Journal of Stem Cell Research & Therapy

Abstract

The Quest for Immortality: Introducing Metadichol^® a Novel Telomerase Activator

Palayakotai R Raghavan

Humans are keenly aware of their mortality. Given a limited time what we do with our life is a reflection of knowledge of our mortality. In 2009 the Nobel prize in medicine to Jack W Szostak, Elizabeth Blackburn, Carol W Greider for their work on Telomerase scientific research exploded in this area. Telomere and Telomerase protect chromosome ends the enzyme that maintains this. This activity of Telomerase is essential in cancer, aging and stem cells and achieving longer life spans.

Telomerase is expressed in 85% of human cancer cell lines, but its enzymatic activity is not detectable in most human somatic cells which constitute the vast majority of the cells in the human body. There is a need for increased telomerase activity in stem cells for use in the treatment of therapies where there is an active role for telomerase. Umbilical Cord Blood (UCB) provides an attractive source of stem cells for research and therapeutic uses. Work present here characterizes the gene expression changes from Umbilical cord cells differentiate toward telomerase on treatment with Metadichol^®.

Metadichol^® is a nanoemulsion of long-chain alcohols that is nontoxic. It is a mixture of long-chain alcohols derived from food. Since it expresses the Klotho gene which inhibits cancer cells it has fulfills the need for a safe telomerase inhibitor that reduces the risk of cancer. The work presented here is about the effect of Metadichol^® on Telomerase expression profile in Umbilical cord cells. Our results using q-RT-PCR show increases of mRNA telomerase expression by Sixteen-fold at one picogram but down-regulates expression at higher concentrations of 100 pg, 1 ng, 100 ng and one microgram per ml concentration. Western blot studies showed expression of Telomerase protein which is slightly higher than control at one picogram, i.e., Telomerase protein expression continues at replacement level. This expression in vivo of mRNA is a new therapeutic pathway to mitigating diseases should be off of interest to researchers that is tantamount to making our bodies a drug factory. Since it is devoid of toxic effects, it can be directly tested on humans and is in use today as an immune boosting supplement. Metadichol^® increases expression of Klotho an anti-aging gene expression in cancer cell lines by Four to Ten-fold, and Klotho gene has been documented to inhibits the growth of cancer cells. Metadichol^® also inhibits TNF, ICAM1, CCL2, and BCAT1 which that is associated with proliferation in yeast and increased metastatic potential in human cancers. It paves the way for safe clinical testing and research and study of Telomerase biology and its use in humans.