Department of Pathology and Geriatrics Center, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-2200, USA.
J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci. 2012 May;67(5):495-502. doi: 10.1093/gerona/gls082. Epub 2012 Mar 28.
Individual mutations in mice can slow aging: They extend life span by retarding a wide range of harmful, age-dependent changes in multiple cells and tissues. Evolutionary changes-by definition, changes in DNA sequence-can lead to even more dramatic postponement of age-dependent deterioration. Genetic variation within a species, for example among breeds of dogs, can also lead to major changes in aging rate, although there is not yet any strong evidence for similar genetic variation that modulates aging in rodents or humans. This essay compares different strategies for using genetic information to clarify questions in biogerontology, suggesting an emphasis on genes that can retard multiple forms of age-dependent dysfunction in parallel.
它们通过延缓多种细胞和组织中广泛存在的有害的、与年龄相关的变化来延长寿命。进化变化——从定义上讲,是 DNA 序列的变化——可以导致与年龄相关的恶化进一步推迟。例如,在狗的不同品种之间,物种内的遗传变异也可以导致衰老速度的重大变化,尽管目前还没有强有力的证据表明类似的遗传变异可以调节啮齿动物或人类的衰老。本文比较了利用遗传信息来阐明生物衰老学问题的不同策略,建议强调那些能够同时延缓多种与年龄相关的功能障碍的基因。