American scientists from the center of aging biology at Brown University, the Institute of Biological Studies of Solka, New York University and the University of Rochester have determined the harmful role of the Retrotransposon – molecular parasites of the genome – in aging and related diseases. This cause of age-related changes is treatable, since there are drugs that the activity of these molecules exist. Researcher reviews published in Nature magazine.
Retrotransposons are mobile genetic elements, DNA sections capable of independent reproduction within the genome. They, as a rule, do not perform useful functions like protein coding, because of which they are often referred to as “garbage DNA”, but they can affect the phenotype (external and internal signs) of the body. For example, patterns on petunia flowers are associated with mutations that provoke mobile genetic elements.
Retrotransposons evolved together with the genomes of the hosts from the very beginning of life. These relationships were largely competitive, therefore mobile genetic elements use molecular mechanisms of cells for their own reproduction. Thirty-five percent of the human genome consists of Retrotransposional DNA sequences. Currently, it is known that with age, they become more active in somatic tissues, since aging cells lose their abilities to control molecular parasites.
How to reveal the authors of the article, there are quite good evidence that the brain for some reason is especially vulnerable to the activity of retrotransposonov. In addition, the body’s immune system recognizes the retrorsmalls as viruses and produces an immune response. This immune response is inappropriate, given that retrotransposons are part of our genomes, and there are good evidence that retrotransposons are associated with autoimmune diseases.
However, a small group of inhibitors of reverse transcriptase HIV is actually quite effective against an important class of retrotransposon called Line-1. The drug against HIV Lamivudine significantly reduces age inflammation and other signs of aging in mice. Emprisitabine is also a reverse transcriptase inhibitor and is a new generation of drugs of the same class as Lamivudine, but demonstrates better tolerability and fewer side effects in humans.