Good thing I've got long telomeres!
Courtesy woodleywonderworksThere seems to be two schools of thought when it comes to death: those who see it as a natural part of life, and those who see it as something to conquer or overcome. A recent study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences hints at the latter. To append a recent post by JGordon about Japan’s geriatric population, scientists think they may have found the key to long life. That key, according to researchers from the Albert Einstein College of Medicine (I’m guessing there are probably a couple of smart people working there) is telomerase, an enzyme that helps repair our chromosomes.

Chromosomes with telomere caps: The gray rods are human chromosomes and the white tips are their telomeres
Courtesy NASATelomeres are located on the ends of our chromosomes’ “legs.” Every time a cell divides, the telomere gets shorter. Once the telomeres shorten beyond a certain point, the cell can no longer divide, making them more prone to degrade or age. That’s where telomerase steps in. This enzyme rebuilds the telomeres, preventing them from shrinking as quickly.

Side note: there are many factors that can contribute to long life, like healthy diet, regular physical and mental activity, and a sense of purpose or belonging, but these scientists are focusing on genetic factors, so that’s what this post concentrates on.

The study looked at the Ashkenazi Jewish community because of their low genetic diversity, thus making any unusual gene easier to spot. (Think of it like this: it’s much easier to pick out an apple from a pile of 15 oranges than it is from Carmen Miranda’s hat.) The scientists took blood samples from old (average age was 97) Ashkenazi’s and their offspring. They compared these samples to blood from offspring of parents that lived a more normal lifespan (the current world average lifespan is about 67 years old). The researchers found that the Ashkenazi centenarians and their offspring (indicating that this is heritable) had significantly longer telomeres and a higher level of the telomerase enzyme than the control group. They concluded that this combination may lead to slower degradation of cells and may help people live longer because it protects them from diseases common in old age.

It would be interesting if they applied this same study to populations known for living into their 100’s, like those from the 4 Blue Zones, as they are called: Sardinia, Italy; Okinawa, Japan (as mentioned by JGordon); Nicoya Peninsula, Costa Rica; and Loma Linda, California.

Some scientists have already talked about developing a drug that would mimic telomerase, but others warn that caution should be taken. Increasing the levels of telomerase gives the cells more chances to divide, which could lead to an increased risk of dangerous mutations, like cancer. More research is definitely needed.

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