Progeroid syndromes are a group of rare genetic disorders that cause signs of premature aging in children and young adults, such as Werner Syndrome and Hutchinson Gilford Progeria Syndrome. Patients affected by progeroid syndromes develop symptoms and pathologies usually associated with aging, such as heart disease, cataracts, type II diabetes and osteoporosis.

This aging is characterized by the progressive loss of nuclear architecture and an underlying tissue-specific genetic program, but the causes behind this are still unknown. Now, scientists have identified a promising new target for treating these syndromes by preventing the loss of nuclear architecture.

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Image: An international research team led by KAUST has identified a new target for treating syndromes that cause premature aging in children. The illustration is of the target, called long interspersed nuclear element-1 (L1) RNA.
© 2022 KAUST; Heno Hwang