Muscle Restoration

[Excelife]

Dr. H.L. Sweeney of   University of Pennsylvania, School of Medicine, 
Philadelphia, Pa. has publicized research wherein viral vectors can deliver 
IGF-1, (Insulin like growth factor), into the muscles of elderly rats.  He 
states that these mice regained 27% of muscle mass lost with age.  Younger 
mice re-gained 15% of muscle mass.(note: the news articles and Medline did 
not turn up the cite so if anyone knows it please let me know.) 

Vergani L, et.al. in J Neurosci Res 1998 Dec 15;54(6):840-7 "Systemic 
administration of insulin-like growth factor decreases motor neuron cell 
death and promotes muscle reinnervation." shows that IGF-1 also restores 
motor neuron functioning in these muscles.

If these results are applicable to humans then this is a major advance in 
longevity research.

Telomeric lengthening can have the effect of extending the replicative life 
span of cellular systems that normally reproduce but would have little effect 
on the satellite cells that can restore muscle cells lost over time.

These findings on IGF-1 show that it can cause these satellite cells to 
restore some muscle functions in elderly rats and may help avoid some of the 
more debilitating stages of aging.  In conjunction with telomeric therapy two 
major hurdles to longevity appear to be resolved.

The last major challenge remains the restoration of the functioning of the 
central nervous system in an elderly population.



Thomas Mahoney, Pres.
Lifeline Laboratories, Inc.
http://home.earthlink.net/~excelife/index.html