SB000: a first single-gene rejuvenation factor safer than Yamanaka factors

This video summarises the paper “A single factor for safer cellular rejuvenation” by Lucas Paulo de Lima Camillo et al. (bioRxiv, 2025). The authors report the discovery of SB000, the first single gene capable of rejuvenating human cells as effectively as the Yamanaka factors (OSKM), without triggering pluripotency or loss of cell identity. Using a powerful single-cell transcriptomic ageing clock (AC3), they screened genes directly for age reversal instead of stemness. SB000 rejuvenated fibroblasts and keratinocytes across germ layers, reversing both transcriptomic and epigenetic age by up to 13 years, lowering senescence markers, and restoring youthful collagen secretion, whilst maintaining somatic identity. This work demonstrates that cellular rejuvenation can be decoupled from reprogramming, paving the way for safer, single-factor anti-ageing therapies.