London, United Kingdom - July 18, 2024

Researchers from the Medical Research Council Laboratory of Medical Science and Imperial College London have made a groundbreaking discovery: deactivating a protein called IL-11 can significantly extend the healthy lifespan of mice by nearly 25%.

In collaboration with Duke-NUS Medical School in Singapore, scientists explored the effects of IL-11 by genetically deleting the gene responsible for its production in mice. This intervention resulted in an average lifespan extension of over 20% for the mice.

Furthermore, the researchers administered an anti-IL-11 antibody to 75-week-old mice, equivalent to about 55 human years, which effectively neutralized IL-11 in their bodies. The results, published in Nature, were striking: treated male mice saw a median lifespan extension of 22.4%, while females experienced a 25% increase, living on average 155 weeks compared to 120 weeks for untreated mice.

The anti-IL-11 treatment not only prolonged lifespan but also notably reduced cancer deaths and mitigated age-related diseases linked to fibrosis, chronic inflammation, and metabolic disorders. Importantly, the treatment showed minimal side effects, marking a significant advantage over previous life-extending therapies.

Professor Stuart Cook, co-corresponding author from the Medical Research Council Laboratory of Medical Science and Imperial College London, expressed enthusiasm: "These findings are tremendously exciting. Mice treated with anti-IL-11 not only showed fewer signs of ageing and frailty but also demonstrated improved muscle strength and reduced muscle wasting."

Assistant Professor Anissa Widjaja from Duke-NUS Medical School added, "Our research underscores the detrimental effects of elevated IL-11 levels in ageing, including chronic inflammation and impaired organ regeneration. While our study was conducted in mice, we are optimistic about the potential implications for human health, especially given similar observations in human cell studies."

IL-11, previously mischaracterized as having anti-inflammatory properties, has been shown to exacerbate ageing-related conditions in humans beyond a certain age. The researchers believe that therapies targeting IL-11 could hold promise for addressing multimorbidity and frailty in ageing populations.

The study's authors caution that further research is needed to establish the safety and efficacy of anti-IL-11 treatments in humans through clinical trials. However, the findings open exciting possibilities for future interventions in ageing and age-related diseases.

Multimorbidity and frailty, prevalent challenges in global healthcare, stand to benefit significantly from advancements in understanding IL-11's role in ageing, potentially paving the way for transformative therapies in human medicine.