Vitamin D3, Lamin A, and Nuclear Envelope Integrity

January 29, 2025 1 Comment

Abstract

Multiple lines of evidence suggest that high-dose vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) can profoundly influence nuclear envelope integrity by modulating the expression and processing of lamin A—an essential nuclear scaffold protein that silences unneeded genes and maintains normal nuclear morphology. These effects are of particular interest in Hutchinson-Gilford progeria syndrome (HGPS), where a faulty lamin A (called progerin) drives accelerated aging, as well as in cancer cells that often downregulate lamin A to gain nuclear pliability. Recent in vitro work has shown that active vitamin D3 (1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 or calcitriol) reduces progerin production in HGPS cells while stabilizing critical DNA repair proteins such as BRCA1 and 53BP1, underscoring vitamin D’s broader role in genomic integrity. Furthermore, correcting lamin A deficits may force a shift from fermentative glycolysis (the Warburg effect) toward oxidative phosphorylation—supporting the metabolic theory that compromised mitochondrial function and a lax nuclear envelope go hand in hand in both cancer and progeria. This article also emphasizes the importance of supplementing vitamin K2 and magnesium when using high-dose vitamin D3 to avoid hypercalcemia.

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Posted in: D3

Back to the Future: How Cancer Cells and Stem Cells Recapture Their Ancestral Past.

Abstract
What if cancer cells are more than just rogue mutations—what if they represent a startling evolutionary throwback to our single-celled ancestors? In this paper, we uncover striking parallels between embryonic stem cells (ESCs) and cancer cells, focusing on their shared reliance on glycolysis (the Warburg effect), absence or minimal expression of lamin A, and capacity for indefinite self-renewal. We further reveal how these features mirror primordial life forms that predate Earth’s oxygenation. By exploring the evolutionary sequence—mitosis first, followed by sophisticated DNA repair and apoptosis—we illuminate how metabolic insufficiency in mitochondria can stall the apoptosis program, unleashing unregulated proliferation reminiscent of ancient single-celled behaviors. Building on Thomas Seyfried’s metabolic theory of cancer, we posit that restoring robust mitochondrial function might reverse cancer cells’ atavistic shift or even trigger their long-delayed cell death. From the subtle epigenetic changes that accompany mitotic chromosome segregation to the universal vulnerability of DNA under conditions of compromised energy, our synthesis bridges molecular biology, evolutionary theory, and clinical oncology. Readers will discover compelling evidence that cancer may be, at its core, a metabolic disease—one that seizes upon ancestral cellular states to circumvent modern-day apoptotic defenses. This perspective not only reframes our understanding of cancer’s origins but also promises novel therapeutic avenues targeting mitochondrial metabolism, inspiring us to look backward in order to move medicine forward.

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Evolution’s Suicide Switch: MAO-B Forces a Rethink of Darwin’s Legacy

January 6, 2025

Abstract
Monoamine Oxidase A (MAO-A) and Monoamine Oxidase B (MAO-B) are flavin-dependent enzymes that progressively increase with age in many tissues. It is proposed that both serve as “death genes,” depleting Flavin Adenine Dinucleotide (FAD) and thereby reducing mitochondrial energy production—mirroring the known action of CD38, which depletes Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide (NAD+). Although MAO-A retains certain developmental and sex-related roles, MAO-B appears to confer no clear early-life benefit and emerges as the first true, fully dedicated death gene documented. This discovery challenges classical evolutionary theories and suggests an unexpected “programming” of aging. The contrasting knockout phenotypes are detailed—dramatic aggression and neurotransmitter imbalance for MAO-A vs. subtle or minimal deficits for MAO-B. How the parallel depletion of NAD+ (by CD38) and FAD (by MAOs) undermines electron transport chain function in a near-symmetric manner is also examined. These findings open new therapeutic possibilities, including targeted inhibition of MAO-B (and MAO-A) and combined strategies preserving both NAD+ and FAD to mitigate age-related decline. This finding also calls into question a core principle of the selfish gene theory of evolution and suggests a need for a reevaluation of mainstream theory.

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In Simple Terms: Rewinding the Clock: How Young DNA Injections Could Help Turn Back the Hands of Aging

March 21, 2024

Abstract (Easy to Understand Article)
Imagine if a simple injection of “young DNA” could help older animals—and potentially people—turn back the clock. Scientists now suspect that tiny genetic signals, whether from exosomes (little bubbles with microRNAs) or purified DNA fragments, might push aging cells to act younger. One striking example is Dr. Harold Katcher’s “E5” therapy, which used factors from young pig blood to reverse biological age markers in rats by over 60%. Researchers also note that normal cell turnover (apoptosis) might naturally release small DNA pieces that keep tissues “in sync” with a body’s overall age, suggesting there’s already a built-in system for coordinating youth signals. By carefully harnessing these DNA or RNA-based messengers—and ensuring they don’t trigger harmful immune responses—we could be looking at a new and surprisingly straightforward route to rejuvenation. This paper highlights how epigenetics, exosomes, and possibly even raw DNA injections are coming together in the quest to make cells feel (and function) younger.

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Aging’s Universal Blueprint: Epigenetic Hubs and Niche Signatures in the Genetic Symphony of Senescence

March 1, 2024

Abstract

In this study, we unveil a universal blueprint of aging by analyzing Horvath’s 48 pivotal epigenetic aging genes alongside their prevalence in PubMed searches for key aging-related terms. Our data reveal a two-tiered genetic architecture: a core group of epigenetic “hubs” (including HDAC2, PRC2, c‐JUN, CTCF, and NANOG) that consistently surface across multiple conditions—from progeria to mitochondrial dysfunction—and a series of niche-specific genes that exhibit striking condition-targeted spikes. These findings suggest that while a handful of master regulators orchestrate the broad symphony of cellular senescence, other genes fine-tune specific pathways, such as neurodegeneration, cancer, and hormonal dysregulation. By mapping these differential patterns, our work provides a comprehensive framework that not only deepens our understanding of the molecular drivers of aging but also spotlights promising targets for therapeutic intervention. This “genetic symphony” of senescence, with its universal chords and specialized solos, offers fresh insights into the evolutionary conservation of aging processes and paves the way for innovative strategies in aging research.

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A Comparative Perspective on HDAC2 and PRC2 in Plant and Animal Aging, Incorporating “Primordial Pathways” and “The Four Horsemen of Aging”

January 1, 2024

Abstract
Recent studies, including Horvath’s landmark universal epigenetic clock (August 2023) and subsequent comparative analyses, highlight four deeply conserved “plant-present” genes—HDAC2, PRC2, SNX1, and LARP1—as key regulators of aging across eukaryotes. Notably, HDAC2 and PRC2 also appear in searches relating to “lamin A”/“progeria,” suggesting that premature aging syndromes may co-opt epigenetic systems first established in plant-like ancestors. SNX1 and LARP1 would also be expected to be found associated with progeria/lamin a but likely not enough studies exist for these genes for studies to appear in this context yet. In parallel, mitochondrial-centered queries underscore genes like c-JUN and HDAC2 as top hits for mammalian mitochondrial aging, reflecting broad conservation with insect aging pathways. Here, we integrate new insights from two recent  articles—“Primordial Pathways of Aging” (Feb 2025) and “The Four Horsemen of Aging” (Jan 2025)—to illustrate how these universal genes bridge plant vascular senescence and metazoan aging modules. We argue that progeria (and other accelerated aging syndromes) exploits fundamental chromatin and mitochondrial regulatory circuits with roots in our earliest eukaryotic forebears.

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