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Researchers investigate treatment of renal fibrosis by showing that it is caused by telomere shortening

Posted in biotech/medical, life extension

Might interest some, mentions telomeres.

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Aging is a common factor in many diseases. So, what if it were possible to treat them by acting on the causes of aging or, more specifically, by acting on the shortening of telomeres, the structures that protect chromosomes? This strategy is being pursued by the Telomeres and Telomerase Group of the Spanish National Cancer Research Centre (CNIO), which has already succeeded in curing pulmonary fibrosis and infarctions in mice by lengthening telomeres. Now they take a first step towards doing the same with renal fibrosis by demonstrating that short telomeres are at the origin of this disease, which is also associated with aging.

The new study will be published this week in the journal Nature Aging.

Renal fibrosis is the most common cause of kidney failure, a disease that can currently only be treated by dialysis. It is characterized by excessive scarring of the tissue, which hardens and loses its functionality.

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