Abstract
Ageing is the effect of time on biological entities. It represents a risk factor for a variety of diseases and health disorders; thus, therapeutic options are required to tackle ageing issues. Modern geriatric medicine prescribes exercise to counteract ageing effects. This work presents secreted protein acidic and rich in cysteine (SPARC) as a potential antiageing therapy. Indeed, SPARC declines with ageing, exercise induces SPARC, and SPARC overexpression in mice mimics exercise. Thus, we hypothesize that SPARC is an exercise-induced factor that is beyond-at least part of-the antiageing effects induced by exercise. This could become a potential antiageing therapy for the elderly that counteracts ageing by mimicking the effects of exercise without needing to perform exercise. This is of particular importance because ageing usually reduces mobility and age-related diseases can reduce the ability to perform the required physical activity. On the other hand, the possibilities of mimicking exercise benefits via SPARC are not limited to ageing, and can be applied in various contexts in which exercise cannot be performed because of physical disabilities, health disorders, or limited mobility.
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