An artificial intelligence (AI)-based platform created by a group of researchers from the Indraprastha Institute of Information Technology Delhi (IIIT-Delhi) has the potential to revolutionize the hunt for compounds that support healthy ageing.
The study, which was published in the journal Nature Aging, is a major advancement in our knowledge of and response to the basic processes underlying aging. AgeXtend, an AI platform, is a multimodal geroprotector prediction tool that uses bioactivity data from established geroprotectors to find novel compounds that may slow down ageing.
The platform encompasses advanced AI modules capable of predicting geroprotective potential, evaluating toxicity, and identifying target proteins and mechanisms of action. This comprehensive approach ensures both accuracy and safety in the discovery process.
“AgeXtend bridges the gap between artificial intelligence and biology, enabling us to not only predict potential anti-aging molecules but also understand how they work,” said Dr. Gaurav Ahuja, senior researcher and co-author of the study.
The research demonstrated AgeXtend’s remarkable ability to identify the longevity-enhancing effects of well-known compounds such as metformin and taurine, even when these molecules were excluded from the training data.
AgeXtend further screened approximately 1.1 billion compounds, uncovering numerous promising candidates that were validated through rigorous experiments on yeast, Caenorhabditis elegans, and human cell models.
According to Ahuja, “this platform has enormous potential to open up new avenues for therapeutic treatments in ageing and age-related disorders.”
The study also investigated the function of naturally occurring compounds from the human microbiome in controlling cellular senescence. This underscores AgeXtend’s versatility and potential to uncover previously unknown mechanisms driving ageing.
AgeXtend is a discovery engine as well as a prediction platform. This work creates new avenues for investigating the biological complexities of ageing and discovering novel approaches to enhancing longevity and health. It’s an honour to contribute to such transformative research,” said Sakshi Arora, the first author of the study.
-NSH Digidesk
