News Releases & Research Results Improvement of aging, geriatric diseases, and lifestyle-related diseases with GLS1 inhibitors that selectively remove senescent cells

The results of research conducted by Assistant Professor Yoshikazu Johmura and Professor Makoto Nakanishi of the Division of Cancer Cell Biology, Institute of Medical Science, the University of Tokyo.

• A new pure culture method for senescent cells was constructed to screen for genes critical for the survival of senescent cells, resulting in the identification of GLS1 (glutaminase 1) involved in glutamine metabolism.
• A GLS1 inhibitor improved the aging phenomena of various organs and tissues, geriatric diseases, and lifestyle-related diseases when administered to aged or age-related disease model mice.
• The results of this research project should facilitate the development of new anti-aging therapies for removing senescent cells by targeting the metabolic specificity of senescent cells.

This project was conducted with the support of the Project for Elucidating and Controlling Mechanisms of Aging and Longevity by AMED.

The results were published in the international scientific journal “Science” on January 15.

Johmura Y., et al. Senolysis by glutaminolysis inhibition ameliorates various age-associated disorders Science
DOI: 10.1126/science.abb5916