Mitochondria the key to longevity

Cranking up an enzyme in a cell's powerhouse--the mitochondria--makes the cell resilient to stress and death, according to a study published today in the journal Cell. The findings could provide a new set of targets for drugs to treat the diseases related to aging, including Alzheimer's and diabetes. Scientists say that the research might also point to the long-sought source of caloric restriction's life-extending benefits.

"Now we have a way of making drugs that can keep cells from dying and prevent diseases such as Alzheimer's," says David Sinclair, a biologist at Harvard Medical School, in Boston, who led the work. The findings broaden the focus of Sirtris Pharmaceuticals, a company based in Cambridge, MA, and cofounded by Sinclair, which is developing compounds that target the sirtuins, a class of enzymes previously linked to longevity.
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