Hi! I am Tehreem, an optimistic student of Biology. My interest in the potential of biotechnology for the future of the human race has led me to question the inevitable yet certain: our relationship with aging.
In today’s world, anti-aging may be more than just sunscreen recommendations and botox fillers due to the ongoing biotechnological revolution with the introduction of CRISPR-Cas 9, stem cell rejuvenation, and telomere extension. Through the miracles of epigenetic engineering, we can see a much bigger picture, however, in this case, a much smaller ( and cellular) picture as we dive into the potential of epigenetic engineering to achieve longevity.
With the extraordinary power to exploit the human cell genome, scientists are quite hopeful that humans may get their hands on the legendary Fountain of Youth. “The first person to live 150 years has already been born today” claims David Sinclair, a biologist known for his research in epigenetics. This paper focuses on achieving longevity through telomere extension.
As seen in the Chromosome above, Telomeres are located at the end of each of 23 pairs of Chromosomes in the human cell. Much like the shoes of the cell, they enable chromosomal stability. In adolescents, they are comprised of 8000 to 10000 nucleotides. Every time the cell divides, Telomere shortens until they are no more, hence preventing mitotic cell division; the cell becomes a senescent cell or a zombie cell, resulting in various age-related diseases like cancer, atherosclerosis, and Alzheimer’s.
As human telomeres lose 50-200 base pairs during each cell division, it’s highly probable that the senescent cells persist at a much faster rate resulting in organ degradation or simpler terms -‘Aging’.
“ Aging is a disease,” says David Sinclair, “ A disease is a disorder that less than 50 percent of the population suffer from,” Shocking, right? What’s even more surprising is that the process of aging can be reversed today through Telomere extension, which will allow a major alteration in our biological clock. Immortality may not even be far-fetched in the coming future.
Luckily, Telomere extension therapy is becoming one of the main focuses of aspiring scientists. RNA, which holds pivotal importance in protein synthesis in cells, is modified to code for TERT, a component of the enzyme telomerase, which maintains the presence of telomeres. Consequently, skin cells with telomere extension can divide about 40 times more than regular cells. Evidently, Sinclair’s research laboratory has conducted an experiment on two mice born at the same time. After the cell genome of one of them was disrupted, it was evident that it had aged 50% more than its sibling, which concludes that epigenetic engineering can influence our biological clock.
Another way that biologists may be able to exploit the genome might be through small molecule drugs which can influence telomerase production. Astragalus Plant extract has been modified to produce Telomerase Activator 65 ( TA- 65), which increases Telomere length by improving telomerase production.
Perhaps you might live long enough to see a robotic invasion or Taylor Swift’s granddaughter’s first holographic concert or you might just visit the Andromeda galaxy for Christmas! The future is promising and you might be a part of that future!
Works cited from:
Is aging reversible? A scientific look with David Sinclair | David Sinclair | TEDxBoston (2022) YouTube. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cLZEEOZlTzo&t=44s (Accessed: 27 June 2024).
Conger, K. (2015) Telomere extension turns back aging clock in cultured human cells, study finds, Stanford medicine.
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(Accessed: 27 June 2024).
Lee, J. (2022) Biochemistry, telomere, and telomerase, StatPearls [Internet].
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(Accessed: 27 June 2024).
Zhao, Y. et al. (2011) Processive and distributive extension of human telomeres by telomerase under homeostatic and non-equilibrium conditions, Molecular cell.
Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3108241/#:~:text=Because%20of%20the%20unidirectional%20nature,and%20de%20Lange%2C%202008).
(Accessed: 27 June 2024).
Huberman, A. (2021) Dr. David Sinclair: The Biology of Slowing & Reversing Aging, YouTube.
Available at:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n9IxomBusuw&t=1520s (Accessed: 27 June 2024).
Author links open the overlay panel.
Ziyi Shen et al. (2023) Research progress of small-molecule drugs in targeting telomerase in human cancer and aging, Chemico-Biological Interactions.
(Accessed: 27 June 2024).