A new study indicates a link between a tightly packed cellular bundle of DNA that could lead scientists to prevent and treat a myriad of maladies brought on by aging, like cancer, diabetes and Alzheimer's. The study appears in the journal Science.
Scientists from the Salk Institute and the Chinese Academy of Science found genetic mutations underlying Werner syndrome, a disorder that leads to premature aging and death, which cause the corrosion of DNA bundles known as heterochromatin.
"Our findings show that the gene mutation that causes Werner syndrome results in the disorganization of heterochromatin, and that this disruption of normal DNA packaging is a key driver of aging," said senior author Juan Carlos Izpisua Belmonte, according to a press release. "This has implications beyond Werner syndrome, as it identifies a central mechanism of aging - heterochromatin disorganization - which has been shown to be reversible."
Werner syndrome is a genetic disorder that causes people to age rapidly causing cataracts, type 2 diabetes, hardening of the arteries, osteoporosis and cancer. People with the disorder die in their late 40s or early 50s. One in every 200,000 people in the United States are affected, according to the press release. According to the U.S. National Library of Medicine, the disease is more common in Japan, affecting one out of every 20,000 to one in every 40,000 people. Symptoms begin when the person is in their 20s.
Heterochromatin, the tightly packed DNA found in a cell's nucleus, acts a switchboard to control gene activity. On the outer part of the bundles, chemical markers known as epigenetic tags, control the structure of the heterochromatin. If those switches can be manipulated, genes can either be expressed or silenced, according to the press release.
"Our study connects the dots between Werner syndrome and heterochromatin disorganization, outlining a molecular mechanism by which a genetic mutation leads to a general disruption of cellular processes by disrupting epigenetic regulation," said Izpisua Belmonte, according to the press release. "More broadly, it suggests that accumulated alterations in the structure of heterochromatin may be a major underlying cause of cellular aging. This begs the question of whether we can reverse these alterations - like remodeling an old house or car - to prevent, or even reverse, age-related declines and diseases."
Funding for the study was provided by the Glenn Foundation, the G. Harold and Leila Y. Mathers Charitable Foundation and the Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust.
