A method of slowing the aging process by extracorporeally treating a patient's blood is described. Certain antigens are known to be associated with aging. The method targets these antigens by complexing them with chemicals that facilitate removal of the antigens from the blood. The blood is removed from the patient, treated with a complexing agent, and then removed from the extracorporeal blood before the blood is returned to the patient. Targeted antigens can include mTOR (mammalian target of rapamycin), insulin growth factor-1 (IGF-1, insulin-like growth factor-1, somatomedin C), lipofuscin, p16 (p16INK4a, CDKN2A, cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor 2A), SA-beta-gal (senescence-associated beta-gal), PML (promyelocytic leukemia) protein, TGF-β (transforming growth factor-beta), interleukin-6 (IL-6), indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase, sTNF-R55 (soluble tumor necrosis factor-receptor 55), sTNF-R75 (soluble tumor necrosis factor-receptor 75), progerin, oxygen free radicals (e.g., superoxide, nitric oxide, hydroxyl radical, peroxynitrite, nitrosoperoxycarbonate, hydrogen peroxide, hypochlorite), malondialdehyde (MDA, propanedial), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-a), and mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs).
