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Young blood transfusion

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Young blood transfusion refers to the transferral of blood from a young source into an older animal with the intention of having a medicinal effect beyond that of a normal blood transfusion. Tests in mice have returned favourable results and clinical trials involving humans are ongoing. The practice is seen as being a "current trend" in regenerative medicine and life extension while news reports relate it to various tails of immortality.

Trials on mice

Neuroscientist Tony Wyss-Coray leads a team of researchers at Stanford University investigating the use of young blood transfusions in mice. A study published by them in 2014 detailed the results of several tests including parabiosis in mice; as part of their investigations they sutured two mice of different ages together, with both animals sharing a circulatory system. The study concluded that the blood from the younger mouse contributed to improved synaptic plasticity in the older mouse and this consequently led to a perceived improvement in learning and memory. They also demonstrated that a transferral of a young mouse's blood plasma into an older mouse allowed the latter to significantly improve in certain tasks related to learning and memory. In 2017 a further study by Wyss-Coray and his team was published in Nature. This showed that older mice could benefit from blood transfused from human umbilical cords. They claim that this appears to "rejuvenate an old brain and make it work more like a younger one".[1] In a 2017 article published in The Economist the effects in mice were labelled "spectacular" but the author made the point that the reason why was not clear.[2]

In 2018 a study by Dr. Saul Villeda, an assistant professor at the University of California, published new findings in journal Cell Reports. Villeda suggests that old brains may have "dormant plasticity" which can be utilised. "Young blood" has the ability to stimulate significant changes in DNA as regulated by the TET2 enzyme. Older brains have lower levels of TET2 with the hippocampus, the area of the brain associated with memory and learning, being particularly deficient. Villeda believes that DNA manipulation might allow scientists to "make an organism younger again".[3]

Human tests

Tests in humans have shown changes to biomarkers which relate to cardiovascular disease, cancer, and Alzheimer's disease. Ambrosia, a company founded by Jesse Karmazin, have proceeded to trial the transfer of blood plasma from people aged between 16 and 25 into willing and healthy recipients aged 35 and older. All 70 of those who received a transfusion paid $8,000 each for the treatment. Karmazin claims in an interview with New Scientist that "Whatever is in young blood is causing changes that appear to make the ageing process reverse". He pointed to how carcinoembryonic antigens fell by around 20 per cent and stated that most participants showed improvements within a month.[4][5] The news was however greeted with scepticism as no control groups featured in the study.[4] Other, more advanced human trials are reported to be underway in China and Korea.[6]

In 2017 Alkahest, a company which specialises in developing therapies from blood, recruited 18 people with Alzheimer's disease with the plan of giving them blood transfusions from younger people. They will look for any positive benefits to the mental health of those in the trial.[2]

Amy Maxmen writing for the MIT Technology Review warned of the dangers of such trials, noting that transfusions are generally considered safe but can have side effects including deadly infections.[5]

Reporting

Young blood transfusions have been called a "current trend" in regenerative medicine.[7] Billionaire Peter Thiel is a prominent investor in Ambrosia and has interests in other potentially life-extending treatments, though he specifically states that he has not tried parabiosis. Jeff Bercovici wrote for Inc. that "life-extension science is a popular obsession" in silicon valley and that there are rumours of wealthy technology bosses "spending tens of thousands of dollars for the procedures and young-person-blood".[6] The practice was referenced in a 2017 episode of comedy series Silicon Valley in which the boss of a technology company uses transfusions from a "blood boy" in an attempt to stay young and live longer.[8]

News media have widely reported such practices using hyperbole, likening the procedure to the Fountain of Youth and the elixir of life.[1][7] Others have related it to stories of vampires.[2][3]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b Makin, Simon (21 April 2017). "Fountain of Youth? Young Blood Infusions "Rejuvenate" Old Mice". Scientific American. Retrieved 5 May 2018.
  2. ^ a b c "Can young blood really rejuvenate the old?". The Economist. 21 July 2017. Retrieved 6 May 2018.
  3. ^ a b "The vampire molecule: scientists discover why young blood helps reverse aging". CBC Radio. 3 March 2018. Retrieved 6 May 2018.
  4. ^ a b Adee, Sally (31 May 2017). "Human tests suggest young blood cuts cancer and Alzheimer's risk". New Scientist. Retrieved 5 May 2018.
  5. ^ a b Maxmen, Amy (13 January 2017). "Questionable "Young Blood" Transfusions Offered in U.S. as Anti-Aging Remedy". MIT Technology Review. Retrieved 6 May 2018.
  6. ^ a b Bercovici, Jeff. "Peter Thiel Is Very, Very Interested In Young People's Blood". Inc. Retrieved 5 May 2018.
  7. ^ a b "Young Blood Transfusions - The Elixir Of Youth?". Medium. 1 November 2017. Retrieved 6 May 2018.
  8. ^ Qualey, Erin (2017). "Yes, the blood boy on Silicon Valley is actually a thing". Hidden Remote. Retrieved 5 May 2018.
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