A Cellular "Switch" That Could Battle Aging and Cancer

By Jane Farrell

Scientists have found a new ΓÇ£switchΓÇ¥ in cells that may be key to healthy aging.

Cells are constantly dividing, replacing tissue in organs such as the lungs, skin and liver. But that process eventually stops when a ΓÇ£timekeeper,ΓÇ¥ called a telomere, becomes too short and thus prevents any further division. (Telomeres are found at the end of each cell.)

There is an enzyme called telomerase, which rebuilds telomeres and can stop the degeneration process. But until this most recent study, by researchers from the Salk Institute, scientists hadnΓÇÖt realized that telomerase has an ΓÇ£offΓÇ¥ switch as well as an ΓÇ£onΓÇ¥ switch.

ΓÇ£We were surprised to discover instead that telomerase has what is in essence an ΓÇÿoffΓÇÖ switch, whereby it disassembles,ΓÇ¥ said senior author Vicki Lundblad, professor and holder of SalkΓÇÖs Ralph S. and Becky O’Connor Chair.

Understanding how the ΓÇ£offΓÇ¥ switch works could eventually lead to treatments for diseases of aging. It may also contribute to anti-cancer treatments since cancer involves unregulated cell growth, and the ability to turn off that growth could be a significant weapon.

The study, published in the journal Genes and Development, focused on a single-celled organism, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, the same yeast used to make wine and bread.