(May 23, 2015 at 6:30 pm)francismjenkins Wrote:(May 23, 2015 at 4:51 pm)Lemonvariable72 Wrote: What's your thoughts on teleomerose (spelling?) Production into late life stages in lobsters? Can this be an applicable avenue of research?
In human cells, proteins involved in DNA damage repair are localized at the telomere region of the chromosome (e.g. specific binding of the six sub-unit protein complex shelterin to the telomeric repeat sequence TTAGGG). Our telomere are shorted with each cell division, and eventually, depletion reaches a critical point where it triggers the DNA damage response and replicative senescence (the cell is no longer able to divide). It also influences other cell signaling pathways.
So for example, senescent cells are thought to drive human aging through the secretion of inflammatory factors, and eventually mitochondrial DNA (mDNA) damage, induces apoptosis (cell death).
Lobsters do not age in the way humans age. In fact, age (in lobsters) does not increase chances of death at all, and yes, they retain telomere length throughout their lives. However, this is because cells in lobsters express telomerase (an enzyme which can restore telomere length). In humans, while telomerase could perform the same function, it's also implicated in virtually all forms of cancer. In other words, inducing telomerase expression in humans would trigger aggressive cancers.
However, there's much better research on telomeres these days e.g. a recent study conducted at Stamford was able to deliver modified mRNA, which encodes a telomere extending protein to human cells, and cell proliferation capacity increased dramatically, essentially turning back the aging clock in transfected cells. This research shows a pathway to overcome the traditional problem with telomere lengthening strategies (which usually rely on introduction of telomerase).
https://med.stanford.edu/news/all-news/2...cells.html
The above link is to an article discussing the study (the study itself was published in the FASEB Journal, but you have to pay for access). The potential here is remarkable, because this research demonstrates the possibility of dissociating concerns related to inducing oncogenesis from life extension strategies involving telomere extension.
Omg that is cool!
To-morrow, and to-morrow, and to-morrow,
Creeps in this petty pace from day to day,
To the last syllable of recorded time;
And all our yesterdays have lighted fools
The way to dusty death. Out, out, brief candle!
Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player,
That struts and frets his hour upon the stage,
And then is heard no more. It is a tale
Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,
Signifying nothing.
Creeps in this petty pace from day to day,
To the last syllable of recorded time;
And all our yesterdays have lighted fools
The way to dusty death. Out, out, brief candle!
Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player,
That struts and frets his hour upon the stage,
And then is heard no more. It is a tale
Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,
Signifying nothing.
