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This treatment targets the dystrophin protein which "helps keep the body’s muscle cells intact". Turns out issues with dystrophin also affect telomere length (

by ugh123 3y ago

This treatment targets the dystrophin protein which "helps keep the body’s muscle cells intact". Turns out issues with dystrophin also affect telomere length (at least as studied in the heart of DMD patients [0]). Is this a possible route for natural aging-related research? From [1], "Overall, these data suggest that age-dependent alterations in dystrophin leave the muscle membrane and NMJ more susceptible to contraction-induced damage even before changes in muscle mass are obvious." (tests on rodents) [0] https://med.stanford.edu/cvi/mission/news_center/articles_announcements/2021/single-gene-mutations-and-aging-heart-muscles.html https://med.stanford.edu/cvi/mission/news_center/articles_an... [1] https://academic.oup.com/biomedgerontology/article/72/5/640/2629934 https://academic.oup.com/biomedgerontology/article/72/5/640/...

Out_of_Characte 3y ago
So far, most age related medicine only come in two forms, those that reduce cell division which improves longevity, and those that increase cell division which improves youthfullness and cancer. Telomeres seem to be a natural counter to reduce aging cells from becoming cancer.
- inciampati 3y ago
  It's not so simple. Long and short telomeres can lead to cancer. Short telomeres or their loss can lead to genome rearrangements and other chromosomal problems. This can set the stage for oncogenesis. Long telomeres can allow cells to continue to divide many times. This also can lead to an accumulation of oncogenic drivers. https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2300503 https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2300503 As with many things in biology, maintaining balance is important. Many factors are at play. The message that longer telomeres are better is beguiling, but nature would not make such a simple mistake.
  - BillAndrews 3y ago
    Everytime cells divide they have an increased risk of becoming cancer cells. But not allowing cells to divide is certain death.
  - BillAndrews 3y ago
    Yes, nature intentionally made telomeres shorten in several animals including humans. Genetic variety results in an increased chance of a species surviving rapidly changing environments. Eliminating the longer lived increases the genetic variety within a species by favoring breeding among the shorter lived. Telomere shortening results in the elimination of the longer lived.

by ugh123 3y ago

Out_of_Characte 3y ago

So far, most age related medicine only come in two forms, those that reduce cell division which improves longevity, and those that increase cell division which improves youthfullness and cancer. Telomeres seem to be a natural counter to reduce aging cells from becoming cancer.

inciampati 3y ago
It's not so simple. Long and short telomeres can lead to cancer. Short telomeres or their loss can lead to genome rearrangements and other chromosomal problems. This can set the stage for oncogenesis. Long telomeres can allow cells to continue to divide many times. This also can lead to an accumulation of oncogenic drivers. https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2300503 https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2300503 As with many things in biology, maintaining balance is important. Many factors are at play. The message that longer telomeres are better is beguiling, but nature would not make such a simple mistake.
- BillAndrews 3y ago
  Everytime cells divide they have an increased risk of becoming cancer cells. But not allowing cells to divide is certain death.
- BillAndrews 3y ago
  Yes, nature intentionally made telomeres shorten in several animals including humans. Genetic variety results in an increased chance of a species surviving rapidly changing environments. Eliminating the longer lived increases the genetic variety within a species by favoring breeding among the shorter lived. Telomere shortening results in the elimination of the longer lived.