Interesting about the telomeres and the danazol Greg.
I am on a treatment that activates the VDR (vitamin D receptor) which is one of the main nuclear receptors involved in regulating the immune system. It affects over 900 genes that they know about. I had a look through supplemental data table 1 and searched for telomere (the link to the article & data tables is here:
http://mend.endojournals.org/content...85.full#ref-24).
I found a gene that is called POT1 - protection of telomeres 1 homolog (S. pombe). It's supposed to be upregulated by a factor of 1.7 when the VDR is activated. Is this at all related to your TERT gene I wonder?
I can't pretend to understand everything about genes and stuff, but I find it interesting. My doctor wants me to try bio-identical hormone replacement, as they've recently discovered that estrogen affects about 25% of the human genome, which is pretty huge. It's interesting to hear of people trying the danazol. The estrogen receptor interacts with the VDR, same with the thyroid receptor.
Again, I can't pretend to understand it all, and I can't say my treatment has been a roaring success. But neither was ATG, tacrolimus, IVIG or cyclosporine. I do have some improvements on this experimental treatment, and my hematologist is monitoring me. I can't say I'm not frustrated but at least I'm not sick from drug side-effects.
I'm going to look at the articles you posted about telomeres. I always look up genes in that supplemental data table 1, but I have come to the conclusion that maybe they don't yet know all the genes involved in blood production in humans. I guess there's still a lot to learn.
Thanks for posting and good luck with your treatment.
Deb