TELOMERES AND THE

EFFECTS OF LENGTHENING

Amanda Schorr

(Taiga)

WHAT IS A TELOMERE? Sequence of repeating nucleotides

“TTAGGG” 3’ ends of DNA

Protection during replication Shorten over time Created by telomerase reverse

transcriptase (TERT)

http://www.rechargebiomedical.com/blog/aging/telomeres-and-telomerase/

TELOMERASE Telomerase is capable of:

Extending lifespan of a cellSlowing the process of agingExtending the Hayflick limit

Hayflick limit: the number of timesa normal human cell population willdivide until cell division stops

http://www.nature.com/nrm/journal/v1/n1/fig_tab/nrm1000_072a_F1.html

TELOMERES AND AGING Telomere

shortening has been linked to aging process.Sign of agingContribute to

aging Telomeres alone

do not determine lifespan and aging.

http://learn.genetics.utah.edu/content/chromosomes/telomeres/

TELOMERES AND CANCER Cancerous cells produce more

telomerase to prevent cell death. Telomerase could be used as an

additional diagnostic marker for cancer. Inhibiting telomerase in cancer cells can

lead to tumor cell death, but there are risks.

OTHER DISEASES CONCERNING TELOMERES Dyskeratosis Congenita

premature agingBlood cancers Intestinal disordersCirrhosis of the liver pulmonary fibrosisGray hairBalding

Progeria

NATURAL INCREASE OF AGE Smoking Obesity Sedentary life style Excessive sodium intake

Linked to heart diseaseType-2 diabetesdementia

Stress Inflammation Time

ANTI-AGING

• Discovered in 2009(Blackburn and Greider)

• longer the Telomeres longer life• Stumbled upon during experiment with statin to lower cholesterol in Italy(2013)

MICE EXPERIMENT Mice engineered to lack enzyme

telomerase Barely fertile, suffer from osteoporosis,

diabetes, and neurodegeneration Inactive telomerase switched back on

feeding mice 4-OHT Mice grew to adulthood without it and then the

enzyme was reawakened Dramatic reversal.

Shriveled testes grew back, regained fertility, spleen, liver, and intestines recuperated, and revered aging on brain

-published in “Nature”, study done in 2010

REVERSE AGING? Since we know for almost certainty that telomerase

is the enzyme that lengths telomeres why not make a drug, stop time now?...We have (Not technically a drug, it’s considered a supplement.)

Made from astragalus plant

CANCER CELLS RELYING ON TELOMERASE• Maintaining

functionality• Protection• Permits the cell

to keep multiplying

• Creating more telomerase prevents dealth

IS TELOMERASE THE GATEWAY FOR CANCER?

• Telomerase-combined with various mutations that promote cell growth and inhibit cell death allows the cancer cells to become “immortal”

CANCERS ASSOCIATED WITH SHORTENED TELOMERES• Bladder• Bone• Prostate• Lung• Kidney• Head• Neck

MEASURING TELOMERASE ACTIVITY• Telomerase has been detected to be 20

times more active in cancer cells than in a normal body cell

• A technique to measure telomerase TRAP

WAYS WE CAN POSSIBLY PREVENT • Scientist believe blocking telomerase

can be useful• Inhibiting telomerase would cause the

telomerase to actually shorten• Forcing telomerase to make mutant

telomeric DNA in cancer cells

http://learn.genetics.utah.edu/content/chromosomes/telomeres/

FACTORS THAT INFLUENCE TELOMERE LENGTH

CAN YOU DECREASE TELOMERE SHORTENING?

LIFESTYLE CHANGES• Optimum nutrition• Weight control • Stress reduction• Withdrawal of substances of abuse– Simple sugar– Alcohol – Drugs

• Restoration of normal sleep patterns

CHANGE YOUR DIET AND LIVE LONGER

DIET & LIFESTYLE • Pursuit of a balanced protein intake with

rotation among meat, dairy, vegetables and fish proteins– Increase intake of omega 3 fatty acids in

active forms e.g. cold-water fish, salmon • Decrease intake of saturated fat,

hydrogenated oils, and trans-fatty acids • Diet that is high in antioxidants – Decrease in mean telomere length can be

the result of severe oxidative damage to telomeres.

NUTRACEUTICALS

ETHICS OF TELOMERE RESEARCH Study done at the University of Utah

Department of Human Genetics done on 143 individuals over the age of 60 years of age Results showed that those individuals with

shorter telomere had a higher mortality rate than individuals with longer telomere

Milwaukee Center for Longevity Medicine They test clients telomere in cells by a blood test

to determine biological age and make recommendations for clients: Hormone replacement therapy Medical supplementation Personalized nutrition Exercise programs

ETHICS Should telomere science advance to

such a degree, the effect on human life could be far-reaching:People may be able to know how long they

will live until their natural death;People may be able to know their risk for

cancer and other diseases; Insurance companies may require telomere

testing before providing life, health or disability coverage;

Employers may require telomere testing results before hiring

ETHICS "Now that I know I'm going to die in 9

years..." "Do I tell my wife? Do I tell my kids? Do I tell

my employer?" "Do I quit my job and start tackling my

bucket list?" "Do I spend all my money over the next 9

years?" "Do I start exercising and eating right and

try to turn this thing around?"

Would you get tested?

REFERENCES: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0959437X02000114 http://learn.genetics.utah.edu/content/chromosomes/telomeres/ http://www4.utsouthwestern.edu/cellbio/shay-wright/intro/facts/sw_facts.html http://mcr.aacrjournals.org/content/3/9/477.full#sec-2  https://holisticprimarycare.net/topics/topics-a-g/functional-medicine/1038-

telomeres-aging-a-disease-prevention-do-telomere-targeted-treatments-have-a-role-in-clinical-practice

http://www.telomeretesting.net/#site-name http://files.allhoff.org/research/Telomeres_and_the_Ethics_of_Human_Cloning.pdf http://www.ucsf.edu/news/2011/02/9353/aging-telomeres-linked-chronic-disease

-and-health

http://www.ta-65direct.com/ https://www.google.com/search?

q=telomerase&rlz=1C1SFXN_enUS499US580&es_sm=93&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=dlZLU-VfwpXKAd-vgdgB&ved=0CAgQ_AUoAQ&biw=1600&bih=799#q=telomeres+shortening&tbm=isch&facrc=_&imgdii=_&imgrc=_IwQ8-d37BDmGM%253A%3ByIhG8ThasN0H_M%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.nia.nih.gov%252Fsites%252Fdefault%252Ffiles%252F6_telomere_2.jpg%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.nia.nih.gov%252Fhealth%252Fpublication%252Fgenetics-aging-our-genes%252Fwhat-happens-when-dna-becomes-damaged%3B400%3B171

https://www.google.com/search?q=anti+aging+telomere+cream&rlz=1C1SFXN_enUS499US580&es_sm=93&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=bnhLU42mGYThyQHanoHgCg&ved=0CAkQ_AUoAg&biw=1600&bih=756#facrc=_&imgdii=_&imgrc=Utvx0NIaZloWSM%253A%3B12fqJ7XqkiAbiM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.skinpro.com%252Fdelfogo_assets%252Fimages%252Fdelfogo-rx-high-res%252Fdrx-telomere-dna-9186.jpg%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.goodlifeconnoisseur.com%252Ftrending-fall-2013%252F%3B5783%3B3883

http://www.nature.com/news/2010/101128/full/news.2010.635.html

http://www.foodnavigator.com/Science-Nutrition/High-salt-intake-linked-to-premature-cellular-aging

http://www.courier-journal.com/story/life/wellness/2014/04/03/booming-live-longer-lengthen-telomeres/7257307/