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Life Span, Cancer Linked to Chromosome 'Tails'
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findingDulcinea Staff
Several studies find that the ends of our chromosomes, known as telomeres, could influence life span, aging, stress and the development of cancer.
30-Second Summary
Chromosomes are strands of DNA that contain our genes, and at the end of each strand is a telomere. The American Federation for Aging Research (AFAR) likens telomeres to “the hard ends of your shoelaces."
Several recent studies have linked this small portion of the human chromosome to stress, life span, aging and even the development of cancer.
Telomeres work to prevent the loss of genetic material. When cells divide, telomeres shorten. When they become too short, cells can die or work improperly.
These tiny telomeres, AFAR says, have been called “biological clocks” and “time bombs.” Research has linked shorter telomeres to shorter life spans as well as chronic stress.
The most recent study shows that some people who are active have telomeres that are the same length as sedentary people who are 10 years their junior. Because telomeres shorten with age, the inference is that an active lifestyle slows the rate at which people age biologically.
These findings strengthen the argument that physical activity plays a role in prolonging life.
Several recent studies have linked this small portion of the human chromosome to stress, life span, aging and even the development of cancer.
Telomeres work to prevent the loss of genetic material. When cells divide, telomeres shorten. When they become too short, cells can die or work improperly.
These tiny telomeres, AFAR says, have been called “biological clocks” and “time bombs.” Research has linked shorter telomeres to shorter life spans as well as chronic stress.
The most recent study shows that some people who are active have telomeres that are the same length as sedentary people who are 10 years their junior. Because telomeres shorten with age, the inference is that an active lifestyle slows the rate at which people age biologically.
These findings strengthen the argument that physical activity plays a role in prolonging life.
Headline Links: Telomeres linked to cancer, mortality and stress
Cardiff University researchers want to use telomeres to identify cancer in its earliest stages, according to Science Daily. When telomeres become too short and start to malfunction, cells can abnormally change and divide, which can lead to cancer. “Dr Baird and his team are making great strides in increasing our understanding of the very earliest stages of cancer by looking at these changes in single cells,” said Lesley Walker of Cancer Research UK, which funded the study.
Source: Science Daily
A 2003 study linked telomere length to mortality, according to Swedish Medical Center in Seattle. University of Utah researchers studied 143 older men and women, finding that those with longer telomeres lived an average of four to five years longer. According to a release from center, “It remains to be seen whether telomere shortening contributes to mortality, or whether it is a marker of one or more age-related diseases or conditions already present.”
Source: Swedish Medical Center
Chronic stress can shorten telomeres—and possibly a person’s life span—by up to eight years, according to an Ohio State University study. The study examined people who care for loved ones with Alzheimer’s disease, and built on previous work that demonstrated that the chromosomes in women caring for chronically ill children were altered in a way that aged them beyond their years.
Source: ScienceDaily
Related Link: ‘Sedentary Life “Speeds up Aging”’
A study in the Archives of Internal Medicine offers another link to physical activity’s importance to life span. Scientists at Kings College examined the chromosomes of more than 2,000 Caucasian twins, and questioned them about their exercise habits. The people who were most active had telomeres that compared in length to those of sedentary people who were about a decade younger, according to the BBC.
Source: The BBC
Reference: Telomere and chromosome basics
Human cells have 23 pairs of chromosomes, which are where genes are located. Genes tell cells what to do, and are the blueprints for the body. In some instances chromosomes undergo changes that can cause problems. The Genome Project Web site has a short glossary of terms.
Source: National Human Genome Research Institute
Telomeres, though part of chromosomes, don’t have genes in them. The American Federation for Aging Research compares them to “the hard ends of your shoelaces.” They are on every chromosome in every cell nucleus in a person’s body. When a cell divides, the telomeres are shortened slightly. Cells whose telomeres become too short can malfunction or die.
Source: American Federation for Aging Research
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