Traffic pollution linked to DNA damage - children are more vulnerable

Children and teenagers exposed to high levels of traffic pollution were found to show signs of premature aging, according to new study. 

Researchers in California also found youngsters with asthma had higher levels of a pollutant caused by motor vehicle exhaust. Those with higher levels had a specific type of DNA damage called telomere shortening - the main cause of age-related break down of our cells.

Telomeres are vital to our health - they can be described as the caps at the end of each strand of DNA that protect our chromosomes, like the plastic tips at the end of shoelaces.

'Children may be especially vulnerable to the effects of telomeric DNA damage due to their physical development as well as developing immune system,' wrote Dr John Balmes from the University of California, Berkeley, and his colleagues who carried out the study published in the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine.

We already know how harmful outdoor air pollution is - it is responsible for about 3.7 million deaths a year according to the World Health Organization. 

Many previous studies have demonstrated that exposure is associated with heart and lung diseases - such as asthma, lung cancer, ischemic heart disease, and stroke. Despite this mounting evidence, the exact underlying mechanisms by which air pollutants cause this is not clear, the authors note. The new preliminary study suggests telomeres may be the key to understanding how pollution exposure leads to adverse health outcomes. 

The study analyzed 14 children and adolescents living in Fresno, California - the second-most polluted city in the US.

The researchers assessed the relationship between an 'ubiquitous' motor vehicle exhaust air pollutant called polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and shortening of telomeres.

As the exposure to PAHs increased, telomere length decreased. Children and teenagers with asthma were exposed to higher PAH levels than those without asthma.

The relationship between PAH level and telomere shortening remained significant after adjustments for asthma and other factors (age, sex, and race/ethnicity) weer made. 

Previous studies suggest that telomere length is linked to progression in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). 

It also suggests that children may have 'different telomere shortening regulation than adults' - which might make them more vulnerable to the damaging effects of air pollution.  

The authors wrote, 'Our results suggest that telomere length may have potential for use as a biomarker of DNA damage due to environmental exposures and/or chronic inflammation.

'Greater knowledge of the impact of air pollution at the molecular level is necessary to design effective interventions and policies.' 

Telomeres are shortened as we age, but telomeres can also be shortened by stress, smoking, obesity, lack of exercise and a poor diet, previous research has shown. 

[dailymail]

Also read: 

• Toxic air pollution particles found in human brains in “abundant” quantities
• The little-known dangers of EMFs and how to protect yourself
• Old food accelerates aging at a cellular level, study reveals

You can control your DNA with mindfulness meditation

A study published in Cancer suggests that our minds have a great influence on our bodies — more specifically on our DNA. Lead investigator Dr. Linda E. Carlson and her colleagues found that support group involvement and mindfulness meditation are associated with preserved telomere length in breast cancer patients.

Telomeres are the protective structures at the end of chromosomes. While their disease-controlling properties are not fully understood, we know that shortened telomeres are associated with cancer, diabetes, heart disease, high stress levels, and cell-aging, whereas longer telomeres are thought to prevent disease. In other words, we want our telomeres to maintain their length and strength. Deterioration is not ideal.

Apparently, meditation and support groups work against that deterioration.

"We already know that psychosocial interventions like mindfulness meditation will help you feel better mentally, but now for the first time we have evidence that they can also influence key aspects of your biology," said Carlson, in a press release.

For the study, 88 emotionally-distressed breast cancer survivors were divided into three groups. The first group was randomly assigned to an 8-week, Mindfulness-Based Cancer Recovery group; the second to a 12-week Supportive Expressive Therapy group in which they were encouraged to share their feelings; and the third was a control group in which they only received a 6-hour stress management course. The researchers analyzed the women's blood for telomere length before and after the sessions had been completed.

They found that telomere length was maintained in both treatment groups but shortened in the control group. However, they don't know how lasting the effects are. Carlson said that there is a need for further research is to see if the psychosocial interventions have a positive impact beyond the three-month study period.

"The meaning of the maintenance of telomere length in this study is unknown. However, I think that processing difficult emotions is important for both emotional and physical health, and this can be done both through group support with emotional expression, and through mindfulness meditation practice," Carlson told Scientific American.

One of the study's participants, Allison McPherson, who underwent a full year of chemotherapy and numerous surgeries, agrees with Carlson. She was placed in the mindfulness group. "I was skeptical at first and thought it was a bunch of hocus-pocus," she said, "But I now practice mindfulness throughout the day, and it's reminded me to become less reactive and kinder toward myself and others."

The therapeutic possibilities of the mind-body connection are now common knowledge. People use meditation to treat pain, sleep problems, and headaches, among countless other conditions. This study is groundbreaking because it brings our DNA into the picture. It supports the idea that while we can't control the genes we inherit, we can protect them — and possibly extend our lives — by altering our lifestyles.

[mindbodygreen]


Also read:

• Feel younger than your age? It may help you live longer
• People who view themselves as healthy are less susceptible to the common cold
• Want to live longer? Think positively!
• Is using the power of your MIND the best way to beat chronic pain?
• Harvard study shows meditation rebuilds brain's gray matter in 8 weeks
• Is meditation key to a youthful mind? Meditation could help brain become 7 years younger

That youthful glow? It's in your genetic makeup

If you look a little older than your age, your DNA may be to blame.

People who carried a specific gene looked 2 years older on average than those who did not carry this gene, according to a study, which was published in the journal Current Biology.

The study is the first time that "a gene has been found that explains, in part, why some people look older and others younger for their age," Manfred Kayser, a professor of forensic molecular genetics at Erasmus MC University Medical Center Rotterdam in the Netherlands and a senior author on the study, said in a statement.

The study was funded in part by Unilever, and although no specific products were tested by the researchers, the results could be used in the future to promote anti-aging products for Unilever.

Genetics and lifestyle factors, such as sun exposure and smoking, have long been known to affect how old a person looks. The new study aimed to examine the role of genetics in aging.

The researchers studied nearly 2,700 older Dutch adults. The researchers showed photos of the study participants to "assessors" who were asked to estimate the ages of the people in the photos. The researchers also analyzed the participants' DNA, looking at about 8 million tiny variations in total.

They found that one gene variation appeared to be associated with a slightly older appearance, even after age, sex, skin color, sun damage and wrinkles were taken into consideration, according to the study.

The researchers confirmed their results by looking at the DNA and appearance of participants in two additional studies.

The gene may affect inflammation in the body and the repair of damaged DNA, which could have an impact on how old a person looks, according to the study.

The researchers noted, however, that this is just one gene variant related to aging — there are likely many more genes that are involved in how old a person looks, they wrote in the study.

[livescience]

Also read: Why some diets might NOT work for you, 'success of different plans depends on your DNA'

Firm buys DNA data of Ogliastra locals to find out why many live past 100

While the average life expectancy worldwide is currently 71 years old, in one area of Sardinia, a huge number of residents are living past their 100th birthday. The reasons behind their longer lives are currently unknown, but scientists might soon be getting some answers.

A British biotechnology company has bought the genetic data of almost 13,000 residents in the Ogliastra area of Sardinia, Italy, in the hopes of unravelling the mystery.

Tiziana Life Science, which is mainly focused on cancer and immune diseases, has bought biological samples of residents to create a 'biobank' of data.

In Ogliastra, roughly one in every 2,000 people lives to celebrate their 100th birthday. This is about five times the rate in most developed countries, such as the UK and USA. 

To understand why this is the case, the company has bought more than 230,000 biological samples - such as frozen blood - from 12,600 residents. The samples have also been matched with medical reports, and official records such as death certificates dating back more than 400 years.

Mr Gabriele Cerrone, Tiziana's chairman and founder told the Financial Times that he hoped the data will provide information on how a long life expectancy is linked to both genetics and the environment.

Mr Cerrone said: 'Sardinia is renowned as one of only three regions in the world with an exceptionally high proportion of centenarians.

'The opportunity is to generate valuable insights into gene regulatory networks, genotype-phenotype linkage and gene-environment interactions that will feed into and inform our drug discovery and diagnostic programmes.'

Previous studies have suggested that people from certain parts of Japan and the Mediterranean live longer because of healthy diets rich in fish and vegetables and low in fats. However, some scientists are now challenging this theory, and are researching communities to explore what else could be the cause.

For example, another study is looking at centenarians who live in Acciaroli, a remote fishing village in the south of Italy. 

While the village has an extremely high proportion of people living past 100, many residents are overweight and smoke which suggests the reason they are living longer goes beyond diet. 

The explanation as to why people live longer in the Ogliastra is not going to be simple.

But with the company's background in cancer and immune diseases, a good start will be to search for genetic traits related to various diseases. 

Mr Cerrone said: 'We believe our management team have the capability, expertise and insights to discover new drugs and diagnostics to address important unmet medical needs using this biobank resource.'

Despite living long lives, the people of Ogliastra on average have a higher incidence of several diseases including asthma and osteoporosis.

Most of Ogliastra's residents are directly descended from the same group of people which should make it somewhat easier for scientists to pinpoint genetic patterns related to these diseases.   

Mr Cerrone told the Financial Times that the company would mine the biobank to see if specific genetic variations were responsible for the illnesses. 

This should help the company design specific drugs to treat them, or diagnostic tests that might be able to predict whether someone is likely to develop the conditions. 

[dailymail]

Also read: Why some diets might NOT work for you, 'success of different plans depends on your DNA'

Why some diets might NOT work for you, 'success of different plans depends on your DNA'

Scientists say that when it comes to losing weight, there is no one-size-fits-all set of instructions. Instead, different diets suit different people, depending on their DNA.

This means that while the latest miracle diet might help your friend drop a dress size, it could do you a fat lot of good.

And official weight loss advice may not help as many people as hoped.

Researcher William Barrington told a conference in Florida: ‘There is an overgeneralisation of health benefits or risks tied to certain diets.

'Our study showed that the impact of the diet is likely dependent on the genetic composition of the individual eating the diet, meaning that different individuals have different optimal diets.'

To make the find, Dr Barrington, of Texas A&M University, fed mice one of five different diets for six months.

Some were given a typical Western diet, others a traditional Japanese diet, a Mediterranean diet, a high-fat low-carb Atkin’s-like diet or normal mouse food.

Importantly, he used four different strains of mice, to mimic the genetic differences in four unrelated people.

All were allowed to eat as much as they wanted and their meals were made as realistic as possible, with rice and green tea extract part of the Japanese diet and red wine extract included in the Mediterranean plan.

Tests showed the creatures’ health varied greatly, with some strains faring better on some foods than others.

For instance, while a fatty, sugary Western diet fuelled obesity, the severity depended on the strain.

And one lucky strain seemed immune to the effects of eating badly, The Allied Genetics Conference heard.

Plus, some mice were healthier on everyday Western food than on the plan similar to the fat-heavy, carbohydrate-light, Atkin’s diet that has long been popular with slimmers.

Other mice liked the fatty food in the Atkin’s-like diet so much that they gorged on it and became obese.

Dr Barrington said: ‘Given the metabolic and genetic similarity of humans and mice, it is highly likely that the level of diversity of diet response seen in our study will also be observed in humans.’

‘We’ve largely viewed diet the same way for the last 100 years - assuming that there is one optimal diet.

‘Now that we’ve identified that this is likely not the case, I think that in the future we will be able to identify the genetic factors involved in the varying responses to diet and use those to predict diet response in humans.’

In other words, it might eventually be possible to pinpoint the best diet for an individual person by giving them a genetic test.

In the meantime, the researcher says we shouldn’t use his results as an excuse not to diet. Instead, we should persevere and if the first diet we try doesn’t work, try another one.

Dr Barrington said: ‘If one tries a diet and the results are not as they had hoped, it could be that particular diet is changing metabolism in a way that is not conducive to fat loss.

‘So, one should be open to changing diets if the results are not as expected.

‘What we are finding is that a diet may be great for one individual, but terrible for another.’

Matthew Capehorn, of the Rotherham Institute for Obesity, echoed the advice, saying ‘the secret to successful weight loss is to find what works for you’.

However, he cautioned that human obesity is much more complex, with everything from emotions to cooking skills affecting a person’s diet.

Dr Capehorn said: ‘In humans we have to face psychological hunger.

‘If after an evening meal we get the munchies after an hour or two, in front of the TV, this is psychological hunger, as physiologically we should be full for 6 to 8hrs.

‘Equally in a restaurant, we may actually be full after the starter but, because we have paid for the meal, we still eat the main course.

‘After that, and even although we are stuffed, we often give in to the temptation of the dessert.’

[dailymail]

Also read:

• A powerful reason to eat like the Greeks

• Vegetarians live four years longer, experts reveal

Astragalus: A super food that halts aging and revitalizes our DNA

There are many superfoods that when consumed as a part of your diet, have the ability to strengthen your immune system and in some cases, fight off a whole host of diseases.

One such food is the herb, Astragalus.

A mainstay of traditional Chinese medicine for centuries, astragalus is a herbal remedy derived from the dried roots of Astragalus membranaceus, a low-growing plant native to northern and eastern China. Used by itself and in combination with other herbal remedies, astragalus is reputedly versatile in its medicinal properties, earning it a reputation as an adaptogen, a substance that can help your body resist the debilitating effects of stress. Modern research has produced evidence that points to a number of health benefits for astragalus.

Revitalizes DNA

Astragalus has gained popularity recently as research has emerged about the possibility that it can protect DNA and increase longevity. Recent research has shown that Astragalus may protect the telomeres from degradation.

Flashback to freshman biology: Telomeres are attached to the end of chromosomes. During the DNA replication process, telomeres keep the DNA together (like how the plastic caps on the end of shoelaces keep them from unraveling). Every time DNA replicates, the telomeres get slightly shorter and eventually when they get small enough, the process of cell death begins. Research has linked this process of cell death to aging and cancer.

Astragalus is Good For Diabetics

Astragalus seems to be a decent food for diabetics. For a reson that’s not entirely clear patients who take astragalus exhibit better blood sugar control.

The different polysaccharides protect against radical scavengers, and the benefits astragalus provides to cellular health seem to carry over in its ability to metabolize different nutrients.

Anti-Cancer Properties

One avenue of research into cancer treatment has focused on finding substances that inhibit human cancer cells’ ability to spread by cutting off or sharply limiting their access to the blood supply they need to survive and proliferate. Researchers at Hong Kong Baptist University’s School of Chinese Medicine studied in vitro the effects of saponins — substances that produce a soapy lather when shaken with water — from astragalus on human gastric cancer cells. In an article in the June 2012 issue of “Journal of Ethnopharmacology,” researchers said their findings show that astragalus saponins have the potential to be developed into a chemotherapeutic agent for the treatment of advanced and metastatic gastric cancer.

Other Health Benefits of Astragalus Root

In addition to the above, there are many other reasons that you might want to take Astragalus. These may include, but are not limited to:

• Reduces metastatic spread increasing survival rates
• Helps with heart disease and high blood pressure 3/4
• Reduces inflammation
• Aids digestion
• Improves liver function
• Boosts the immune system
• Minimizes the side-effects of Chemotherapy
• Can be used as a general tonic
• Treats burns and abscesses
• Prevent common colds
• Respiratory infections
• Fibromyalgia
• Anemia
• Help with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
• Kidney disease

[naturalnews]

Is the ability to regenerate lost limbs lurking in our genes?

Study reveals hidden DNA that could be 'reawakened'

If a zebrafish loses a part of its fin, regeneration genes will kick in to regrow the tissue that was injured.

Researchers at Duke University have now uncovered the mechanism that activates these genes, to better understand what drives regeneration. These newfound 'enhancer elements' could be used to help mammals, including humans, regrow body parts, the researchers say.

The green signal in these images of an injured zebrafish heart and a fin indicate the activity of a gene that enhances tissue regeneration.

Many creatures have been observed as having the ability to regenerate tissue to repair damaged body parts, including zebrafish and salamanders. Mice and flies have also been found to contain regeneration genes, and even humans have been found to have 'counterparts,' to the genes that allow this type of tissue regrowth to happen.

In the new study, researchers sought to find out if DNA sequences exist to regulate the activity of these genes. These sequences would turn on regeneration genes in injured tissue and keep them on until regeneration is complete.

Zebrafish are able to repair damaged fins and even damaged heart tissue with genes called fibroblast growth factors and neuregulin 1, respectively.

The team discovered that in zebrafish, 'tissue regeneration enhancer elements' turn on the regeneration genes at the site of an injury. These could be engineered to allow other animals to regenerate, the researchers say.

'We want to know how regeneration happens, with the ultimate goal of helping humans realize their full regenerative potential,' said Kenneth D. Poss, PhD, senior author of the study and professor of cell biology at Duke University School of Medicine.

'Our study points to a way that we could potentially awaken the genes responsible for regeneration that we all carry within us.'

In zebrafish a gene called leptin b is turned on in injured fins or heart, discovered Junsu Kang, PhD, lead author of the study.

Scouring through thousands of base pairs around this gene, the researcher found distinct enhancer elements relating to each location.

By fusing the sequences to the two regeneration genes, the researcher created a zebrafish with superior fin and heart regeneration capabilities. The team then tested these elements on mice.

This revealed that the 'borrowed' enhancer elements from the zebrafish genome would turn on the regeneration genes in the injured paws and hearts of mice.

'We are just at the beginning of this work, but now we have an encouraging proof of concept that these elements possess all the sequences necessary to work with mammalian machinery after an injury,' said Poss.

As the capabilities progress, the researcher speculates that the elements could also be used in conjunction with genome-editing technologies to improve regeneration in mammals, including humans.

'We want to find more of these types of elements so we can understand what turns on and ultimately controls the program of regeneration,' said Poss.

This newly discovered element could one day help to repair and regrow damaged or missing body parts, the researcher says.

'There may be strong elements that boost expression of the gene much higher than others, or elements that activate genes in a specific cell type that is injured.

'Having that level of specificity may one day enable us to change a poorly regenerative tissue to a better one with near-surgical precision.'

[dailymail]