Telomere dynamics in macaques and humans.
Publication/Presentation Date
4-1-2007
Abstract
In humans, telomere length in proliferating tissues shortens with age--a process accelerated with age-related diseases. Thus, telomere length and attrition with age in the nonhuman primate may serve as a useful paradigm for understanding telomere biology in humans. We examined telomere parameters in tissues of young and old Macaca fascicularis and compared them with several tissues from humans. Macaque telomeres were variable in length and exhibited partial synchrony (equivalence) within animals. They were longer than humans, partially because of longer subtelomeric segments. As skeletal muscle telomere length was unchanged with age, we used it as an internal reference to offset interanimal variation in telomere length. We identified age-dependent telomere attrition in lung, pancreas, skin, and thyroid. Similar to humans, telomerase activity was detected in spleen, thymus, digestive tract, and gonads. We conclude that factors that modify telomere attrition and aging in humans may also operate in the macaque.
Volume
62
Issue
4
First Page
367
Last Page
374
ISSN
1079-5006
Published In/Presented At
Gardner, J. P., Kimura, M., Chai, W., Durrani, J. F., Tchakmakjian, L., Cao, X., Lu, X., Li, G., Peppas, A. P., Skurnick, J., Wright, W. E., Shay, J. W., & Aviv, A. (2007). Telomere dynamics in macaques and humans. The journals of gerontology. Series A, Biological sciences and medical sciences, 62(4), 367–374. https://doi.org/10.1093/gerona/62.4.367
Disciplines
Medicine and Health Sciences
PubMedID
17452729
Department(s)
Department of Medicine
Document Type
Article