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Fertility Drug Breakthrough: Rapamycin Reverses Age-Related Infertility
10 Feb
Summary
- New research identifies ribosomal hyperactivity as a cause of age-related infertility.
- The longevity drug rapamycin shows promise in stabilizing proteins and improving egg quality.
- Clinical trials indicate rapamycin increased pregnancy rates by approximately 20 percent in women.
A significant breakthrough in understanding age-related infertility has been announced by researchers at Nankai University. Their study, published in Cell Reports Medicine, pinpoints excessive ribosomal activity in egg and supporting cells as a major contributor to declining fertility after age 35. This "ribosomal hyperactivity" disrupts normal cell function by increasing protein production instability, leading to lower egg quality and accelerated ovarian aging.
The research team explored the potential of rapamycin, a drug known for its longevity-promoting properties, to counteract these effects. Experiments with mouse cells showed that rapamycin effectively stabilizes cellular proteins, thereby improving the ovarian environment and enhancing embryo quality. This discovery has moved into clinical application.
