Independent Telomerase Activation and Chronological Life Extension with N-Acetyl Epithalon Amidate

Journal Context: Biogerontology / PMC | Identifiers: PMC12484931 / Sciety Index 10.21203/rs.3.rs-710925/v1

Principal Investigators: Thomas, R., Matta, S., & Al-dulaimi, S. (School of Life Sciences, Brunel University London)

Methodology: In vitro evaluation of primary human dermal fibroblasts treated with equal molar concentrations of either native Epitalon or N-Acetyl Epithalon Amidate. Researchers utilized quantitative PCR (qPCR) to track real-time changes in $hTERT$ mRNA expression and measured total population doublings before the onset of cellular senescence.

Key Findings: While both compounds successfully activated telomerase, the modified N-Acetyl Epithalon Amidate induced a significantly more sustained upregulation of hTERT expression over time. Because the stabilized variant resisted degradation within the cellular environment, it drove a more consistent telomere-lengthening protocol. This sustained action allowed human fibroblast cultures to achieve a $+15\%$ increase in total population doublings compared to the native peptide arm, pushing the boundary of the cellular Hayflick Limit.