Scientists at Exopharm have collaborated with Associate Professor Jason Howitt and his research team at Swinburne University of Technology to probe the molecular processes that occur with aging. NAD+ (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide), an essential metabolite for energy metabolism, declines with age, however extracellular vesicles (EVs) released by the body during exercise can boost NAD+ levels in recipient cells.
This research used Exopharm’s proprietary exosome-specific dye, ExoriaTM, to track the EVs released prior to and after exercise, and showed that EVs isolated from young, fit individuals following moderate exercise, contained elevated levels of the enzyme eNAMPT, which drives NAD+ production. Mature fit and young unfit individuals exhibited a limited increase in EV eNAMPT levels after exercise, and mature unfit individuals showed no increase. Together this research suggests that exercise-related EV delivery of eNAMPT may limit age- related NAD+ decline.