Potential for pharmacological intervention in Werner syndrome.

Werner syndrome is a rare genetic disease of premature aging which manifests itself in the form of a variety of aging-like phenomena and diseases. It is an appropriate target for aging research because it is clear that the complications must be caused by one original gene defect. Another reason why this disease is of particular interest is observed at the cellular level. The abbreviated lifespan of cultured fibroblasts from patients with this disorder parallels the clinical features of this accelerated aging disease. Recent studies have met with some success in identifying certain genes involved in Werner syndrome and the roles they might play in normal cellular senescence. Such advances might result in a therapeutic breakthrough for this essentially incurable genetic disease. In addition, such a treatment might find some application in the control of the normal aging process.