Where do zombies come from?
Scientists have found the cause of the accumulation of zombie cells that cause cancer and dementia
Svetlana Maslova, Hi-tech+
In the body of an elderly person, zombie cells are key factors in the development of cancer, dementia and cardiovascular diseases. Now scientists have uncovered the mechanism of the accumulation of these cells, which can lead to the creation of anti-aging drugs to increase life expectancy.
Aging cells lose their ability to divide, so they are no longer needed for the regeneration of the body. On the contrary, their activity leads to inflammation and tissue damage, which can provoke cancer, neurodegeneration, the development of heart and vascular diseases. Scientists from The University of Pittsburgh sought to determine the mechanism of accumulation of these cells and the role of telomeres in it. About the findings of the study writes Neuroscience.
Article by Barnes et al. Telomeric 8-oxo-guanine drives rapid premature senescence in the absence of telomere shortening published in the journal Nature Structural & Molecular Biology – VM.
Telomeres are protective "tips" of chromosomes, which shorten as the cell divides. Scientists knew that shortening telomeres leads to cell aging, but until now they could not test whether damage to the DNA of telomeres could turn cells into zombies.
To develop a molecular "sniper" capable of causing oxidative damage only in telomeres, scientists used a special protein.
It turned out that damage to telomeres turns cells into a zombie state after four days. This is much faster than weeks or months of repetitive cell divisions causing aging by shortening telomeres, the authors explain.
X-shaped chromosomes are colored purple, and telomeres look like green spots on the ends of chromosomes. When researchers used a new tool to induce oxidative damage to telomeres, they could become brittle (green arrows), which led to cell aging. The inset shows an enlarged chromosome with fragile telomeres, indicated by many green spots on the tips of the chromosomes.
"The results also reveal the mystery of why dysfunctional telomeres are not always shorter than functional ones," added author Patricia Opresco.
Now scientists are planning to start testing experimental drugs aimed at this mechanism. For example, one of them may be the use of antioxidants to protect telomeres from oxidative damage. Another strategy involves creating compounds that kill zombie cells. The removal of zombie cells from the body can potentially lead to an increase in the life expectancy of a person without the diseases of old age, however, this hypothesis has yet to be proved.
Portal "Eternal youth" http://vechnayamolodost.ru