Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email

       Please enter a valid email address

       Please enter a valid email address

       SIGN UP

       I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice

       Thanks for signing up to the

       Morning Headlines email

       {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }}

       Scientists may have identified a major reason why individuals age, which could lead to therapy to slow down the process as well as reduce the risk of blood cancer.

       High levels of toxic chemicals in the body, such as formaldehyde, which is best known as an embalming agent, have recently been found to be naturally made by cells and also to cause ageing.

       Leading scientists from Cornell University, the University of Oxford, the University of Cambridge and Cancer Research UK are trying to understand what causes the body to overproduce formaldehyde.

       It is hoped that drugs may be able to lower levels of it in the body and reverse the ageing process.

       Professor Meng Wang, a haematology expert who led the study at Cambridge before moving to Cornell, told The Daily Telegraph: “We believe we have pinned down one of the potential causes of natural ageing. This could potentially lead to a therapy to slow down natural age-related decline.”

       Recommended The bowel cancer symptom George Alagiah wished he’d caught earlier Tick bites can trigger a meat allergy in humans. The CDC says it’s only becoming more common Hepatitis B and C could cause ‘significantly higher cancer risk’ than smoking daily pack of cigarettes

       Scientists have also recently discovered a condition caused by a genetic mutation that prevents sufferers from removing formaldehyde from their system. It affects fewer than one in a million people, and can lead to the development of blood cancers.

       According to Cancer Research UK, formaldehyde causes DNA damage to blood stem cells, which can accelerate their ageing and increase the likelihood of blood cancers.

       The research, published in the journal Cell Metabolism, identified a common link between DNA damage in blood cancer and ageing.

       Prof Wang added: “There’s this debate in ageing. One side says that ageing is a result of slow, gradual, accumulated damage, like riding the same bicycle over the years. Slowly bits of rust and everything makes it not work as well as it used to.

       “And then there’s the other camp that says, actually, ageing is a programmed response triggered by various stressors that turns a young cell into an older one. What we found is that actually, at least in blood stem cells, it is very much a triggered response, dependent on a protein called p53.”

       The team only looked for signs of ageing in blood, but it is suspected that ageing also occurs in the organs. The team are also investigating whether formaldehyde production is affected by food or other lifestyle factors.

       More about Cancer Scientists Breakthrough Youth formaldehyde Chemicals

       Join our commenting forum Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

       Comments

       1/ 1Scientists in breakthrough towards secret of eternal youth

       Scientists in breakthrough towards secret of eternal youth

       Research suggests that formaldehyde causes DNA damage to blood stem cells, accelerating the ageing process

       PA

       ？ Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article

       Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.

       Subscribe

       Already subscribed? Log in