New Hope For Future With Cancer Lies Within Cellular Aging Findings

August 19th, 2010

Every day researchers head to work hoping to find a cure for horrific diseases like cancer by looking at the cellular aging process. To this day, there is still unfortunately no cure for the illness. This has not hindered the process or progress of researchers by any means as they are dedicated to finding a cure. And a major breakthrough has occurred with findings in regards to telomerase and cellular aging.

It can certainly be disheartening investing a great deal of time toward something while getting the same negative results day after day. This is precisely what it has been like for those searching for a cure or preventative strategy of some sort in regards to cancer. It has almost seemed like a lost cause, but there is hope for the future.

It has been discovered that telomeres also contain RNA. Telomeres are the repeated DNA-protein complexes at the end of chromosomes that shorten every time a cell divides. Through this discovery, it was immediately questioned as to how they function and what kind of avenue there may be to stop telomere renewal in cancer cells.

Telomeres are the clock that lead to cellular aging

Inside the cell nucleus, genetic information within each human is located on double stranded molecules of DNA. At the end of the chromosomes are telomeres, which are essentially zones of repeated chains of DNA. Think of telomeres as a cellular clock that leads to cellular aging as they shorten every time a cell divides.

This is where cellular aging comes into effect as the telomeres turn on an alarm system to prevent further division after the cell has grown and divided a few dozen times. Without the proper function, cells will end up with damaged chromosomes or they will continue to divide endlessly. As a result, it leads to cancer. This is a huge breakthrough as it explains how this function can potentially be manipulated.

Genetic information is placed into segments of RNA that are then placed into the cell and carry out a number of different tasks. While it was at one time believed that telomerase were silent, it is now believed that RNA is transcribed from DNA on the telomere.

Cellular aging and cancer cells

So what does this mean? Telomerase rebuilds the telomere so that cells can continue to divide. As the telomerase dwindles, the telomere will shorten and the cells become inactive. Telomerase enzyme continues to rebuild telomeres far longer than the cell’s normal lifetime in cancer cells. Cellular aging in cancer cells essentially stops as the cells become immortal with an endless lifespan to divide because of the excess telomerase, thus resulting in a tumor.

Hope in cellular aging

Researchers have found that telomere maintenance activity actually occurs in around 90% of human cancers. Researchers also went on to discover that the RNA in the telomere is regulated by a protein in the telomerase enzyme.

T.A. SCIENCES

Promote Your Page Too

With the discoveries made thus far, there is hope for the future with the possibility to predict cancer cells. The goal is to obviously halt the growth of cancer cells by allowing cellular aging to happen in cancer cells, thus preventing or curing cancer. For the time being this is certainly not plausible; but there is a great deal of excitement within the cellular aging industry as things are moving in the right direction. Become a Fan to our Facebook Fan page above so you can keep up with the latest cellular aging information.

Tags: cellular aging, immune booster, telomerase, telomere, telomere length, telomeres
Posted in cellular aging | No Comments »

Telomeres Definition and Information- Basics of a Telomere

August 17th, 2010

If you are like most people you have probably never heard of telomeres. However, it they are something that you should definitely know about. This article will provide you with telomeres definition and information, the basics of a telomere.

Telomeres basics?

Telomeres

A telomere is the end of the chromosome that protects it from deterioration. It is a region of repetitive DNA that was first recognized by Alexei Olovnikov in 1971. What Olovnikov noticed was that chromosomes could replicate right up to the tip, so what he suggested was DNA sequences were lost at each phase of replication. However, when they reached a critical level cell division stopped.

Enzymes that duplicate the chromosome and its DNA during cell division were not able to continue duplicating to the end of the chromosome. If a cell divided without telomeres, that cell would lose the end of its chromosomes, including the necessary information of how to replicate. This is a phenomenon called the “end replication problem” discovered in 1972 by James Watson.

Essentially, a telomere is a disposable buffer that blocks the end of a chromosome. During cell division these telomeres are consumed and replenished by an enzyme known as telomerase reverse transcriptase.

Between 1975 and 1977 Joseph Gall was working at Yale University and discovered the unusual nature of telomeres. What he found was that a telomere was simply a repeated DNA sequence that was composed at the end of a chromosome.

Telomeres and Cancer

He discovered that the shortening of telomeres limited cells to a fixed number of divisions. With further animal studies Gall discovered that telomeres were responsible for aging on the cellular level and that it sets a limit on lifespan. As soon as telomeres are consumed a cell is destroyed, except for when cancers are involved. Cancers create “immortal” cells that halt the normal phase of destruction.

Telomeres and the nobel prize

The most recent news of telomeres came in 2009 when Elizabeth Blackburn, Carol Greider, and Jack Szostak won the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. They discovered how chromosomes are protected by telomeres and an enzyme called telomerase forms them.

Telomeres have just recently been discovered and they are still being researched for us to further understand them. Research right now is going into finding how to lengthen telomeres because it is believed that can help extend life.

T.A. SCIENCES

Promote Your Page Too

The basic information of telomeres has been talked about in this article. It can be difficult to understand what they are if you have trouble understanding science. Just remember that telomeres definition is a DNA sequence at the end of a chromosome that is responsible for protecting the chromosome and is also involved with the lifespan of that cell. Please click on the our Facebook fan page above in order to keep up with the latest insight regarding telomeres.

Tags: cellular aging, immune booster, telomerase, telomere, telomere length, telomeres
Posted in telomeres | No Comments »

Telomerase Nobel Prize In Physiology or Medicine 2009

August 16th, 2010

This article will examine the problem that three scientists solved (Elizabeth Blackburn, Carol Greider, and Jack Szostak) that eventually led to them winning the telomerase Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 2009.

Telomerase: the photocopier of cells

One of the biggest problems in biology is how a chromosome is able to be copied in a complete way during cell divisions and how those chromosomes were protected against degradation. Blackburn, Greider, and Szostak showed that the solution to the problem is the end of the chromosomes, the telomeres, and an enzyme that forms the telomeres, telomerase.

Telomerase in action

DNA molecules carry our genes and are packed into chromosomes and at the end of these chromosomes are telomeres. A unique DNA sequence that is found in telomeres is what protects the chromosomes from degradation. Furthermore, telomerase was found to be an enzyme that produces telomere DNA.

What this shows is that the ends of chromosomes are protected by telomeres that are produced by telomerase. With this knowledge scientists can conclude that as telomeres shorten, a cell ages. So, if telomerase activity is high, the telomere can maintain its length, and delay cellular senescence. This explains how cancer cells have eternal life and also how inherited diseases, which have defective telomerase, result in damaged cells.

These discoveries have had a huge affect on the scientific community. Scientists have been attempting to discover how we age and they have speculated that the shortening of telomeres is the reason for not only individual cells but for a whole organism. While telomeres are one factor, it turns out the aging process is far more complicated than previously thought.

Cancer and telomerase

Normal cells do not divide frequently, so they are rarely at a risk of shortening and have low telomerase activity. What the telomerase Nobel Prize explains though is that cancer cells have high levels of telomerase activity. What they hypothesize is cancer could be treated by eradicating telomerase.

Telomerase defects tied to other diseases

It is also been found that telomerase defects are a leading cause of inherited diseases such as some forms of congenital aplastic amenia. This disease is where insufficient cell divisions in the stem cells of the bone marrow lead to severe anemia. It is being hypothesized that we could fix these diseases by fixing the telomerase defect.

T.A. SCIENCES

Promote Your Page Too

The discoveries by Blackburn, Greider, and Szostak were able to win them the telomerase Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for 2009. Their telomerase discoveries have greatly impacted the scientific community and will hopefully help solve the problems of aging, cancer, inherited diseases, and many more! Please become a Fan of our Facebook Fan page above to keep up to date regarding all new information on telomerase.

Tags: cellular aging, immune booster, telomerase, telomere, telomere length, telomeres
Posted in telomerase | No Comments »

How to Lengthen Your Telomeres

August 15th, 2010

What are telomeres?

Telomeres

With new research being done there has been a new discovery in aging and a chromosomes telomeres. Are you looking to slow the process of aging? Everyone wants to always be young and try to extend it for as long as possible, but it really has not been possible until now. This article will tell you how to lengthen your telomeres and what that will do for you.

First, it is important that you understand what the telomeres are and how the affect a persons age. A telomere is a DNA sequence at the tip of a cells chromosome. The telomere not only protects the chromosome from deterioration but it also plays a crucial role in a cells replication. When a cell divides a piece of the telomere goes to the new cell, shortening the old telomeres. Telomeres can replicate for 120 years and then they die, and with it you.

You are probably thinking that not many people live past 100, so the years do not match up. Telomeres can live up to 120 years, but there are many factors that cause the telomere to shorten faster. Some of those factors include smoking, drinking, infections, toxins, and among others.

Why do I want to lengthen my telomeres?

So, why would you want to lengthen your telomeres? By lengthening your telomeres, or slowing the shortening of them, you will theoretically age slower. If you can maintain and possibly extend your telomeres you will slow the aging process, which is something that everyone wants. All of this is currently theoretical, but scientists believe it to be true.

How do I lengthen my telomeres?

Now, how do you lengthen your telomeres? It is a complicated process with much science involved, but what you have to do is simple. There are supplements on the market that activate the telomerase enzyme which can lengthen the telomere. By taking this supplement you can help to maintain your telomeres length and slow its shortening.

On top of the supplement, there are other vitamins you can take. Vitamin E, vitamin d3, and fish oils are all great ways to help slow the shortening of your telomere. There are some supplements that have these synthesized in but it is best to avoid those and take the vitamins separately.

T.A. SCIENCES

Promote Your Page Too

It is now possible to slow aging! A chromosomes telomere has been linked to be involved with aging. This article has told you how to lengthen your telomeres and also slow the aging process. Now, go out there and lengthen your telomeres! Please become a fan of our Facebook Fan page above in order to learn more about how you can lengthen your telomeres.

Tags: cellular aging, immune booster, telomere, telomere length, telomeres
Posted in telomeres | No Comments »

Can Telomere Length Predict Cancer Risk?

August 10th, 2010

The Telomere Cancer Link:

Cancer is a disease that millions have died from and continue to struggle with on a daily basis. Up to this point, there was no saying who, when or how someone would fall into the horrific whirlwind illness of cancer. To many people’s amazement, researchers have found the length of a person’s telomere is in fact inversely associated with the risk of attaining, and dying from the disease.

The tips in red are the telomere section of DNA

There has long been a struggle and fight to find a so-called cure for cancer. And while there is still no cure, doctors and researchers have long been looking for evidence to help predict cancer. If it were possible to predict who is more likely to develop the disease, there is no saying what could be done from there.

The problem has been a continuous battle to attempt to save millions of lives and it has unfortunately gone on with little success whatsoever up to this point. While the numbers vary from year to year, it has remained consistent that around 550,000 to 600,000 deaths occur every year from this horrific illness. Finally, there is hope for the future though.

The link between the telomere and Cancer

What researchers have found is that telomere length can actually play a role in predicting who is more or less likely to develop cancer. Research has found that those with the shortest telomeres were three times as likely to develop cancer over a 10-year period. This comes after studies comparing individuals with the longest telomeres versus the shortest.

Those who have the shortest telomere are not only more likely to develop cancer, but it has been found that they are also 11 times more likely to die from cancer. This research comes from a report published in the July 7 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association. This research is not only important for predicting what could happen to certain individuals, but it could potentially help save lives in the long run.

It is important to note that at this point there is certainly no cure or prevention of the disease. Currently, all that is possible is potentially predicting cancer by looking at the telomere length. There is a possible association between short leukocyte telomere length and cancer formation. The assumption is that aging of the leukocytes can be reflected on the fact that short telomere length can actually impair the immune surveillance thus reducing the overall clearance of tumor cells.

Telomere study

T.A. SCIENCES

Promote Your Page Too

The current analysis of the study included 787 individuals who ranged in ages from 40 to 79 who were free from cancer in 1995 and were followed until 2005. Telomere length in peripheral blood leukocytes was then measured at baseline. And the miraculous findings held up that the telomere length actually could predict who had a far greater chance of falling ill to cancer.

Tags: cellular aging, immune booster, telomerase, telomere, telomere length, telomeres
Posted in telomere | No Comments »