1. Werner Syndrome
Ealish J Ellis
April, 2012

2. Werner Syndrome:
What Is It?
-Werner Syndrome is a mutation of the WRN gene.
-The WRN gene is a helicase enzyme which separates and unwinds
double stranded DNA, which is necessary for DNA to be copied for cell
division.
-It is also responsible for making the blue print of a gene for protein
production.
-Lastly, it’s also believed to play a role in repairing DNA.

3. Werner Syndrome:
What it does?
✤ Werner Syndrome is a genetic disease which causes rapid aging.
✤ A person who has this disease will age normally until puberty at that
point the speed of aging will increase.
✤ As seen in the opening slide a person who has aged ten years can look
as though they’ve aged 25years.
✤ Werner Syndrome also raises a persons chances of getting cancer.

4. Werner Syndrome:
How you get it?
✤ To inherit Werner Syndrome both copies of the WRN gene in the cells
must be mutated.
✤ When inherited, each parent carries one copy of the mutated gene.
✤ Typically, parents will show no signs.

5. Werner Syndrome:
The Numbers
✤ In the United States, an estimated 1 in 200,000 individuals are affected
by Werner Syndrome.
✤ In Japan the syndrome is much more common affecting an estimated
1 in 20,000 to 1 in 40,000 individuals.

6. Werner Syndrome:
Signs and Symptoms
✤ A person with Werner Syndrome will show signs if the disease in
their teenage years.
✤ They typically will not experience a growth spurt during their teen
years.
✤ Their signs of aging such as gray hair and hair loss will occur in their
20’s.
✤ In their 30’s things that may occur are cataracts, type 2 diabetes, and
osteoporosis.

7. Werner Syndrome:
The End
✤ The most common cause of death for people diagnosed with Werner
Syndrome is cancer or heart attack.
✤ The life expectancy is average of 48 years.

8. Guess Her Age

9. Guess Her Age
13

10. Guess Her Age

11. Guess Her Age
21

12. Guess Her Age

13. Guess Her Age
48

14. Guess Her Age

15. Guess Her Age
56

18. These are the effects of Werner
Syndrome

19. Citations
✤ "Werner Syndrome." - Genetics Home Reference. Web. 27 Mar. 2012. <http://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/condition/werner-syndrome>.
✤ "Werner Syndrome ATP-dependent Helicase." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 27 Mar. 2012. Web. 27 Mar. 2012. <http://en.wikipedia.org/
wiki/Werner_syndrome_ATP-dependent_helicase>.
✤ "Werner Syndrome | Cancer.Net." Doctor-approved Cancer Information from ASCO. Web. 27 Mar. 2012. <http://www.cancer.net/patient/Cancer
Types/Werner Syndrome>.