[Johnnyvee]

(06-20-2018 02:52 PM)MrLemon Wrote:  

(06-06-2018 07:24 PM)Johnnyvee Wrote:  

Short update:

I`ve talked to some credible people in the life-extension community, and it seems that after some delay they have started to produce the large quantities needed of the gene therapy vector (AAV) for 1-5 participants. (Unclear how many exactly will get the therapy in the first run through.)

But the trial, or the administration of the telomerase gene is set to commence soon as far as I`ve understood. It`s a small cohort of course, but remember that we`re talking about Alzheimer patients in the age range of 75 to late 80`s, that are willing to pay >a million dollars to have a chance at age (and Alzheimer`s disease) reversal. It`s also a relatively risky trial with many unknowns and potentially dangerous side effects. Little is known about the long term consequences of these therapies, although Liz Parrish, as I mentioned in the OP, who received the therapy 2 years ago seems to be doing great, and the therapy seems to be working as expected. It will be very exciting to see the results of the first tests if/when they eventually go through with it. Probably quite soon. Will keep you posted when I hear of any new developments.

I don't know much but would like to contribute this.

One of the issues as I understand it, with aging, is the body's inability to provide enough "resources" to have a healthy immune system. In other words the body doesn't have enough manufacturing areas for white blood cells and other immune system elements. Same problem with growth items...new cell creation, glucose, raw materials.

Without the immune system strength, cancers proliferate. To prevent cancer, the body reduces growth factors in the bloodstream, which makes the body weaker and frailer, although it does reduce the death rate, it does so by making life suck.

It isn't just telomeres -- the body literally has fatty deposits in the bone marrow which slowly limit red blood cell creation for example.

This is why some people are exploring blood sharing. Using a young animal, let's say a young cloned mouse, to share blood with an older animal, an old mouse. The young mouse's stronger immune system and growth factors help maintain the old mouse's muscles and proteins and neurons longer.

This isn't really life extension...it's life enhancement. Inevitably the old animal will eventually just collapse because it can no longer be propped up by the younger animal's body. But it can stay stronger and healthier for a longer time. Keep the body of a 50 year old till you're 110 for example.

This is my paraphrasing of the issue, and I'm not that deep into it.

Any thoughts?

Some good points, but immune cells become apoptotic/senescent/cancerous (leukemia) precisely because they have short telomeres. Also the immune function is reduced as you mentioned as a consequence of the ageing leukocytes, predisposing you for basically all disease. (This is also the cause of AIDS btw, via the HIV virus (and/or other elements) ageing the immune system. AIDS is simply short white blood cell telomeres.)

The reason old mice are rejuvenated from interchanging blood with young mice is via the old mice receiving cells (mostly immune cells) with longer telomeres from the younger mice. The young mice won`t get older since they have stem cell reserves with long telomeres again. Stem cells don`t have much telomerase transcription, only embryonic stem cells do, so they will deplete in time also.