Martínez D E
Department of Biology, St. Lawrence University, Canton, New York 13617, USA.
Exp Gerontol. 1996 Nov-Dec;31(6):699-704. doi: 10.1016/s0531-5565(96)00099-x.
The disposable soma theory of senescence proposes that aging is the result of the accumulation of somatic damage with age resulting from insufficient somatic maintenance and repair. Comparative studies that show a positive correlation between longevity and DNA excision repair efficiency in mammals provide support for the theory but their validity has been questioned. A more satisfactory approach to investigate the role of somatic damage accumulation in aging would be to manipulate experimentally the levels of somatic repair and observe its effect on longevity. Here I report the results of studies in the asexual annelid Paranais litoralis where I have experimentally extended the worms' lifespan by subjecting them to repeated injury. I propose that repeated injury enhanced the normal level of repair of the worms, resulting in a rejuvenation of the soma. These results provide experimental support for the disposable soma theory of senescence.
衰老的一次性体细胞理论提出，衰老是由于体细胞维持和修复不足导致随着年龄增长体细胞损伤积累的结果。比较研究表明，哺乳动物的寿命与DNA切除修复效率之间存在正相关，这为该理论提供了支持，但其实效性受到了质疑。一种更令人满意的研究体细胞损伤积累在衰老中作用的方法是通过实验操纵体细胞修复水平，并观察其对寿命的影响。在此，我报告了对无性环节动物滨海伪带丝蚓的研究结果，在该研究中，我通过让它们反复受伤，实验性地延长了这些蠕虫的寿命。我提出，反复受伤提高了蠕虫的正常修复水平，从而使体细胞恢复活力。这些结果为衰老的一次性体细胞理论提供了实验支持。
