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Telomere Parameters in Patients With Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver

NCT01694342 · Status: UNKNOWN · Type: OBSERVATIONAL · Enrollment: 30

Last updated 2012-09-27

No results posted yet for this study

Summary

Telomerase, through its regulatory function on telomere length may play an important role in immune function, cellular replicative life span, and carcinogenesis. Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is considered a benign condition, but in some cases, it may progress to cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. The risk factors for that evolution are not fully understood.

Our group showed in a previous study, that hTERT mRNA expression is lower in peripheral lymphocytes of patients with fatty liver, compared to healthy controls. This finding could explain the telomere shortening found previously in these patients by our group \[20\] and others \[21\]. Furthermore, we found higher rates of TC in these patients, probably due to an attempt to counteract the shortening of the telomeres and to stabilize them. This is through a different mechanism that is not telomerase-mediated.

Telomere capture is considered an alternative way to maintain telomere length and chromosomal stability \[3\]. It is a more common mechanism for chromosome stabilization and repair, in contrast to the telomerase-mediated process of chromosome healing and elongation This study aimed to evaluate mechanisms of telomere homeostasis like telomere shortening, telomerase activity, telomere capture and aneuploidy in patients with NAFLD in order to explain previous findings of telomere shortening in these patients.

Conditions

Sponsors & Collaborators

  • Meir Medical Center

    lead OTHER

Eligibility

Min Age
18 Years
Max Age
75 Years
Sex
ALL
Healthy Volunteers
Yes

Timeline & Regulatory

Start
2012-09-30

Countries

  • Israel

Study Locations

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Entities

Diseases

Read the full study record

This page highlights key information. For complete eligibility criteria, study locations, investigator contacts, and the full protocol, visit the original record on ClinicalTrials.gov.

View NCT01694342 on ClinicalTrials.gov