On January 23, the Director of the St. Petersburg Bioregulation and Gerontology Institute, Professor Vladimir Havinson, addressed the Bureau of Medical and Biological Sciences of the Russian Academy of Sciences with a scientific report on the single mechanism of peptidergic regulation of gene expression, protein synthesis and prolongation of life.

The first studies in the field of gerontology (aging science) were carried out by the Russian and French biologists Ilya Mechnikov at the end of the 19th century. He showed that the improvement of cellular immunity increases life expectancy. For this study in 1908, he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology and Medicine along with P. Ehrlich. Over the 20th century, gerontology moved far ahead, and today the scientists have attained the first results of studies on slowing down the aging process.

Vladimir Havinson has been developing the scientific heritage of Ilya Mechnikov and studying the peptide regulation of aging for 35 years. At the meeting, he presented the results of a complex of experimental and clinical studies.

According to the speaker, when aging, in addition to reducing immunity, there are other changes happening at the cellular level - the internal structure of the cell nucleus changes and the protein synthesis in the cells decreases. Professor Havinson noted that the immunodeficiency that occurs with aging is reversable with the help of endogenous regulatory peptides.

The species limit of the life span of animals and humans (the maximum possible lifespan for a given species) is approximately 30-40% higher than the average life expectancy. So, the species limit of human life is 110-120 years, whereas the average life expectancy is 75-80 years only. This is due to the fact that various adverse factors, such as stress, bad ecology, harmful radiation, etc. affect the body and lead to a change in expression (the process during which hereditary information from the gene is converted into RNA or protein) and the structure of the genes. This is accompanied with deficient protein synthesis and disruption in body functions.

However, there are scientifically proven technologies and anti-aging drugs, which include peptide bioregulators. To date, more than 20 peptides have been developed at the St. Petersburg Bioregulation and Gerontology Institute.

Professor Havinson noted that with aging, the concentration of proteins and peptides is reduced by nearly 4 times. It has been proven that the action of peptides stimulates protein synthesis in the cells of those organs from which these peptides come, which ultimately increases the average life expectancy.

Besides, peptides help prevent the development of neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and Huntington's.

Another discovery is that of the ability of peptides to restore retinal cells and pigment epithelium, for example, in case of degenerative retina diseases in humans.

The speaker drew the audience attention to the fact that the annual course of use of thymus ("thymalin") and epiphysis ("epithalamin") medications had proved to lead to decrease in the death rate of patients during the observed period (6-12 years). That was associated with the improved functioning of immune, endocrine, and cardiovascular systems, and brain, as well as increased bone density.

The results of 15-year clinical studies of epithalamin showed that the survival of elderly patients increased by 66.7% within the observed period.