AI identifies new antiaging senolytic candidates
The potential of AI to discover novel senolytics has been demonstrated by new research conducted by scientists at MIT, the Broad Institute of MIT & Harvard and biotech Integrated Biosciences.
Longevity. Senolytics, small molecules that inhibit age-related processes like fibrosis and inflammation as well as cancer. The senescent cell – also known as the ‘zombie cells’ – are cells that have stopped dividing and emit toxic chemicals. They are an indication of aging. Senescent cells are linked to a variety of age-related illnesses, such as cancer, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and Alzheimer’s. But senolytics can combat them by selectively causing apoptosis, or programmed death, in these zombies cells. This new research reduced the number of senescent cells and lowered the expression of senescence-associated genes in aged mice, results which, the authors say \”underscore the promise of leveraging deep learning to discover senotherapeutics\” [1].
AI-guided screening led to the identification and evaluation of three drug candidates. These were compared to senolytics that are currently being investigated, and found to be comparable in efficacy, but with superior medicinal chemistry [1].
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