An international team of researchers has developed a method that allows converting animal intestinal microorganisms into tiny factories for producing longevity-promoting substances. Specialists made the intestine produce the elixir of youth The goal was colanic acid – a substance of bacterial origin that previously extended the lifespan of roundworms and fruit flies. In a new scientific paper published in PLOS Biology, a group of scientists demonstrated that under the influence of small doses of the antibiotic cephaloridine, microorganisms begin to produce colanic acids. Roundworms treated with cephaloridine lived longer. In mice, small doses of cephaloridine triggered the transcription (the first stage of protein synthesis) of parts of the intestinal bacteria’s DNA responsible for the production of colanic acids. This caused age-related metabolic shifts—an increase in “good” cholesterol and a decrease in “bad” cholesterol in male mice, as well as a decrease in insulin levels in females. Cephaloridine is not absorbed when taken orally and changes the composition of the gut microflora without affecting other organs, which eliminates adverse effects and toxicity. The researchers believe their findings will spur the creation of innovative types of medications. Instead of producing substances that directly target the body, scientists will be able to design formulations that affect the microbiota. This will initiate changes that allow the synthesis of compounds beneficial to the host organism. Previously, Chinese researchers invented a resveratrol-based drug that promises to extend life up to 150 years. The study was conducted on mice.
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