6 replies to this topic

[Mind]

It has been 11 years since the LongeCity Now podcast last hosted Dr. Bill Andrews of Sierra Sciences, one of the leading proponents of the telomere theory of (primary) aging.

 

Here is the previous podcast: http://www.longecity...ndrews_2013.mp3

 

Sierra Sciences Website.

 

Some things I was wondering about.

 

What is the state of telomere research within and outside of Sierra Sciences?

 

What is holding back progress? (probably funding)

 

What is the status of the drug momelotinib?

 

Please post any questions you have for Dr. Bill Andrews. The podcast will occur within the next 1 to 2 weeks.

[QuestforLife]

Why has the telomere theory of ageing fallen out of fashion? 

 

You’ve had a long career Dr Andrews, are you still as enthused as ever about finding powerful telomerase activators to extend human health and life span, or are you looking to retire and hand the reins to someone else?

 

You have a robotic assay for detecting telomerase gene activation; how much does it cost to assay a single chemical and how long does it take? 

 

Do you think CRISPR might be a viable strategy for reactivating the human telomerase gene?

 

You are very fit and healthy, but if your health started to deteriorate, would you risk telomerase gene therapy?

 

[Mind]

I apologize for not getting the very good questions - above - into the interview. I forgot to check back here.

 

Otherwise, the interview was good and has a lot of information that touches on some of the points raised above.

 

In the first few minutes we discuss why the development of telomere therapy has been slow. In the middle there is discussion of telomere lengthening products and biomarker testing. In the last few minutes BIll talks about other mechanisms of aging and what he does to stay so young-looking and healthy.

 

https://www.longecit...aim_andrews.mp3

Edited by Mind, 21 November 2024 - 04:52 PM.

[QuestforLife]

Really great interview, thanks!

[Mind]

Bill highlights a potential problem with current biomarker testing which an interesting concern. I think the best way to counter the problem of bias is to do a variety of tests from different companies.

[QuestforLife]

I also think that telomere tests (in particular) are quite limited. So even if you think telomeres are fundamental to ageing (I do), telomere testing is still of limited usefulness. Lifelength are the best, as they measure a lot of telomeres, so you can get a median, mean and length of the 20% (short telomeres). But someone should fund Bill to develop one of his alternatives for measuring telomeres. That would offer a relative quick turnaround on the investment.

[Castiel]

Bill said he tested resveratrol, iirc.  But resveratrol lengthens telomers indirectly through sirt4, not by activating telomerase itself, afaik.  And it doesn't even do this if not in the presence of certain amino acids, think it was tryptophan or leucine.   Though could be mistaken one of the aminos is associated with turkeys.  It also needs nad+.  So you need resveratrol+aminos+nad+ to see telomere lengthening.

 

It could easily fail any screening if it is testing just for direct activation of telomerase, or fails to include the complementary molecules.

 

There is a research paper showing doubling of telomere length, iirc, and also not just that but cells went from near senescent decayed in appearance to youthful looking cells in the microscope.   It was in vitro, and it was after more than 24 hour of exposure to resveratrol.

 

It is conceivable pterostilbene might do similar, but may also have similar dependence on aminos and nad+ given structural similarity.

 

It would be interesting to see if this can be replicated in vivo.  Missed there was going to be an interview this time, but would be nice to get a comment from Bill Andrews on this research.

 

The following is the paper I'm referencing.

Eva Latorre, Vishal C. Birar, Angela N. Sheerin, J. Charles C. Jeynes, Amy Hooper, Helen R. Dawe, David Melzer, Lynne S. Cox, Richard G. A. Faragher, Elizabeth L. Ostler, Lorna W. Harries. Small molecule modulation of splicing factor expression is associated with rescue from cellular senescence. BMC Cell Biology, 2017; 18

Edited by Castiel, Yesterday, 11:24 AM.