Telomere shortening and the resulting cellular senescence promotes ageing in mammals. This study showed that administration (via an adeno-associated virus) of telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) — an enzyme that maintains the length of telomeres — to old mice decreased the incidence of age-related osteoporosis and glucose intolerance, improved neuromuscular function and partially improved memory without increasing the incidence of cancer. Furthermore, TERT therapy extended the lifespan of adult and aged mice by a median of 24% and 13%, respectively, showing the feasibility of gene therapy for ageing.
ORIGINAL RESEARCH PAPER
Bernardes de Jesus, B. et al. Telomerase gene therapy in adult and old mice delays aging and increases longevity without increasing cancer. EMBO Mol. Med. 15 May 2012 (doi: 10.1002/emmm.201200245)
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Harrison, C. Telomerase gene therapy increases longevity. Nat Rev Drug Discov 11, 518 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1038/nrd3795
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/nrd3795