# Mitochondrial Protective Interventions, Aging and Healthspan

> **NIH NIH P01** · UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON · 2021 · $1,996,314

## Abstract

OVERALL: MITOCHONDRIAL PROTECTIVE INTERVENTIONS, AGING AND HEALTHSPAN P01 -
SUMMARY/ABSTRACT
We propose a highly focused, integrated and interactive effort to examine the hypothesis that mitochondrial
targeted therapeutics are capable of resisting age-related disease and improving health and function in
multiple organ systems in aging mammals. We are focused on heart, skeletal muscle and retina (vision) in
aging; the vital function of each of these organs is highly reliant on mitochondrial energetics; each declines
reproducibly with age and each contributes to frailty in the elderly human population. Most importantly, we
show evidence that each of these age related healthspan limitations can be not just attenuated, but
substantially reversed in old animals treated with a mitochondrial therapeutic agent, the tetrapeptide drug SS-
31. Thus, we have developed a strong translational goal of applying mitochondrial protective agents to achieve
substantial health benefits in the aging mammalian models of mice and rats. The potential translational impact
of this approach is high, as SS-31 is already in multiple phase II clinical trials, including three inspired by the
prior animal studies performed by our P01 investigators. We propose three Projects: 1) Mitochondrial ROS
and Cardiac Aging (Rabinovitch); 2) Mitochondrial Function and Skeletal Muscle Aging (Marcinek) and 3)
Mitochondrial Function and Vision Aging (Prusky/Szeto). While each of these thee projects has their specific
organ focus, each also shares a common third Aim of working jointly to establish the healthspan and lifespan
benefits of SS-31 when it is continuously delivered to mice beginning at middle age, with and without the
added stress of a high fat diet. We propose 5 Cores to provide vital support and services that are used by all
three projects to accomplish their aims: A: Administration (Rabinovitch); B: Murine Healthspan and Lifespan,
(Ladiges); C: Proteomics (MacCoss); D: Mitochondrial Protective Chemistry (Szeto) and E: Magnetic
Resonance & Optics Spectroscopy (Conley).

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10134166
- **Project number:** 5P01AG001751-37
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON
- **Principal Investigator:** PETER S RABINOVITCH
- **Activity code:** P01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $1,996,314
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 1997-08-15 → 2023-03-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10134166

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10134166, Mitochondrial Protective Interventions, Aging and Healthspan (5P01AG001751-37). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10134166. Licensed CC0.

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