A natural product telomerase activator as part of a health maintenance program.
Most human cells lack sufficient telomerase to maintain telomeres, hence these genetic elements shorten with time and stress, contributing to aging and disease. In January, 2007, a commercial health maintenance program, PattonProtocol-1, was launched that included a natural product-derived telomerase activator (TA-65®, 10-50 mg daily), a comprehensive dietary supplement pack, and physician counseling/laboratory tests at baseline and every 3-6 months thereafter. We report here analysis of the first year of data focusing on the immune system. Low nanomolar levels of TA-65® moderately activated telomerase in human keratinocytes, fibroblasts, and immune cells in culture; similar plasma levels of TA-65® were achieved in pilot human pharmacokinetic studies with single 10- to 50-mg doses. The most striking in vivo effects were declines in the percent senescent cytotoxic (CD8(+)/CD28(-)) T cells (1.5, 4.4, 8.6, and 7.5% at 3, 6, 9, and 12 months, respectively; p = not significant [N.S.], 0.018, 0.0024, 0.0062) and natural killer cells at 6 and 12 months (p = 0.028 and 0.00013, respectively). Most of these decreases were seen in cytomegalovirus (CMV) seropositive subjects. In a subset of subjects, the distribution of telomere lengths in leukocytes at baseline and 12 months was measured. Although mean telomere length did not increase, there was a significant reduction in the percent short (<4 kbp) telomeres (p = 0.037). No adverse events were attributed to PattonProtocol-1. We conclude that the protocol lengthens critically short telomeres and remodels the relative proportions of circulating leukocytes of CMV(+) subjects toward the more "youthful" profile of CMV(-) subjects. Controlled randomized trials are planned to assess TA-65®-specific effects in humans.
Harley
Calvin B
CB
Geron Corporation, Menlo Park, California, USA. charley@telomehealth.com
Liu
Weimin
W
Blasco
Maria
M
Vera
Elsa
E
Andrews
William H
WH
Briggs
Laura A
LA
Raffaele
Joseph M
JM
D001688:Biological Products / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002452:Cell Count; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003587:Cytomegalovirus / Q000187:drug effects; D020536:Enzyme Activators / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D005333:Fetus / Q000166:cytology; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology; D006262:Health; D006801:Humans; D007107:Immune System / Q000187:drug effects; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D015603:Keratinocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019098:Telomerase / Q000378:metabolism*; D016615:Telomere / Q000378:metabolism; D013997:Time Factors
D001688:Biological Products; D020536:Enzyme Activators; D019098:Telomerase
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