Aging and the Cell nucleus

A very universal researchquestion is the question: how do humans age? Sure, research involving yeasts, worms and mice learned us that there is some kind of molecular basis that contribute to aging, but much remains to be known about human aging...

The cell nucleus of higher organisms is recognized as a complex and highly organized containing an individual's genetic information. One of the most important structural elements of the nucleus are the nuclear lamina, which have been studied extensively. The lamina is made up of tho different types of lamin proteins.

The fundamental connection between the nuclear architecture of the cell and aging was first observed in yeast (eukaryote, just like us humans). A mutation in the nuclear protein Sir 4 (localizes the nucelolus, subcompartment of the nucleus) lead to an extension of the lifespan. Later, the defenitive proof for a fundamental connection between nuclear architecture and human aging came. In 2003 researchers identified mutations in the lamin A gene (LMNA) as the genetic cause of the segmental premature aging disease Hutchinson-Gilford progeria syndrome (HGPS)

In 2005, Zhang and colleagues discovered that cells in HGPS patients have increased genomic instability and DNA and an ineffective DNA repair machinerey compared to healthy individuals. The link between genomic instability and accelerated aging is also appearant in Werner syndrome. This autosomal recessive disorder is caused by a non working WRN RecQ helicase, an enzym involved in DNA replication, recombination and repair.

One of the eventual goals of aging research would be to find "the fountain of youth", althought this won't be happen in near future, therapeutic treatment of people suffering from disorders such as HGPS has become very realistic indeed.

Read the article "The Cell Nucleus and Aging: Tantalizing Clues and Hopeful Promises" by Scaffidi et. al published in PLoS Biology, november 2005.