X-Message-Number: 25668
Date: Sun, 6 Feb 2005 20:40:28 -0800 (PST)
From: Doug Skrecky <>
Subject: telomere theory of aging bites the dust

Exp Gerontol. 2002 Apr;37(4):523-31
Telomere lengths are characteristic in each human individual.
   BACKGROUND: A great deal of attention has been focused on telomeres in
relation to cellular aging, immortality, and cancer. However, there is no
simple link between telomeres and tissue turnover. We recently proposed a
hypothesis that telomere shortening with aging and telomere lengths in
different organs are characteristic for human individuals. METHODS: To
test this, telomere lengths were measured using DNA from cerebral cortex,
myocardium, liver, renal cortex and spleen tissues obtained from human
subjects ranging in age from neonates to centenarians. RESULTS:
Regression analyses demonstrated telomere reduction rates of 29-60 base
pair (bp) per year in the liver, renal cortex and spleen, but no such
decrease in the cerebral cortex and myocardium. Significant correlation
was found between tissues within individuals, such as cerebral cortex
versus (vs) myocardium, cerebral cortex vs liver, cerebral cortex vs renal
cortex, myocardium vs liver, myocardium vs renal cortex, and liver vs
renal cortex. In most cases, the longest telomeres were observed in the
myocardium and the shortest in the liver or renal cortex. CONCLUSIONS:
Telomere lengths did not show clear correlation with tissue renewal times
in vivo, but rather were characteristic for individuals.

Rate This Message: http://www.cryonet.org/cgi-bin/rate.cgi?msg=25668