2026-06-04 カリフォルニア大学サンディエゴ校（UCSD）
◆研究ではペースメーカーを用いて5分間の電気刺激を3回与えたところ、心拍と血流が改善し、個体は大型化・若返り・繁殖能力向上を示した。処置後1年時点で約75％が生存していたのに対し、未処置群では20％未満だった。解析の結果、電気刺激は遺伝子発現を一時的に抑制した後、強く再活性化する「リブート＆リバウンド」反応を誘導していた。この反応は激しい運動後の人体で見られる遺伝子応答と類似していた。研究チームは、電気刺激がミトコンドリア機能や代謝を再活性化し、幹細胞の若返りを促進した可能性があると考えている。
◆将来的には、加齢関連疾患や不妊治療への応用、さらには海洋生物の環境変化への耐性向上にもつながる可能性が示された。成果は学術誌『PNAS』に掲載された。
Though sea squirts, shown here, do not look like humans, they’ve proven useful to scientists in studying human biology, particularly related to stem cells and regeneration. Researchers at UC San Diego and Stanford University found that brief electrical pulses reverse stem cell aging in sea squirts, suggesting new possibilities for anti-aging treatments. Photo credit: Para827/iStock
＜関連情報＞
- https://today.ucsd.edu/story/electrical-pulses-reverse-aging-in-sea-squirts
- https://www.pnas.org/doi/abs/10.1073/pnas.2610968123
電気刺激は群体性脊索動物の寿命と再生を促進する Electrical stimulation promotes longevity and regeneration in a colonial chordate
Jos Domen , Yotam Voskoboynik, Tom Levy, +10 , and Ayelet Voskoboynik
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences Published:May 26, 2026
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2610968123
Significance
Aging is characterized by the progressive loss of stem cell function and tissue homeostasis. Using the invertebrate chordate Botryllus schlosseri, we demonstrate that brief pulsatile electrical current (PEC) induces long-lasting rejuvenation. In this species, where tissues are replaced weekly, most likely via stem cell–mediated de novo organogenesis, PEC stimulation enhances growth, fertility, and survival. Transcriptomic analysis suggests this is driven by a coordinated “reboot” of metabolic and genomic paths, followed by a high-fidelity homeostatic state. This signature mirrors immunometabolic shifts observed in mammals after exercise. Posttreatment upregulation of epigenetic regulators in both young and old cohorts suggests a mechanism for stabilizing the rejuvenated genome, raising the possibility that related bioelectrical strategies may improve health and resilience in mammals.
Abstract
Endogenous bioelectric currents regulate development and regeneration, but their influence on organismal longevity and stem cell–mediated repair is not well understood. We demonstrate that a brief, clinically safe pulse of electrical current (PEC) produces lasting rejuvenation in the colonial chordate Botryllus schlosseri. In this species where all differentiated tissues are replaced weekly and progenitor populations mediate the weekly de novo generation of new organs, organismal aging is directly driven by alterations of the precursor pool. Electrically stimulated colonies exhibited increased growth, enhanced reproductive activity, and significantly improved survival, along with improved stem cell associated function. Whole-transcriptome analysis revealed a biphasic “reboot and rebound” program across all functional paths. An acute 2-h “reboot” was defined by the synchronized downregulation of the genomic engine, mitochondrial respiratory chain, contractile apparatus, and extracellular matrix (ECM) integrity. This systemic pause transitioned into a massive 24-h “rebound”, characterized by the global reactivation of these paths, including a metabolic surge, cytoskeletal rebuilding, and ECM scaffold synthesis. Notably, PEC induced a conserved immunometabolic shift from a proinflammatory to a reparative signature, mimicking exercise-induced shifts observed in mammals. Our findings identify that PEC acts directly on progenitor-cell-driven pathways to restore homeostatic vitality, offering insights into the reversal of age-related decline.
