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Telomerase activation in the treatment of aging or degenerative diseases: a systematic review

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Abstract

Telomeres are protective structures that are shortened during the lifetime, resulting in aging and degenerative diseases. Subjects experiencing aging and degenerative disorders present smaller telomeres than young and healthy ones. The size of these structures can be stabilized by telomerase, an enzyme which is inactive in adult tissues but functional in fetal and newborn tissues and adult testes and ovaries. The aim of this study was to perform a systematic review to evaluate the effect of telomerase activation in the treatment of degenerative and aging disorders. We accomplished the search using the Pubmed interface for papers published from September 1985 to April 16th, 2020. We found twenty one studies that matched our eligibility criteria. I concluded that telomerase is probably a potential and safe treatment for aging and degenerative diseases, demonstrating neither side effects nor risk of cancer in the selected studies. Further studies in humans are needed to confirm safety and efficiency of this treatment.

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  1. Laboratory of Retrovirology, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology, Federal University of São Paulo, Pedro de Toledo Street 781, 16th Floor, Retrovirology, Vila Clementino, São Paulo, SP, CEP: 04039-032, Brazil

    P. Prieto-Oliveira

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Prieto-Oliveira, P. Telomerase activation in the treatment of aging or degenerative diseases: a systematic review. Mol Cell Biochem 476, 599–607 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11010-020-03929-x

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