Introduction to Telomere
In the core of every aging theory, telomere-shortening accounts for major diseases of aging that are derived during cell senescence. Telomeres are protective ends of chromosomes. They are like long strings and akin to static DNA. It is as if the somatic cells had protections metaphorically equal to the tip of shoelaces, avoiding it to unravel. Telomeres are responsible for the programming of genetic information. They are accountable for the consistency of the information held in chromosomes through the cell division process. Yet, during the process of cell division, the replication of chromosomes with its DNA generates a shorter protection at the end. However, the shortening of telomere is of little value as the genetic information remains preserved with high integrity.
Cell Division can continue for quite some time, developing a range of cell duplications (daughter cells). However, in some particular time reliable cell division reaches a momentum as the telomeres becomes excessively short, which restrains assured chromosome replication. Thereafter, cell replication becomes less protected and this explains the long-known culture of somatic cells. The so-called ‘Hayflick Limt”, which says that somatic cells continue to go through the cell division processes as long as ‘Hayflick limit’ hasn’t been reached, then it dies.
During mitotic (cell-division-stages) of human cell through aging the shortening of telomere can be seen. Moreover, when chronic diseases are experienced the cell-division processes usually speed up and eventually accelerate the shortening of telomere. Cells in organs that have excessively short telomeres influence nearby cell by giving noxious signals to neighbor cells. This can cause apoptosis and propagate through discrepancies in genetics of chromosomes. Pathologies such as cancer can become prevalent.
According to the telomere theory on aging, cellular senescence accelerates cell division and thereby gradually increases telomere protection capabilities. Eventually, as more and more cells reach the apex of the ‘HayFlick limt” integrity fades out. Diseases that follow in old age can be connected to cell senescence. Even more precise, telomeres shortening can be considered as a ‘biological clock’ that predicts the life span of people.
There is a full literature on telomere that has lately been published. It seemingly is the reason why diseases become more severe at late-life. As our life goes on, cell senescence, illnesses and disease tend to set a limit to longevity. According to research going beyond 120 years is almost impossible if a methods to maintain telomeres lengths are not found.
It is even possible to verify the length of telomeres. Length of telomere can give an approximate of the biological life span of cells and organisms. It has been found that people who experience oxidative stress and suffer from various diseases have much shorter telomere than controlled groups.
Moreover, recent research shows that children, who have had an emotionally traumatic childhood, being sexually abused or beaten, tend to have shorter telomeres, according to a research by “US-based journal Biological Psychiatry”.
Shortening of Telomeres does also offer reliable justification as to why the immune system becomes less responsive to illnesses and infections. The decline in immune functions is caused by the peak of replication of cells. The immune system is unable to reproduce new cells to tackle diseases and infections. For instance, therapies that would increase the telomerase in the human immune cells such as CD4 and CD8 would retard the senescence of cells. The potential benefits would be elevated cell strength to handle stress, deal with diseases such as AIDS and prevent bone loss as well as inducement of inflammatory cytokines.
For patient with ‘Systemic Lupus Erythermatosus’ (SLE), improving the activation of telomerase for immune cells would be beneficial. The level of telomerase (CD4+ and CD8+) is high in for patient with SLE. Yet, it is insufficient to surpass the shortening of telomere. Activation of telomerase at higher levels could eventually evade premature senescence of cells and pathologies results from SLE.
Telomere theory of aging has direct relations to outcomes such as high blood pressure, psychosocial stress, obesity and a weak lipid statue. This connects the theory to oxidative damage, susceptibility to cardiovascular disease and other theories.
Entering the Realm of Immortality
There are cells that are not affected by shortening of telomere such as germ-line cells and even cancer cells. They can be replicated infinitely. Elizabeth Blackburn & Joan Steitz state that cells had a particular gene which is known as telomerase, and it can eventually restore telomere lengths post to cell division. In laboratories the application of telomerase could create, a cell culture that could replicate eternally. As for cancer cells and germ cells, the activation of telomerase renders them immortal. The first ever cloned sheep, Dolly, died young but yet of old age. The fact that a mature sheep was used with already shortened telomeres accounted for the premature death of Dolly.
Protecting or Firewall against Susceptibility to Telomere Shortening Firewall
1. Lifestyle
The aim is to maintain appropriate long telomeres. This can be achieved by avoiding all types of stress: physical, environmental and psychological.
Lifestyle guides such as proper diets with a proper daily-recommended volume of vitamins and antioxidants are advised. Friendly relationship promoting positive atmosphere and mental attitudes are necessary.
Medical treatments such as chemotherapy and radiation therapy as well as negative life experiences do also shorten the telomere. Some years of your life might be ripped-off through personal crisis as well as the medical treatment mentioned due to their negative effect on cell division and telomere shortening. Lifestyle is, hence, a prerequisite for longevity to be acquired.
2. Medical Supplement or Firewalls against Telomere Shortening Firewall
It has been found by a ‘recent study conducted on 586 women’ that daily consumers of multi-vitamins have comparatively longer telomere of leukocyte DNA. The telomere is 5.1 percent longer than average people not taking multi-vitamins.
This concludes that antioxidant plays an important role in assuring integrity in cell division through maintaining the telomere length.
Telomere shortening can be caused by oxidative damage as it forces an increase rate of duplication of new cells. Therefore, antioxidants can be effective in tackling both diseases and telomere shortening. For instance, l-carnosine can prove to alter or even avoid the telomere damage, in the culture of human diploid fibroblast. Early studies carried out in 1994, depicts that Carnosine does both retard senescence and encourage the generation of juvenile phenotype in culture of human fibroblasts. This elevates the ‘Hayflick limit’ and makes cell reproduction further possible.
Geron have the patent for TA-65 and TA used to activate telomerase. They claim that a vital substance from astragaloside IV acts as an activator of telomerase and by virtue this substance comes from the astragalus root. It is thought that the substance is cycloastragenol, according to the patent, as the substance has not been mentioned. Astragalus pills have many benefits to our biological system such as improving our immune system. Yet Chinese ginger roots are also being claimed to activate telomerase and hence part of the firewall.
RevGenetics’ Astral Fruit is a supplement that contains astragaloside IV. There is 33 mg in every capsule of it and two per day can be consumed. Astragaloside IV is actually being scrutinized for its anti-fibrotic, anti-inflammatory cardioprotective and vasodiliation properties. Eventually, its neuro-protective features acts as a defense against ischemia. Yet, there are not any known side effects of the substance but it has not been in the market for long. Little publications have been made about its impact on inducing telomerase.
Cycloastragenol according Geron, 5 mg of cycloastragenol results in equal activation in telomerase as 100 mg of astragaloside IV. However, apart from patent information cycloastragenol there are no published sources about the substance available. Geron patent recommends that at around 50 to 100 mg of astragaloside IV is consumed. However, two capsules of 33 mg are adequate as potential hazard effects are still not yet known.
Other more versatile firewalls are Green Tea, Allicin, curcumin and resveratrol which tend to restrain the inducement of telomerase for cancer cells. These substances have strong anti-cancer benefits as well as other benefits.
The activation of telomerase can ‘cause proliferation of hair follicle stem cells’. This implies that people who have grey hair can properly experience a transition in colour to their original state. The consumption of RevGenetics’ will however not give direct results and change in hair colour is not yet a totally confirmed phenomena of telomerase activation.
Source: Anti- aging firewalls the science and technology of longevity.
Anti Aging Supplements, Anti Aging Theories, Health And Aging, Lifestyle
Tue, Dec 22, 2009
Anti Aging Supplements, Anti Aging Theories, Health And Aging, Lifestyle