We demonstrate that telomere dysfunction activates p53 which in turn binds and represses PGC-1α and PGC-1β promoters, thereby forging a direct link between telomere and mitochondrial biology. We propose that this telomere–p53–PGC axis contributes to organ and metabolic failure and to diminishing organismal fitness in the setting of telomere dysfunction.
[1]: http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/vaop/ncurrent/full/natu...
Would we want our telomerase to be switched on all the time? This would probably make us abnormally prone to developing cancer.
This is also why whalers find tumor scars in whales all the time, but never run across whales that are going die of cancer. It's hard for a tumor to get larger than the size of your head. For us, this would likely be fatal. For a whale, it's no big deal.
Actually, you are much more at risk for cancer in your 80's. That might be the worst possible plan.
There are 7 distinct classes of damage that comprise the wear and tear resulting from aging. Addressing telomeres only addresses one of these. Read and learn:
Still good new though, in my opinion. Cancer seems much more tractable than aging. If we can reduce the problem of aging to something that only requires us to additionally solve cancer, I would be ecstatic.
On the other hand, we must replace all our cells periodically with the same shorten telomerase.
"We demonstrate that telomere dysfunction activates p53 which in turn binds and represses PGC-1α and PGC-1β promoters, thereby forging a direct link between telomere and mitochondrial biology. We propose that this telomere–p53–PGC axis contributes to organ and metabolic failure and to diminishing organismal fitness in the setting of telomere dysfunction."
Physorg isn't the most reputable science journalism around (heh), but Nature is arguably the most prestigious journal for life science in the world, and everybody involved in the process of publishing this paper, and writing the News & Views article about it, is aware of Elizabeth Blackburn and telomere research.
The more we know about the pathways involved, the more avenues we have for drug development.
".. The scientists found that the basic cause of age-related health decline is malfunctioning telomeres — the end caps on cells’ chromosomes that protect them against DNA damage ... DePinho published a study in Nature in January 2011 that demonstrated it was possible to reverse the symptoms of extreme aging in mice by increasing their levels of telomerase, the enzyme that maintains the health of the telomeres ..."
A bit late. Elizabeth Blackburn won the nobel prize for physiology in medicine 2009 for ...
"... The trio has been credited with creating a new field of science, with their investigation of chromosomes and the discovery of an enzyme which they named Telomerase. Telomerase is almost like an anti-ageing solution - it is critical to the regeneration of cells, which are the building blocks of life. If cells cannot replenish, humans are more prone to disease. ..." ~ http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/10/05/2705473.htm