Getting too old, too fast: Maybe you were born to
February 8, 2010
Kate Kelland
REUTERS NEWS AGENCY
LONDON–Scientists have found specific genetic variants that may explain why some people age earlier than others and say their findings have important implications for understanding cancer and age-related diseases.
Dutch and British researchers analyzed more than 500,000 genetic variations from human gene maps and found that people with particular variants near a gene called TERC were likely to be biologically older by three to four years.
"What our study suggests is that some people are genetically programmed to age at a faster rate. The effect was quite considerable in those with the variant," said Tim Spector from King's College London, who co-led the study.
In a study published in the Nature Genetics journal, the scientists explained that there are two forms of aging – chronological aging, counted in years, and biological aging, in which the cells of some people are older, or younger, than their chronological age. They added there is accumulating evidence the risk of age-associated diseases, including heart disease and some types of cancers, are more closely related to biological rather than chronological age.
The researchers studied structures called telomeres – protective caps on the ends of chromosomes whose length is associated with cell aging. Fraying or shortening of telomeres can lead to premature aging and cancer.
The TERC gene regulates the length of telomeres.
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