FOXO4-DRI is a synthetic peptide that is actively researched regarding its potential to induce programmed cell death in aged cells, and thus reduce the burden that aged cells pose on different tissues. Apparently, the peptide achieves that by mimicking a part of the so-called FOXO4, which is a transcription factor switching genes on and off in the DNA of cells. Notably, FOXO4 appears to be at higher levels in aged cells and may deactivate another protein called p53 that works to trigger programmed cell death. According to researchers such as Baar et al., FOXO4-DRI peptide appears to be designed to imitate a small binding region of FOXO4 that otherwise may interact […]