According to foreign media reports, researchers have found new evidence indicating that "biological" aging is associated with the risk of many age-related diseases, including heart disease, multiple sclerosis, and various cancers.
Dr. Dale Nyholt from the Laboratory of Neurogenetics at the Queensland Institute of Medical Research stated that an international study involving over 48,000 people showed that chromosomes called telomeres are being lost at different rates, making it possible to maintain health by controlling telomere length.
Telomeres are located at the ends of chromosomes, while DNA strands are inside the cell nucleus. Every time a cell divides to produce new cells, the telomeres shorten until they reach a critical length, at which point the cell becomes inactive and dies. Thus, telomeres shorten as the individual cell ages. However, the telomere length of each cell is innate and not initially the same, and the subsequent rate of shortening varies. The rate of telomere loss is a measure of "biological aging."
The research team measured people's telomere lengths and, by observing DNA, identified seven gene variants associated with telomere length. They found that these variants are linked to various cancers, including colorectal cancer, as well as conditions such as multiple sclerosis and celiac disease.
The team also found that these seven variants are associated with the risk of coronary artery disease, which can lead to heart disease.
This study, conducted as part of the European ENGAGE consortium and led by the University of Leicester in the UK, involved 14 research institutions from eight countries. The findings were published in the journal Nature Genetics.
According to foreign media reports, researchers have found new evidence indicating that "biological" aging is associated with the risk of many age-related diseases, including heart disease, multiple sclerosis, and various cancers.
Dr. Dale Nyholt from the Laboratory of Neurogenetics at the Queensland Institute of Medical Research stated that an international study involving over 48,000 people showed that chromosomes called telomeres are being lost at different rates, making it possible to maintain health by controlling telomere length.
Telomeres are located at the ends of chromosomes, while DNA strands are inside the cell nucleus. Every time a cell divides to produce new cells, the telomeres shorten until they reach a critical length, at which point the cell becomes inactive and dies. Thus, telomeres shorten as the individual cell ages. However, the telomere length of each cell is innate and not initially the same, and the subsequent rate of shortening varies. The rate of telomere loss is a measure of "biological aging."
The research team measured people's telomere lengths and, by observing DNA, identified seven gene variants associated with telomere length. They found that these variants are linked to various cancers, including colorectal cancer, as well as conditions such as multiple sclerosis and celiac disease.
The team also found that these seven variants are associated with the risk of coronary artery disease, which can lead to heart disease.
This study, conducted as part of the European ENGAGE consortium and led by the University of Leicester in the UK, involved 14 research institutions from eight countries. The findings were published in the journal Nature Genetics.