From the moment we are born, we all face damages that affect our body, and with time, they gradually lead to ageing.

Researchers at the Houston Methodist Research Center (HMRC) followed a different approach and managed to develop a technology for the rejuvenation of human cells. They performed experiments in cells obtained from children that suffered from the premature ageing Hutchinson-Gilford syndrome.

The syndrome Hutchinson-Gilford (or progeria, HGPS) is a rare inherited disease which affects the skin, the musculoskeletal system, the blood vessels and is characterized by premature ageing.

These children die of heart attack or stroke by the age of 15. Although current treatment options are useful, they only manage to add one-two years to the child’s life.

John P. Cooke, the Department Chair of Cardiovascular Sciences at HMRC, and his colleagues tried to improve the cell function in these children aiming a better quality of life, which would potentially allow them to live longer. They focused on telomeres, the part of the DNA which lie at the end of chromosomes (telos+meros= end+part) and regulate ageing in human cells.

Telomeres, a protective mechanism of the human organism, contribute to the stability of the DNA.

Each telomere starts at conception with an approximate length of 15.000 units (bases).

They shorten with each cell division because a part of these bases cannot be copied.


Gradual shortening leads cells to lose their ability to multiply. Telomere shortening plays a major role in the process of ageing, and their length decrease has been correlated with age-related diseases, including several types of cancer.

Cooke and his team observed that children with progeria had shorter telomeres than normal. Thus, they thought that if they could manage to restore the length of the telomeres, they would be able to improve the cell function too. So, they activated the production of an enzyme in cells, called telomerase, which can extend the telomeres.

Telomerase, the enzyme that extends the telomeres

Accordingly, in a major study conducted by the Harvard Medical School professor of Genetics, Ronald A. De Pinho, and his team at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, successfully reversed ageing in mice through the activation of telomerase.

Telomerase extends telomeres, the protective ends of chromosomes, which can in turn stop or even reverse ageing
For their study, they used aged mice with brain atrophy, Alzheimer symptoms, atrophic testicles and hair loss similar to the ones seen in human ageing. Four weeks post telomerase treatment the scientists observed remarkable signs of rejuvenation in mice that had undergone the treatment.

Telomeres activation resulted in significant reverse of all ageing symptoms. The brain atrophy was restored, the symptoms of Alzheimer were subsided, fertility and testicles atrophy were restored, as well as hair loss which was completely brought back to its younger condition.

This study is of historical importance, since it has proved, for the first time, that ageing is reversible in mammals, through the activation of telomerase.

Metabolomics in the battle against Ageing

The application of metabolomics to our patients has led to significant increase in telomeres length. A study conducted to our clinics, Metabolomics Medicine®, in collaboration with the Toxicology Department of Medical School at the University of Crete, headed by Professor A. Tsatsakis, has showed that the administration of food supplements and personalized diet, based on metabolomics analysis results, contribute to the protection and increase of telomere length compared to people who didn’t follow the treatment. These results were presented at the 52nd EUROTOX international conference and published in the “Toxicology Letters” international scientific journal.

A database of telomere length in different age groups was created, two years after telomeres measurements in a general population, aiming the reliable evaluation of the data and use of telomere analysis as a biomarker for ageing.
The length of telomeres was approximately 13% longer in people who were under metabolomic medicine treatment, than the average population of similar ages.

This is a significant finding which reflects an improvement in biological age, and a reduced risk of the occurrence of chronic diseases linked to ageing, like cancer, heart diseases, osteoarthritis and several autoimmune diseases.
The telomeres length is a reliable marker which reveals the biological age of the person. Longer telomeres indicate a younger biological age.

Now, there is evidence that telomere extension contributes to better health and increased life expectancy by preventing several age-associated diseases.

To Your Health!

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References

• Researchers develop technology to make aged cells younger: John P. Cooke, M.D., Ph.D., department chair of cardiovascular sciences at Houston Methodist Research Institute. 
• Telomerase reactivation reverses tissue degeneration in aged telomerase deficient mice: Mariela Jaskelioff, Florian L. Muller, Ji-Hye Paik, Emily Thomas, Shan Jiang, Andrew Adams, Ergun Sahin, Maria Kost-Alimova, Alexei Protopopov, Juan Cadiñanos, James W. Horner, Eleftheria Maratos-Flier, and Ronald A. DePinho. Published online 2010 Nov 28. 
• The effect of TA-65 on telomerase activation and on apoptosis in human fibroblast cells. Tsoukalas D. Fragkiadaki P. Vlata C. Alegkakis A. Fragkiadoulaki E. Christakis M. Tstatsakis AM. Center of Toxicology Science and Research, University of Crete, Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Foundation for Research and Technology.