelihood of hyperactivity disorders is further reduced by preventing cell spreading of fast cells.”
References: “A new theory of aging that doesn’t rely on damage accumulation,” by James Wordsworth and Daryl Shanley, July 28, 2023. aging.
DOI: 10.18632%2Faging.204956