*Transposable elements (TEs) are essential components of eukaryotic genomes and subject to stringent regulatory mechanisms to avoid their potentially deleterious effects.
*However, numerous studies have verified the resurrection of TEs, particularly long interspersed nuclear element-1 (LINE-1), during preimplantation development, aging, cancer, and other age-related diseases.
*The LINE-1 family has also been implicated in several aging-related processes, including genomic instability, loss of heterochromatin, DNA methylation, and the senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP).
*Transposable elements, also known as mobile genes or jumping genes, are specific heritable DNA sequences capable of insertion and excision within the genome, thereby altering their positions and influencing mammalian evolution profoundly.
*LINE-1 constitutes a large family of retrotransposons elements (RTEs) that are approximately 6 kb in length in the human genome and the sole active human RTEs capable of autonomous retrotransposition.
*DNA hypomethylation is frequently observed during the aging process, primarily occurring in repetitive regions of the genome that correlate with constitutive heterochromatin.
*Heterochromatin, established early in embryonic development, consists mainly of repetitive DNA elements, such as telomere, satellite sequences, and transposable elements including SINEs, LINEs, and LTR retrotransposons.
*Recent studies have linked the derepression of LINE-1 elements with aging.
*Senescent human endothelial cells and dermal fibroblasts exhibit increased expression of Alu and LINE-1 elements.
*The renaissance of LINE-1 elements disrupts the genome stability, alters gene expression, and contributes to aging.
*Recent research has emphasized the crucial role of epigenetic changes in alleviating senescence, with LINE-1 being a major focus due to its prominence among TEs.
<<If you've read this far, go to the article and check out the tables as well. They provide a nice summary of the studies conducted on LINE-1.>>
<<With deep respect to Barbara McClintock>>
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