Telomere length correlates with life span of dog breeds.
نویسندگان
چکیده
Telomeric DNA repeats are lost as normal somatic cells replicate. When telomeres reach a critically short length, a DNA damage signal is initiated, inducing cell senescence. Some studies have indicated that telomere length correlates with mortality, suggesting that telomere length contributes to human life span; however, other studies report no correlation, and thus the issue remains controversial. Domestic dogs show parallels in telomere biology to humans, with similar telomere length, telomere attrition, and absence of somatic cell telomerase activity. Using this model, we find that peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) telomere length is a strong predictor of average life span among 15 different breeds (p < 0.0001), consistent with telomeres playing a role in life span determination. Dogs lose telomeric DNA ~10-fold faster than humans, which is similar to the ratio of average life spans between these species. Breeds with shorter mean telomere lengths show an increased probability of death from cardiovascular disease, which was previously correlated with short telomere length in humans.
منابع مشابه
Telomere shortening in a long-lived marine bird: cross-sectional analysis and test of an aging tool
A correlation between length of telomere restriction fragments (TRFs) and age has recently been demonstrated in several bird species. Comparisons of different-aged individuals within a population have shown that TRFs typically shorten with age and that this shortening continues throughout the life span of the species. In addition, it has been shown that telomere rate-of-change (TROC) correlates...
متن کاملEffects of Aerobic Training Combined with Green Tea Extract on Leukocyte Telomere Length, Quality of Life and Body Composition in Elderly Women
Background: Exercise and consumption of green tea affect the aging process. However, the effect of exercise training combined with green tea extract on leukocyte telomere length, quality of life (QoL) and body composition in aging has so far been unclear and inconsistent. Objective: The aim of the present study was to determine the effectiveness of aerobic training intervention and green tea e...
متن کاملPolymorphisms within the Telomerase Reverse Transcriptase gene (TERT) in four breeds of dogs selected for difference in lifespan and cancer susceptibility
BACKGROUND Enzymatic activity of Telomerase Reverse Transcriptase (TERT) is important in maintaining the telomere length and has been implicated in cancer and aging related pathology. Since cancer susceptibility as well as longevity of dogs vary between breeds, this study involved sequencing the entire TERT gene of Canis familiaris from DNA samples obtained from forty dogs, with ten dogs each o...
متن کاملCorrection: Uncoupling of Longevity and Telomere Length in C. elegans
The nematode Caenorhabditis elegans, after completing its developmental stages and a brief reproductive period, spends the remainder of its adult life as an organism consisting exclusively of post-mitotic cells. Here we show that telomere length varies considerably in clonal populations of wild-type worms, and that these length differences are conserved over at least ten generations, suggesting...
متن کاملReconstitution of telomerase activity in normal human cells leads to elongation of telomeres and extended replicative life span
Normal somatic cells have a finite life span [1] and lose telomeric DNA, present at the ends of chromosomes, each time they divide as a function of age in vivo or in culture [2-4]. In contrast, many cancer cells and cell lines established from tumours maintain their telomere length by activation of an RNA-protein complex called telomerase, an enzyme originally discovered in Tetrahymena [5], tha...
متن کاملذخیره در منابع من
با ذخیره ی این منبع در منابع من، دسترسی به آن را برای استفاده های بعدی آسان تر کنید
برای دانلود متن کامل این مقاله و بیش از 32 میلیون مقاله دیگر ابتدا ثبت نام کنید
ثبت ناماگر عضو سایت هستید لطفا وارد حساب کاربری خود شوید
ورودعنوان ژورنال:
- Cell reports
دوره 2 6 شماره
صفحات -
تاریخ انتشار 2012