With the growth of age, the telomeres of chromosomes gradually shorten. Scientists at the Salk Institute in the United States found that when telomeres become very short, they will communicate with the mitochondria of the "power plant of cells". This kind of communication will trigger a complex set of signal pathways, and trigger inflammatory reactions, thus destroying cells that may become cancerous. Relevant research, published in the journal Nature on the 8th, may bring new methods to prevent and treat cancer, and help design better interventions to offset the harmful consequences of aging. When the telomere is shortened to the extent that it can no longer protect the chromosome from damage, a process called "crisis" will occur, and the cell will die. This natural process is actually beneficial. It removes cells with very short telomeres and unstable genome, and is considered as a strong barrier to prevent cancer formation. Researchers have previously found that cells in crisis will be cleared by autophagy, in which the body will also clear damaged cells by itself. In the new study, the team investigated how autophagy-dependent cell death process was activated during the extremely short telomere crisis. They used a human skin cell called fibroblasts for gene screening and found interdependent immune sensing and inflammatory signal pathways. This pathway is critical for cell death during crisis, similar to the immune system's fight against viruses. Specifically, they found that RNA molecules emitted from short telomeres activated immunosensors called ZBP1 and MAVS in a unique way on the outer surface of the telomeres. The significance of this discovery is to prove the important connection between telomeres, mitochondria and inflammation, and to show how cells can bypass the crisis process and avoid the fate of being "cleared". These "fugitives" can become cancerous when the pathway function is abnormal. Next, researchers plan to further study the molecular basis of these pathways and explore the potential of targeting these pathways to prevent and cure cancer. [Editor in Chief Circle] Telomere, mitochondria and inflammation are three signs of aging. Generally, they are studied separately. But the new results show that the relationship between the three is more than previously known. Their interaction not only helps people fully understand aging, but also implies that it may be possible to intervene in it to prolong human life. At the same time, their relationship with cancer is also intriguing. Of course, the formation of cancer is not a simple model, but a multi-step process. The interaction of the three points out many changes and changes in the whole cell. A better understanding of the complex pathways among the three may promote the emergence of new cancer therapies in the future. (Xinhua News Agency)