Researchers from the University of Adélaide discovered that the first days of embryos development have a measurable impact on the future health and aging of a person.
Professor Rebecca Robker, chief discipline of reproduction and development within the biomicine research institute and Robinson of the University of Adélaide, a co-C-A led a team that conducted a preclinical test and found that cellular processes within the egg at the time of fertilization determine the duration of the telomere.
“Telomeres are the parts of the chromosomes that influence the growth and rejuvenation of our tissues,” said Professor Robker.
“Some babies are born with shorter telomeres than others, increasing their lifetime risk of chronic diseases associated with aging.
“As a single example, shorter telomeres are observed in children of women with obesity or metabolic syndrome. As an adults, these individuals run an increased risk of premature mortality of cardiovascular events, such as a heart attack or a stroke, even when they are not obese themselves.
“Until now, it has not been clear how the length of the telomeres is determined before birth.”
The reduced length of the telomeres can be caused by embryonic cellular damage.
“There are specific types of cellular damage during the first days of the development of the embryo which cause the defect in the embryo telomeres, which makes them shorter at the time of birth,” said the co-leader Dr. Yasmyn Winstanley.
“The process is very sensitive to the signs of the mother’s body. Our results show maternal and environmental health conditions at the time of design can have long -term consequences and can even influence the sensitivity of offspring compared to resilience to diseases associated with age in later life.
“These results stress that the health of women and girls should be a major objective of public health policies.”
Professor Robker said research, which is published in Nature communicationsalso found that it is possible to reverse cell damage and restore the length of the telomeres.
“We provide proof of concept that DNA reset can be modulated in embryos where it is deficient, using drugs currently available, to influence the length of telomeres at birth, which is a major marker of aging for life,” said Professor Robker.
“Our identification of specific pharmaceutical compounds which can adjust telomeres during preconception and immediately after fertilization, means that there are therapeutic opportunities to optimize this biology, which is a key determinant of the risk of chronic disease.”
Researchers are now working with Vitaleon Pharma to develop these new results in therapies for reproductive medicine and use by fertility specialists.
(Tagstotranslate) pregnancy and childbirth; Diseases and conditions; Chronic disease; Menopause; Healthy aging; Congenital malformations; Infant
