Scientists have discovered that mifepristone, a medication commonly recognized for its role in terminating early pregnancies, has potential implications in extending lifespan, which may lead to advancements in anti-aging therapies.
A recent study conducted by biologists at the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences highlights that mifepristone, primarily known for its use in reproductive healthcare, could also contribute to increased longevity. These revelations open new avenues for anti-aging treatments.
Mifepristone, which is also employed in managing Cushing’s disease and treating certain cancers, has piqued the interest of researchers looking for methods to promote longer and healthier lives. In this investigation, John Tower, a biology professor at USC Dornsife, examined mifepristone’s effects alongside rapamycin, a drug recognized for its ability to enhance lifespan in various animal species.
The findings, published in the journal Fly, indicated that both mifepristone and rapamycin independently lengthened the lifespan of fruit flies. Notably, using both drugs together did not yield additional benefits and even slightly decreased lifespan, indicating they may operate through the same biological mechanisms.
To delve deeper into how mifepristone and rapamycin may promote longevity, the researchers turned their attention to mitophagy, a vital process akin to a cellular “cleansing” where damaged or malfunctioning mitochondria—the energy centers of cells—are dismantled and recycled. Disrupted mitophagy has been associated with aging and related health issues, while enhanced mitophagy is thought to contribute to the lifespan-extending properties of rapamycin.
For the first time, the team successfully noninvasively assessed mitophagy in fruit flies, discovering that mifepristone elevated mitophagy levels similarly to rapamycin.
“The innovative noninvasive in vivo mitophagy measurement technique is groundbreaking, and our results suggest that boosting mitochondrial health could be fundamental to how both drugs promote longer lives,” Tower explained.
The ability of mifepristone—a drug already sanctioned for various medical applications—to enhance mitophagy indicates its potential as an anti-aging solution, Tower added, noting his prior research that revealed the drug’s anti-aging properties. Given its existing approval, transitioning mifepristone into anti-aging clinical trials could be expedited, potentially speeding up the introduction of new longevity treatments.
Going forward, further research is necessary to determine if the effects seen in fruit flies can be replicated in humans, according to Tower. If validated, mifepristone might offer a relatively accessible and safe method to mitigate age-related cellular deterioration, paving the path for additional therapies aimed at improving mitochondrial health for enhanced longevity.
About the study
Alongside Tower, the study includes contributions from Gary Landis, Britta Baybutt, Shoham Das, Yijie Fan, Kate Olsen, and Karissa Yan from USC Dornsife’s Department of Biology.
The research was supported by a grant from the National Institute on Aging, R01AG057741.
