DNA damage and ageing: new-age ideas for an age-old problem.
Loss of genome maintenance may causally contribute to ageing, as exemplified by the premature appearance of multiple symptoms of ageing in a growing family of human syndromes and in mice with genetic defects in genome maintenance pathways. Recent evidence revealed a similarity between such prematurely ageing mutants and long-lived mice harbouring mutations in growth signalling pathways. At first sight this seems paradoxical as they represent both extremes of ageing yet show a similar 'survival' response that is capable of delaying age-related pathology and extending lifespan. Understanding the mechanistic basis of this response and its connection with genome maintenance would open exciting possibilities for counteracting cancer or age-related diseases, and for promoting longevity.
Garinis
George A
GA
Department of Genetics, Centre for Biomedical Genetics, Erasmus University Medical Centre.
van der Horst
Gijsbertus T J
GT
Vijg
Jan
J
Hoeijmakers
Jan H J
JH
D000375:Aging / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D019588:Aging, Premature / Q000235:genetics; D000818:Animals; D004249:DNA Damage; D006801:Humans; D008136:Longevity / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D051379:Mice