Effect of Epitalon on biomarkers of aging, life span and spontaneous tumor incidence in female Swiss-derived SHR mice.

Anisimov VN, Khavinson VKh, Popovich IG, Zabezhinski MA, Alimova IN, Rosenfeld SV, Zavarzina NY, Semenchenko AV, Yashin AI. Biogerontology. 2003.

Organ: general-aging · Type: in-vivo · Peptides: Epitalon

PMID: 14501183

In 54 female SHR mice per arm, monthly Epitalon did not change mean lifespan or total tumor incidence; the authors report longer maximum lifespan, fewer chromosome aberrations, and less leukemia.

Editorial summary of a 2003 original article in Biogerontology (DOI 10.1023/a:1025114230714). Mouse lifespan study. Public pages cite PubMed only. Read the paper: PMID 14501183.

Methods

From 3 months of age until natural death, female outbred Swiss-derived SHR mice received subcutaneous injections on five consecutive days every month: 0.1 ml normal saline (control) or 1.0 µg/mouse (about 30–40 µg/kg) of tetrapeptide Epitalon (Ala-Glu-Asp-Gly) in 0.1 ml saline. Fifty-four mice per group. The authors recorded food consumption, body weight, estrous function, bone-marrow chromosome aberrations, lifespan, and spontaneous tumors.

Findings

Epitalon did not influence food consumption, body weight, or mean lifespan. It slowed age-related switching-off of estrous function and decreased the frequency of chromosome aberrations in bone marrow by 17.1% (P<0.05). Life span of the last 10% of survivors rose 13.3% (P<0.01) and maximum life span 12.3% versus control. Total spontaneous tumor incidence was unchanged; leukemia development was inhibited 6.0-fold versus control. The authors suggest geroprotector activity and safety of long-term administration in mice.

This is one mouse study. Mean lifespan did not move. It is not a human trial. Follow the PMID.