#59 Alessandro Bitto, PhD: Biological Aging, Cellular Senescence, Mitochondria & the Gut

Dr Alessandro Bitto is a researcher at the University of Washington who studies biological aging, mitochondrial function and metabolic disease. He walks us through the history, current thinking and some of the experimental data of cellular senescence, including the role of DNA damage and telomeres, some of the senolytic drugs (quercetin, Dasatinib and others), and how different cells effect senescence differently, like epithelial cells vs neurons vs immune cells. He talks about the root of cancer being cells that escape cellular instructions. From this foundation, Dr Bitto layers in the role of mitochondria with deep explanations of metabolism as the summary of actions that cover the cycles of catabolism and anabolism- the breaking down of our food, water and oxygen intake into their individual constituents and then the process of building membranes, organelles, cells, tissues, organs, etc. He discusses the actions with the mitochondria which govern oxidative phosphorylation including the Kreb's cycle (aka Citric Acid Cycle) and the electron transport chain and the importance of membranes to govern the passage and connection of these elements to do the work. We discuss macronutrients (fats, carbohydrates and proteins) as well as the vitamins and minerals that act as co-factors. Next, Dr Bitto links mitochondrial activity with aging. Dr Bitto then shares the research he's been personally working on, which revolves around the impact on aging (in mice) by rapamycin, acarbose and butryrate. Of note, acarbose and butryrate are active in the gut and suddenly, here we see the direct link between the gut, the mitochondria, and biological aging- wow! Listen in for a ride through the science and research of metabolism, mitochondria and aging.