Using RNA therapeutics to promote healthy aging

Shuying Chen; Qian Chen; Xinru You; Zhuoming Zhou; Na Kong; Fabrisia Ambrosio; Yihai Cao; Reza Abdi; Wei Tao

doi:10.1038/s43587-025-00895-1

Using RNA therapeutics to promote healthy aging

Nat Aging. 2025 Jun;5(6):968-983. doi: 10.1038/s43587-025-00895-1. Epub 2025 Jun 11.

Authors

Shuying Chen^#^{1

2}, Qian Chen^#^{1

2}, Xinru You^{1

2}, Zhuoming Zhou^{1

2}, Na Kong^{1

2}, Fabrisia Ambrosio^{3

4

5}, Yihai Cao⁶, Reza Abdi^{7

8}, Wei Tao^{9

10}

Affiliations

¹ Center for Nanomedicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
² Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
³ Discovery Center for Musculoskeletal Recovery, Schoen Adams Research Institute at Spaulding, Charlestown, MA, USA.
⁴ Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
⁵ Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital, Charlestown, MA, USA.
⁶ Department of Microbiology, Tumour and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden. yihai.cao@ki.se.
⁷ Transplantation Research Center, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA. rabdi@bwh.harvard.edu.
⁸ Renal Division, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA. rabdi@bwh.harvard.edu.
⁹ Center for Nanomedicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA. wtao@bwh.harvard.edu.
¹⁰ Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA. wtao@bwh.harvard.edu.

^# Contributed equally.

PMID: 40500390
DOI: 10.1038/s43587-025-00895-1

Abstract

Aging is characterized by a gradual decline of cellular and physiological functions over time and an increased risk of different diseases. RNA therapeutics constitute an emerging approach to target the molecular mechanisms of aging and age-related diseases via rational design and have several advantages over traditional drug therapies, including high specificity, low toxicity and the potential for rapid development and production. Here, we discuss the latest developments in RNA therapeutics designed to promote healthy aging, including RNA activation, messenger RNA therapy, RNA interference, antisense oligonucleotides, aptamers and CRISPR-Cas-mediated RNA editing. We also review the latest preclinical and clinical studies of RNA technology for treating age-related diseases, including neurodegenerative, cardiovascular and musculoskeletal diseases. Finally, we discuss the challenges of RNA technology aimed at supporting healthy aging. We anticipate that the fusion of RNA therapeutics and aging biology will have an important effect on the development of new medicines and maximization of their efficacy.

Publication types

Review

MeSH terms

Aging* / genetics
Animals
Aptamers, Nucleotide / therapeutic use
Genetic Therapy* / methods
Healthy Aging* / genetics
Humans
Neurodegenerative Diseases / genetics
Neurodegenerative Diseases / therapy
RNA Interference
RNA* / therapeutic use

Substances

RNA
Aptamers, Nucleotide