Scientists have discovered why certain organs, like the liver, age faster than others.
A research team from the University of Geneva (UNIGE) and the University of Bern (UNIBE) found that hidden mutations in non-coding DNA play a significant role in speeding up the aging process in organs that don’t renew their cells as frequently, such as the liver and kidneys.
Their study, published in the journal Cell, sheds new light on how different organs age at different rates and could lead to ways to slow down the aging process.
DNA, the blueprint for our cells, contains both coding regions (genes) and non-coding regions that help regulate the genome.
Our cells constantly face damage from both external and internal factors, and they have repair systems to fix these problems.
However, errors in coding DNA are easier for the body to detect, while errors in non-coding DNA often go unnoticed—especially in organs where cell renewal happens infrequently.
Organs like the skin and intestines regenerate their cells regularly, once or twice a week. This frequent renewal helps to catch and repair DNA errors before they build up.
But in slower-replicating organs like the liver or kidneys, cells divide only a few times a year. This means that damage in non-coding DNA can accumulate over time, leading to aging and cell malfunction.
To better understand this process, the research team led by Professor Thanos Halazonetis studied liver cells in mice.
The liver, which regenerates less frequently, was used as an ideal model for observing how DNA replication changes with age. By removing two-thirds of the liver from young and old mice, the scientists were able to study how the liver cells regenerated.
They discovered that DNA replication in liver cells starts in the non-coding regions, and these areas become less efficient as the mice age.
In older mice, the accumulation of DNA damage in these regions triggers an alarm system that prevents the cells from dividing properly, leading to aging and loss of function.
This discovery may help explain why organs like the liver age faster than others. In tissues that don’t renew as often, hidden DNA mutations build up, making it harder for cells to replicate and repair themselves.
The researchers hope that by finding ways to repair these hidden DNA mutations before cell replication is triggered, we could slow down the aging process in certain organs. This new understanding opens the door to potential treatments that could help delay the effects of aging.
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