Bob, Combining what the article says and what you says suggests to me that some childhood stress can reduce the risk of cancer. Is this a reasonable inference?
harry On Sat, Apr 12, 2014 at 3:46 PM, Bob Cook <[email protected]> wrote: > Additional information on telomere shortening: > > Telomerase, an enzyme maintaining the telomeres of eukaryotic chromosomes, > is active in most human cancers and in germline cells but, with few > exceptions, not in normal human somatic tissues. Telomeres on cancer cell > chromosomes do not shorten at each cell division, unlike normal cells > which eventually die because of multiple cell divisions. > > Thus, telomere maintenance is essential to the replicative potential of > malignant cells. The inhibition of telomerase can lead to telomere > shortening and cessation of unrestrained proliferation of cancer cells and > death of cancer cells. > > The normal shortening also is thought to be a function of the immune > system in allowing immune system identification of virus infected cells and > immunization of healthy cells from attack by the virus. > > Since cancer cells do not respond to this immunization process to protect > themselves, (they do not give up part of their telomeres upon > dividing) they can be attacked by viruses and killed. > > If one's body is immune to a virus, cancer cells in that body may not be > immune. For example, vaccinia virus, used for small pox vaccination, will > attack cancer cells and cause them to die out, however, the virus does not > attack normal cells of the immunized body. > > This understanding of cell replication and the function of shortening > telomeres has lead to a cancer treatment using common viruses to > selectively attack cancer cells. Complete recovery from cancer--a > cure--seemed apparent. Side effects were nil. > > > > Bob > . > > > ----- Original Message ----- > *From:* H Veeder <[email protected]> > *To:* [email protected] > *Sent:* Saturday, April 12, 2014 11:24 AM > *Subject:* [Vo]:OT: Stress alters children's genomes > > Stress alters children's genomes > > Poverty and unstable family environments shorten chromosome-protecting > telomeres in nine-year-olds. > > http://www.nature.com/news/stress-alters-children-s-genomes-1.14997 > >
