Researchers at the University of Bonn and collaborating institutions have demonstrated that direct reprogramming of blood cells into neural stem cells can significantly reverse cellular aging. In the study, cells obtained from an 80-year-old individual exhibited an epigenetic age of less than 20 years following reprogramming. Published in Aging Cell, the findings provide new insights into the mechanisms underlying cellular rejuvenation.

Led by Professor Oliver Brüstle of the Institute of Reconstructive Neurobiology at University Hospital Bonn, the research team directly converted blood cell precursors into neural stem cells without first passing through a pluripotent stem cell stage. Previous research by the team had shown that neurons generated through this approach could establish connections with existing neurons following transplantation into mouse brains.

A key finding of the latest study was that reprogramming gradually reset the cells’ epigenetic clocks, which are used to estimate biological age. The researchers also found that this molecular rejuvenation was associated with the cells displaying characteristics of younger cells.

Unlike conventional two-step reprogramming methods, which produce rejuvenation rapidly, the direct conversion approach allowed the process to be monitored over more than 100 days. This extended period provides researchers with a valuable experimental model for investigating the factors and active compounds that may accelerate or slow cellular rejuvenation.

The findings could have important implications for aging research and neuroscience, particularly in understanding age-related neurodegenerative conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease. By offering a way to study rejuvenation as it unfolds over time, the approach may help researchers identify new strategies for addressing cellular aging and its associated effects.

The study involved researchers from University Hospital Bonn, the University of Bonn, and RWTH Aachen University. Funding was provided by the European Union’s Horizon 2020 programme, the German Research Foundation (DFG), and Germany’s Federal Ministry of Research, Technology, and Space (BMFTR).

Source: https://www.uni-bonn.de/en/news/211-2026