US scientists have identified a genetic clue which could point the way to the treatment of Progeria, a rare premature ageing disease. National Cancer Institute researchers were able to correct inaccurate genetic information in the cells taken from people with the condition. Writing in Nature Medicine, they say the discovery could aid the development of gene therapy for the condition. But the research will not help halt the natural ageing process. Hutchinson-Gilford Progeria (HGP) affects about one in four million people. The average life expectancy for someone with the condition is about 13 to 14 years. Symptoms include baldness, aged-looking skin, dwarfism and a small face and jaw relative to head size. People with Progeria die from diseases that old people suffer, primarily heart disease and stroke.
