Progress of telomere and dementia.docVIP

 PAGE \* MERGEFORMAT 13 Progress of telomere and dementia [Keywords:] Telomere; telomerase; Alzheimer disease 85 years old suffer from Alzheimer’s disease elderly (AD) the probability of up to 40% (1). AD, as a age-related diseases, in addition classical senile plaques and neurofibrillary entanglement, but also with neurons apoptosis and abnormal aging central nervous system are closely linked. telomere aging clock for cells, was considered to be closely related with the AD, however, whether telomerase can be used as biomarkers of AD, the remaining disputes. This article telomere and research progress of AD are reviewed. A telomeres and telomerase Telomeres are present in the eukaryotic chromosome ends special cap-like structure, usually rich in G of the DNA repeats and associated protein composition. Telomere structure is species-specific, human telomeric DNA by the (TTAGGG) sequence number made repeated, about 5 ~ 15 kb. each DNA replication are associated with telomere loss, the general loss of speed of 50 ~ 200 bp / second, telomere shortening is considered to be the biological clock of cell division. telomeres has important biological functions: chromosome stability; prevent chromosome end fusion; protection chromosome structural gene; determine cell life. the aging process of progressive telomere shortening is considered to be a special kind of DNA damage. relative to other forms of DNA damage, which come from the ends of chromosomes is difficult to chronic DNA damage repair. In normal human cells, telomeres as cells divide and the progressive shortening, when a certain level, cells will be apoptosis. telomere damage accumulation in the cells, sustained activation of signaling pathway causes cells to age (2). Telomerase complex from the RNA, telomerase catalytic subunit of telomerase associated protein TRET and some, such as TRF 1, TRF 2, TEP 1 composition. TRET is a reverse transcriptase activity of the protein is a key part of telomer