German scientists recently confirmed that many centenerians share a particular gene : FOXO3A . A varient of the DNA inside this gene was found to not only be common in those aged in their 90′s, it was even more common in those past their 100th birthday.
The findings highlight the strong role that genetics play in aging and also give further hope to a possible ‘centenerian’ anti aging product that could mimic the effects of the gene varient found in FOXO3A.
There have been some promising results from scientists studying how limited genetic manipulation can extend the life of mice. In humans, however, we are likely to seek ways of producing the effects of genetic manipulation without actually splicing our genes. The FOXO3A gene codes for the FOXO3A protein. If we figure out how longevity variants of FOXO3A change the protein (in its form, frequency, etc) we could then produce drugs that replicate that change and give our bodies long life.
Source : Want to Live Forever?
