From: Harvey Newstrom (mail@HarveyNewstrom.com)
Date: Tue Dec 24 2002 - 22:28:32 MST
Robert J. Bradbury wrote,
> On Tue, 24 Dec 2002, Jeff Davis wrote:
>
> > Healing power in a gene
> >
> > University of Illinois at Chicago researcher Robert
> > Costa believes he knows why: our FoxM1B gene retires.
> >
> > http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2002-12/uoia-hpi122402.php
>
> Ok, I've read it and I'm not buying it. It sounds like hype to me.
[Excellent analysis snipped]
I strongly concur with Robert's analysis. The FoxM1B gene may be required
for cell division, and cell division failures would cause aging. But most
old age symptoms are not caused by a lack of cell division. This is over
simplistic and not a general symptom of aging. Plus, the hype at the
beginning of the article, about skin elasticity, immune system response,
healing, and other symptoms are only vaguely linked into this gene by saying
that none of these could occur without cell division. There was no
scientific process here, no cause and effect, no experimental data, and no
logical argument for the position. It was loosely references as fact with
no reason. I believe understanding this gene is probably very important,
but jumping to these conclusions that it will lead to a major aging therapy
breakthrough seem unwarranted.
-- Harvey Newstrom, CISSP <http://HarveyNewstrom.com>
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