THE DOSE-DEPENDENT EFFECTS OF CAFFEINE AND BETAINE ON TELOMERASE ENZYME ACTIVITY IN MICE

OpenAlex İngilizce

The telomerase enzyme, which extends the Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA) regions called telomeres at the ends of the chromosomes, has an important place in aging, cancer and stem cell studies. In this study, the effects of betaine and caffeine on telomerase enzyme activity in mice were investigated. Telomerase activity was measured by a Polymerase Chain Reaction-Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay (PCR-ELISA) based method. The activity of Superoxide Dismutase (SOD) and Catalase enzymes in the liver and kidney and the amount of Malondialdehyde (MDA) were also investigated. The results show that betaine has a slightly inhibitory effect (not significant) on telomerase activity, especially at high doses. Caffeine may act as an inhibitor in high doses but may have an activator effect at low doses. Also, it was observed that SOD and Catalase enzyme activities were parallel to the increase/decrease in telomerase enzyme activity in the liver.