Epigenetics in the Aging Process
Public ClinicalTrials.gov record NCT00242255. Field values are reproduced from the official study page; the official ClinicalTrials.gov record remains the source of truth for eligibility, enrollment, and contact information.
Data is sourced from official ClinicalTrials.gov public API records. Always review the official ClinicalTrials.gov record for the latest information.
Official title
Remodeling of Chromatin-Based Epigenetic Structures in Development and Aging
Brief summary
Reproduced verbatim from the official ClinicalTrials.gov record. Not medical advice.
This study will examine the role of epigenetics (heritable changes in gene function that occur without a change in DNA sequence) in the aging process. DNA is the primary genetic material, responsible for transmitting information from one cell to the next or from one generation to the next. A second layer of heredity is described by the term "epigenetics." Epigenetic information is reset from one generation to the next. It works in two ways: 1) by modification of the DNA, like balloons stuck at irregular intervals onto the sides of the DNA helix that encodes genes, and 2) through specialized protein shells that wrap around some regions of DNA. As in DNA, these shells can copy themselves and can transmit instructions. Because they are used to turn genes on and off, errors in their settings cause critical misinformation to be transmitted. Aging involves many changes, such as muscle weakening, graying hair, skin wrinkling, and so forth. There are several current theories of aging, including damage to genes by oxidation, shortening of tiny structures at the ends of chromosomes called telomeres, and the ability to stretch lifespan with caloric restrictions. This study will investigate the possible role of epigenetics in aging by examining and comparing the shell-like epigenetic settings in skin cells in young adults and older individuals. Preliminary results from earlier studies show differences in these settings in younger and older people. Women between the ages of 21 and 30 years and 65 and 90 years who are undergoing breast reduction or mastectomy at Suburban Hospital in Bethesda, Maryland, may participate in this study. Tissue removed during surgery for pathological examination will also be used by researchers in this study to validate the preliminary findings noted above and to continue studies into the new area of epigenetics and aging. ...
Study identification
- NCT ID
- NCT00242255
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Study type
- Observational
- Phase
- Not listed
- Lead sponsor
- Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD)
- NIH
- Enrollment
- 90 participants
Conditions and interventions
Conditions
Interventions
Not listed
Eligibility (public fields only)
- Age range
- 14 Years to 90 Years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepts healthy volunteers
This page does not interpret eligibility. Detailed inclusion and exclusion criteria are on the official ClinicalTrials.gov record.
Study timeline
- Start date
- Sep 22, 2008
- Primary completion
- May 3, 2020
- Completion
- Feb 4, 2021
- Last update posted
- Feb 8, 2021
2008 – 2021
United States locations
- U.S. sites
- 4
- U.S. states
- 3
- U.S. cities
- 3
| Facility | City | State | ZIP | Site status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GW University Medical Center | Washington D.C. | District of Columbia | 20037 | — |
| Suburban Hospital | Bethesda | Maryland | 20814 | — |
| National Institutes of Health Clinical Center, 9000 Rockville Pike | Bethesda | Maryland | 20892 | — |
| Virginia Commonwealth University | Richmond | Virginia | 23284 | — |
Site contact phone numbers, emails, and investigator names are intentionally not displayed here. Open the official ClinicalTrials.gov record for site contact information.
About this trial record page
- What this page shows
- Public field values for ClinicalTrials.gov record NCT00242255, including study identification, conditions, interventions, eligibility (age, sex, healthy volunteer), timeline, and U.S. site list.
- What this page does not do
- No medical advice, eligibility judgments, treatment recommendations, study quality scoring, or AI-generated medical summaries. No site contact phone numbers, emails, or investigator names.
- Where the data comes from
- Sourced from the official ClinicalTrials.gov public API. The official record is the source of truth.
- Last refresh
- Last update posted Feb 8, 2021 · Synced Sep 4, 2026
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Open the official record
The complete protocol, eligibility criteria, and contact information for NCT00242255 live on ClinicalTrials.gov.