Mice regain ability to extend telomeres suggesting potential for dyskeratosis congeni...(ing explains Harrington. In this st...),Health

In this study, researchers interbred mice with only one functional TERT allele for up to 14 generations to observe telomere length and integrity. Initial generations of the inbred mtert mice had telomeres that were significantly shorter than those of normal mice but they did not develop DKC-like symptoms because the short telomere caps were sufficient to prevent chromosomal instability. In later generations, the telomeres in the mTert mice regained normal lengths, showing that an equilibration process eventually occurs after 12-14 generations.

"This was initially a puzzling finding; we examined and re-examined this phenomenon intensively over three years, using different experimental designs to be sure that the results were reproducible," says Harrison.

The authors speculate that the equilibration mechanism they observed might already occur in humans and may protect normal human stem cells from telomere erosion. They also suggest that activation of a similar equilibration process in the cells of DKC-affected patients could reduce disease symptoms. It could be a useful adjuvant to cancer therapy in DKC and cancer patients generally.

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