An Example of a Small Molecule Approach to Telomere Lengthening

Research groups are eyeing telomere lengthening as a way to improve stem cell function. Telomeres are the caps of repeated DNA sequences at the ends of chromosomes. A little of their length is lost with each cell division, and cells with very short telomeres become senescent or self-destruct. In the vast majority of cells in the body, this is an important part of the Hayflick limit on cellular replication. Stem cells, however, use telomerase to extend their telomeres. With age average telomere length is reduced. In most cells, this is just a reflection of the balance between the activity of stem cells, delivering new daughter cells with long telomeres, and ongoing cellular replication that shortens telomeres. As stem cell function declines with age, it isn't surprising to see average telomere length decline. In stem cells themselves, however, the situation is more complex. Why exactly they decline in function, and why extending telomeres improves that function, is far from settled. As outlined here, researchers are investigating the regulation of telomere length in stem cells in order to find targets that might lengthen these telomeres and thus improve stem cell function. This might be a safer approach to achieving most of the same goals of telomerase gene therapy, but without the concerns about side-effects that might result from to expression of telomerase throughout tissues. A new study may offer a breakthrough in treating dyskeratosis congenita (DC) and ot...
Source: Fight Aging! - Category: Research Authors: Tags: Daily News Source Type: blogs