DNA Damage and Telomere Length in Human T Cells

Interestingness: 3

By Yvonne A Barnett, Christopher R Barnett, and Thomas Von Zglinicki, in the Journal of Anti-Aging Medicine, Volume 3, Issue 4, 2000 (pp 383-388, doi:10.1089/rej.1.2000.3.383. )

Seemed speculative on the link between T-cell, telomere length and oxidation damage in vivo, but presented a series of facts to suggest a link: increasing mutations in one particular gene in lymphocytes with age, senescent-looking T-cells in vivo in centenarians and people with Down's syndrome, and fibroblast with higher anti-oxidant capacity having a slower telomere shortening rate in vitro.

(Interesting: link between shorter telomeres and vascular dementia, but not with Alzheimer's, stroke or heart attack)