Say thanks to your Telomerase if you look younger than your age naturally!!!

Did you know that people who look younger than their age also live a longer and healthy life that those who look older than their years ? It's true!

You already know that your cells reproduce by dividing in two. From the moment of conception until the final minutes of life, the trillions of cells in your body are regenerating through this process. Over the course of your early years, your cells continue to divide at will with little change in overall health and longevity. This is how the growth process unfolds: Your body is constantly rebuilding, repairing and renewing itself.

The prestigious journal Nature published a groundbreaking article in 1990 that introduced the world to an explanation of the genetic mechanism that involves something called the "Telomere". 

Telomeres and Telomerase

Telomeres are the special structures that prevent the continous loss of DNA at the end of the chromosomes during the course of replication and telomerase is the enzyme that adds the telomeric repeats to the end of your DNA . Telomere is also your biological clock. Each time your cells divide, a small end portion of the telomere is not copied making your telomeres shorter and shorter overtime.
https://www.tasciences.com/what-is-a-telomere/ 

As they shorten with each new division, they cause the chromosomes to fold differently exposing a diffrernt portion of your genome.This is how you can be so different at 72 than you were at 2. This process eventually signals to your cells to "grow old" and stop dividing and that cell line dies off.

Nutritional affects to grow younger

A growing body of research is showing that  certain Nutrients play a huge role in protecting or even increasing, telomere length, thereby affecting longevity.

Researches also found that women who use vitamin b12 supplements have longer telomeres than those who don't. Vitamin D3, Zinc , iron, omega-3 fatty acids, and vitamin C and E also influence telomere length. 

Top 12 anti-aging nutrients

1. Vitamin D
2. Astaxanthin
3. Ubiquinol ( CoQ10)
4.  Fermented foods/probiotics
5. Krill Oil
6. Vitamin K2
7. Magnesium
8. Polyphenols ( Grapes, Cacao, Green tea)
9. Folate ( aka Vitamin B9, Or Folic acid)
10. Vitamin B12
11. Curcumin ( Turmeric)
12. Vitamin A

https://foodandnutrition.org/blogs/stone-soup/protecting-telomeres-right-food/ 

 

https://www.livestrong.com/article/506649-foods-that-boost-telomeres-telomerase/ 

Telomerase as a useful target in cancer fighting

Telomerase was a relevant factor that distinguishes cancer from normal cells. It appeared that its expression and activity is not only limited to cancer cells however, but in this particular cells, the telomerase is much more adundant. Thus, it has become a very-promising target for an anti-cancer therapy. Telomerase is one of the crucial factor to study in oder to improve the cancer diagnostics and therapy or prevention.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3370415/

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/04/170403083123.htm

https://www.fitnessmagazine.com/weight-loss/plans/anti-aging/the-best-anti-aging-foods/ 

https://www.livestrong.com/slideshow/545202-20-anti-aging-foods/ 

 

 

Researches States the Present status of DNA Vaccines As New Generation Vaccines

Not yet a Reality!

 Vaccination is the phenomenon of preventive immunization. In the modern concept, the administration (injection or oral) of antigen to elicit an antibody response that will protect the organism against future infections. "It took nearly 100 years for the scientist to clearly understand the basis of small pox immunity."

We now know that cowpox viruses (vaccinia) inoculated by Jenner, stimulate the body's immune system to produce antibodies which neutralize the cowpox as well as small pox viruses. The present day vaccines which are more refined work in a similar fashion.

Many communicable diseases ( small pox, cholera, typhoid, tuberculosis, poliomyelitis) have been brought under the control through vaccination. However, as on today, for several diseases, there are no vaccines e.g., AIDS, leprosy, filariasis.

Recombinant DNA technology in recent years, has become a boon to produce new generation vaccines. It has very stringent regulatory requirements to use in humans, these are first tried in animals, and it may take some more years before most of them are approved for use in humans.

"India is the fourth country ( after USA, France and Belgium) in the world to develop an indigenous hepatitis B vaccine. It was launched in 1997, and is now being used."  Biotechnologists have been successful in inserting hepatitis B gene into tomato plant. These genetically engineered plants produce hepatitis B antigens. The day may not be far off to get immunized against hepatitis B by having a tomato with Lunch!

Genetic Immunization 

The immune response in the body was stimulated by DNA molecule. Genetic immunization by using a DNA vaccines is a novel approach that came into being in 1990. By screening the DNA fragments of the pathogenic genome, it is possible to choose one or few DNA vaccines that can offer maximal immune protection.

Edible plant DNA vaccines serve as a cheap and safe production systems. The first clinical trials in humans, using a plant-derived vaccine were conducted in 1997. This involved the ingestion of transgenic potatoes with a toxin of E.coli causing diarrhea. Some success was reported.

The fate of the DNA vaccine in the host cells is not yet clear. There is a possibility of this DNA getting integrated into the host genome and this may interrupt the normal functions. There also exists a danger of cancer due to DNA vaccines.

Potato is also used as a vechicle foe cholera vaccine. A group workers have developed a gene altered potato containing attenuated cholera vaccine. These potatoes when fed to mice induced immunity against cholera.

Importance of Vaccines

Vaccine primes the body to attack an infecting pathogen. The body develops immunity. Infectious diseases are prevented. Certain diseases are treated. Eg. Diptheria, tetanus etc. Snake bite is treated . Small pox, polio, etc. are eradicated from humans by vaccines. No need for booster dose.

  References

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DNA_vaccination 

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3202319/ 

https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/715527_8 

https://www.omicsonline.org/open-access/dna-vaccines-how-much-have-we-accomplished-in-the-last-25-years-2157-7560-1000283.php?aid=55732 

 

Here is the Mini Testing device Lab on your hand for the Early diagnosis of cancer!!

 Molecular messengers between cells

Birth, life and death involve the integration of complex array of biosignals that living cells sense and process to respond to adopt the modifications of their environment.

The signals sent and received by the cells during their whole existence are essential for the harmonious development of tissues, organs and bodies. They also control movement, thought and behavior.

Dysfunctioning of these cell networks is associated with pathological situations that can range from abnormal proliferations to death.

Deciphering the molecular basis for the coordinated treatment biological signals is a challenge. It will provide better insight into the processes controlling biological activities such as growth , differentiation and quiesence. It will also open the road for new therapies in order to fight with diseases resulting from improper signalling.

Numerous studies have permitted to decipher the various steps of signal transduction, i.e. the propagation of chemical signals, from the outside of the cell to the nucleus and establish their critical function in the maintenance of normal cell behavior. Because of their key role in the control of normal life, and because alterations of the signal transduction pathways have been associated to the development of many types of pathologies including cancer, these processes have been the subject of thousands of publication.

Lab-on-a-chip

Yong Zeng, assistant professor of chemistry at the University of Kansas and his fellow researchers developed the lab-on-a-chip initially for early detection of lung cancer- the number-one cancer killer in the U.S.

Lung cancer is currently detected mostly with an invasive biopsy, after tumors are larger than 3 centimeters in diameter and even metastatic. 

" Using the lab-on-chip, lung cancer could be detected much earlier, using only a drop of a patients's blood, according to Zeng."

Developing blood-based tests is appealing for non-invasive disease diagnosis, especially when biopsy is difficult, costly, and sometimes not even an option. Tumour- derived exosomes have attracted increasing interest in non-invasive cancer diagnosis and monitoring of treatment response.

A new microfluidic approach was developed to streamline and expedite the exosome analysis pipeline by integrating specific immunoisolation and targeted protein analysis of circulating exosomes. 

This technique provides a general platform to detect tumour-derived exosomes for cancer diagnosis. The device is made up of widely used silicone rubber called polydimethylsiloxane and uses a technique called "on- chip-immunoisolation".

We can foresee that the microfluidic exosome analysis platform will form the basis of  critically needed infrastructure for advancing the biology and clinical utilization of exosomes.

References

 https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/diagnosis-staging/diagnosis

https://tmrresearchblog.com/increased-government-initiatives-propel-exosome-diagnostic-therapeutic-market/ 

https://biosignaling.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1478-811X-1-3 

https://www.cancer.net/navigating-cancer-care/diagnosing-cancer/tests-and-procedures 

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/cancer/in-depth/cancer-diagnosis/art-20046459 

 

why popular one of the " Big Five " animal is now extinct?

 

"Rhinos are the one of the oldest group of mammals, virtually living fossil fuels. They play an important role in their habitats and rhinos are an important source of income in ecotourism".

Rhino horns are valuable in some east Asian countries. There is a belief that the horn possesses medicinal properties. These beliefs however, hold no scientific weight.

The growing demand from the Asian market is the main threat to all Rhino species. While the southern Rhinos is not endangered because of successful conservation efforts. 

Illegal wildlife trade

International trade in Rhino has been banned under the convention on international trade in endangered species of Fauna & Flora (CITES). A global agreement between governments to follow rules to monitor, regulate or ban international trade in species under threat - since 1977, demand remain high and fuels rhino poaching in both africa and asia.

Criminal syndicates link the killing fields in the country like south africa through a series of transit points and smuggling channels to the final destination in Asia.

 The main markets are now in countries like vietnam and china where Rhino has become a party drug, a health supplement and a hangover cure. In, vietnam there is also a newly emerged belief that Rhino horn cures cancer.

Habitat loss

As economic development, logging, agricultural degrade and destroy wildlife habitats, Rhino populations are declining.

Those remaining Rhinos live in fragmented, isolated areas and are prone to inbreeding, as healthy genetic mixing is more difficult among smaller groups.

Disease can also spread rapidly through these highly- concentrated populations. The increase in human population also puts pressure on Rhino habitats as well, shrinking the living space  for Rhinos and increasing the livelihood of contact with humans - often with fatal results.

" The recovery of the greater one horned Rhino is among the greatest conservation success stories in Asia. However, the species remarkable recovery has been constrained by a lack of adequate habitat".

"Currently, 85% of all greater one-horned Rhinos are concentrated in just two locations in India and Nepal".  

Measures for protection

To ensure protection, establishment of new population by translocating Rhino to protected areas with suitable habitat within the species historic range. Translocating will also allow to expand into new territories and will also decrease densities, leading to increased breeding rates. 

Systematic monitoring programs to measure the health and status of resident and newly translocated Rhinos and supporting effective anti-poaching measures.

 Does goodbye to the last male northern white rhinoceros mean the end of the species?

And now the last male has died. So, what does that mean for the future of the northern white rhino? Well, it's not looking good, but all is not lost. While neither Najin nor Fatu has been deemed able to carry a baby to term, over the years, sperm has been banked from northern white rhino males not related to either female. 

Scientists are hoping to use in vitro fertilization to fertilize the eggs of the two females and implant them into southern white rhino female surrogates. Although in vitro fertilization is commonly successful in humans and cows, it hasn't yet succeeded with a rhino.
It will obviously require heroic, and perhaps ultimately fruitless, efforts to save the northern white rhino, but maybe the endeavor will lead to breakthroughs that will save even a few of the thousands of species currently facing extinction.

Some white- Rhino facts    

• Square lipped
• They are the largest five- Rhino species.
• Their distinctive feauture are a hump on the back, a square broad lip used for grazing & three toes of each foot.
• They can grow upto 4 meters long and upto 1.5 meter in length. Their weight typically ranges between 1.3 - 3.6 tones for adults.
• They have two horns made of keratin ( the same as in the human teeth) with the front horn reaching an average of 90 cm in length.  

References

http://www.walkthroughindia.com/wildlife/7-best-national-park-spot-one-horned-rhinos-india/ 

https://www.theonion.com/michelle-obama-seen-outside-walking-family-rhinoceros-1819575131 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhinoceros 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_rhinoceros 

https://www.britannica.com/animal/rhinoceros-mammal 

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/03/20/science/rhino-sudan-extinct.html 

https://edition.cnn.com/2018/03/20/opinions/sudan-rhino-death-opinion-filipovic/index.html 

 

Why you need to ban GM foods and not so rigid when it comes to the use of medically derived products

Food Biotechnology- Public acceptance

In general, Public have a negative attitude towards the biotechnology based foods,particularly involving genetic manipulations. For,these reason, the application of genetic engineering techniques for food biotechnology is rather slow.

Several factors influence the public acceptance,these include type of biotechnology adopted,the regulatory procedures, economics of the people and consumer acceptance.

Recombinant foods and religious beliefs

Some of the ethical concerns of the use of recombinant foods are related to religious beliefs, besides of food habits, For instance,

1. Transfer of pig genes into sheep may offend the sentiments of Jews and muslims.
2. Introduction of animal genes in to food plants may invite opposition by strict vegetarians.
3. Transfer of human genes to food animals may be unacceptable to some people.
4. Feeding of human gene containing organisms to animals sounds in bad taste ( at present, the genetically modified yeast that produce recombinant proteins after their use, are fed to animals.

The religious group in general, are selective about the foods to be eaten.

However, they are not so rigid when it comes to the use of medically derived products. For instance, Jews and muslims may accept pig -derived insulin for use in diabetic patients.

This is due to the fact that all religions faiths consider human life is the most valuable, and its preservation the first priority.

Further, the general belief in that human body is violated only by oral consumption and not by injection or surgical interventions.

                                                Everyday you eat genes !

"Everyday, we eat plants and animals and various products derived from them, besides a large number of bacteria".

In other words, we regularly consume genetic material, the DNA , organized into genes in various organisms! so far, no one has attempted to categorize genes as vegetarians and non-vegetarians, as we do for foods!!

                                                 Safety of GM foods 

 

The production of transgenic plants and animals by genetic engineering technique has now become routine. These organisms will enter the food chain in the form of genetically modified foods (GM foods)

Some social and environmental groups are against the consumption of GM foods. These people insist that the GM foods should be specifically labelled. 

As regards the safety of GM foods, opinions range from one extreme that they are absolutely safe, and improve human nutrition to the other that they should not be consumed at all. Most of the people have opinions somewhere between these two extremes.

References

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religious_views_on_genetically_modified_foods

http://www.fao.org/fileadmin/user_upload/gmfp/resources/CXG_068e.pdf

http://www.who.int/foodsafety/publications/report-biotech/en/

http://www.foodinsight.org/Background_on_Food_Biotechnology

https://www.thebalance.com/food-biotechnology-375627

 

Don't imagine like you have a cancer : An imaginary cancer is incurable

Cancer is the leading cause of death throughout the world

Oncogenes are the genes that are responsible for cancer. some people have an increased risk of particular types of cancer because they have an inherited gene fault.

Genes are coded messages that tells cells how to behave. They control how our bodies grow and develop. we each have about 25000 genes.

All cancers develop because something has gone wrong with one or more of the genes in a cell. A change in a gene is called a ‘fault’ or ‘mutation’. Usually a cell must have 6 or more gene faults before it becomes cancerous.

These faults can make a cell stop working properly. It may then become cancerous and divide and grow uncontrollably. Most gene changes happens during our life time but some can be inherited from the parents.

Cancers due to inherited faulty genes are much less common than cancers due to gene changes caused by aging or other factors. Most cancers develop because of a combination of chance and our environment, not because we have inherited a specific cancer gene.

Genetics specialists estimate that only about 2 or 3 in every 100 cancers 

diagnosed (2 to 3%) are linked to an inherited gene fault.

We've all wondered whether an ache or pain could be the sign of something more sinister. For most of us it's a fleeting worry, quickly forgotten when the symptom disappears. For hypochondriacs, however, that sense of anxiety never goes away. Then there's psychosomatic illness: when people unconsciously think themselves ill.
 

 

'I think I've probably thought I had cancer in nearly every part of my body, from skin cancer, breast cancer, bone cancer, lymphoma, leukaemia. I also sometimes worry about other conditions like MS or motor neurone disease, meningitis, septicaemia ... but cancer is the biggest worry that I have '

'Everything that happens to us, like crying and laughter, is a physical response to an emotional thing,''When we laugh, our diaphragm contracts and our breathing changes and our muscles in our face scrunch up and tears come from our eyes.'

Something is happening in the brain, but we don't understand it yet.'
 

 Gene therapy for cancer

 

Advances in biochemistry and molecular biology have helped to understand the genetic basis of inherited diseases. It was the dream of the researchers to replace the defective genes with good ones and cure the genetic disorder.

Initial experiments on gene therapy are carried out in animals, then in humans. obviously, the goal of the researches is to benefit the mankind & improve their health.

Anti sense therapy 

 

The dominantly acting oncogenes can be targeted in antisense technology by using antisense transgenes or oligonucleotides. Antisense oligonucleotides are used for the treatment of myeloid leukemia in as early as 1991.

This an be done by blocking the translation of target mRNA and inhibits the protein synthesis which is responsible for cell division.

Anitsense mRNA therapy was tried for the treatment of a brain tumour namely malignant glioma and cancer of prostate gland.

Theoritically, gene therapy is the permanent solution for genetic disorders. But it is not as simple as it appears since gene therapy has several inbuilt complexcities. The story does not ends by replacing oncogenes with new genes.

"It is absolutely essential to ensure that the gene is harmless to the patient and it is appropriately expressed "

" Too much or too little will be no good"

 Another concern in gene therapy is the body's immune system which reacts to the foreign proteins produced by the new genes.

" The public in general have an exaggerated expectations on gene therapy. The researchers,atleast for the present,are unable to satisfy them".