Gene editing might not seem like the obvious solution for keeping brains young, yet recent research suggests that CRISPR technology could rejuvenate brain stem cells and even reverse aspects of aging. Stem cells, which are unspecialized cells capable of renewing themselves and differentiating into various cell types, could hold the key to age reversal, especially in neural tissues.

Though the potential application in humans is still speculative, recent discoveries in mice offer promising insights. A team led by Professor Anne Brunet at Stanford University successfully used CRISPR to boost aging mice’s brain function by disrupting neural stem cells, which then produced new, youthful neurons. According to Brunet, this process may enhance resilience in the older brain.

The research team targeted the mice’s neural stem cells—cells responsible for forming new neurons—by using CRISPR to knock out specific genes. These “knockout” genes, when disabled, rejuvenated older cells’ ability to produce new neurons, even though younger cells weren’t affected in the same way. Initially, the researchers identified 300 genes with age-specific effects in lab tests. In a follow-up, they tested 50 of these genes directly in living mice brains, finding that 20 could rejuvenate the cells.

One gene in particular, Slc2a4, which codes for a glucose transporter protein, caught researchers’ attention. Disabling this gene surprisingly seemed to help aged neural stem cells regenerate more effectively. This discovery suggests that glucose, typically essential for energy, could negatively impact older brain cells, where reducing its influence allows cells to regain youthful functions. Brunet’s team observed a similar rejuvenating effect when they removed glucose from cell cultures in the lab, hinting at a potential new approach to slow age-related cognitive decline.

While these findings are promising, Brunet cautions that translating them into human applications will be complex. Human brains are significantly larger and more intricate than mouse brains, containing 12.6 million kilometers of neural connections. Neural stem cells, while present in human brains, have functions not fully understood but seem to play a role in tissue repair and resilience.

Despite this progress, Brunet notes that challenges remain in adapting CRISPR for human therapeutic use. Even if the technology helps produce new neurons, ensuring that these cells integrate properly without disrupting the brain’s delicate network will require further investigation.

While CRISPR-based age reversal in human brains may still be distant, these findings suggest a future where gene editing might provide new hope for tackling age-related conditions, like dementia, by rejuvenating our own brain cells. For now, the promise of CRISPR in brain aging stands as an exciting frontier in neuroscience.

By Impact Lab