bims-caglex 2026-01-18 papers

Stem Cells Transl Med. 2026 Jan 09. pii: szaf069. [Epub ahead of print]15(1):

Molecular time machines unleashed: small-molecule-driven reprogramming to reverse the senescence.

Chunyin Tang, Zhen Zhang, Chunsong Yang, Luxin Li, Jie Li, Xuejiao Cheng, Wei Zhou, Yunzhu Lin, Linan Zeng, Lingli Zhang.

Cellular reprogramming, a method of "resetting" the epigenetic clock by reversing the differentiation state of cells, has emerged as a promising approach to anti-aging, offering new strategies to slow down the aging process. Researchers convert differentiated cells into a pluripotent stem cell state through transcription factors or chemicals, restoring cellular youthfulness and regenerative capacity. This technology holds potential for tissue repair, lifespan extension, organ function improvement, and treatment of age-related diseases. In addition, cell reprogramming provides a novel pathway for disease modeling and drug screening, potentially accelerating the development and clinical application of anti-aging drugs. However, it faces challenges including safety, efficiency, and ethical considerations. This article focuses on the prospects of small-molecule-induced cell reprogramming for anti-aging, covering its mechanisms, applications, current limitations, and future directions to facilitate clinical translation and breakthroughs in human healthspan extension.

Keywords: anti-senescence; cell reprogramming; chemical reprogramming; pluripotent stem cell; small molecules

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/stcltm/szaf069

BMB Rep. 2026 Jan 12. pii: 6724. [Epub ahead of print]

Integrating Perspectives on Aging: From Mechanistic Causes to Therapeutic Interventions.

Eun-Soo Kwon.

Aging poses one of the most urgent biomedical challenges of the 21st century, increasing vulnerability to chronic diseases and limiting healthspan in aging populations. Recent advances in aging research are transforming our understanding of aging from an inevitable decline to a multidimensional and potentially modifiable biological process. This special issue presents five invited reviews that collectively illustrate the recent progress in aging research. These articles introduce emerging concepts that shed light on the fundamental causes of aging, including the genetic architecture underlying human aging, senescence-driven fibrotic scarring arising from imperfect tissue repair, and the progressive erosion of epigenetic information in the brain. They further highlight promising avenues for intervention-such as epigenetic rejuvenation, the bidirectional interplay between the aging gut microbiome and host physiology, and the emergence of precision geronutrition. By integrating genetic, molecular, cellular, microbial, and nutritional perspectives, this collection emphasizes a future where extending human healthspan is both realistic and scientifically attainable.

ArXiv. 2026 Jan 07. pii: arXiv:2601.04016v1. [Epub ahead of print]

Restoring information in aged gene regulatory networks by single knock-ins.

Ryan LeFebre, Fabrisia Ambrosio, Andrew Mugler.

A hallmark of aging is loss of information in gene regulatory networks. These networks are tightly connected, raising the question of whether information could be restored by perturbing single genes. We develop a simple theoretical framework for information transmission in gene regulatory networks that describes the information gained or lost when a gene is "knocked in" (exogenously expressed). Applying the framework to gene expression data from muscle cells in young and old mice, we find that single knock-ins can restore network information by up to 10%. Our work advances the study of information flow in networks and identifies potential gene targets for rejuvenation.