Telomere

第1話 Clinical Notice

At the consultation room of the Kyoto University Hospital.

“Are you really 20 years old?”

A doctor gave her suspicious glance, looking into the result of her blood tests.

The patient was Lisa Onodera, 20 years old, who studied the English Literature in the University. Recently she felt causeless illness and had a consultation.

“According to your blood tests, you seem to be far older than your actual age. 50 or 60 years old. Recent disorder of you, how can I say, is a kind of climacteric symptoms.”

“Climacteric symptoms? By this age?”

She felt various symptoms, such as fatigue, dizziness, irritation, hot flash and menstrual irregularities.

“For further details, I will pass your blood specimen to the DNA inspections, OK?”

The doctor finished his explanation.

Lisa left the Hospital and went to the gate with her heavy feet.

“Lisa, Lisa. Wait. What are you doing here?”

At that time one student approached to her. He was Yuichi Yamamoto, 22 years old, who belonged to the medical department of the University. They had become acquainted with each other at a psychology class half a year ago. Lisa was getting friendly with him. She liked his bright and cheerful character.

“I have had a consultation with a doctor.”

“Is it a blood test you said?”

“Yes”

“Then what is the result?”

“I am not sure. The doctor said he would pass my blood sample to the DNA inspection for further details.”

“DNA inspection? I have just studied it in the last lecture.”

“Really? Then what is it like?”

“It’s easy. Put a drop of blood sample onto the glass chip called DNA Microarray. In this chip a lot of protein bases are put in and we can find the various gene abnormality with using the special observing microscope. We can diagnose various genetic diseases, for example, cancer, glaucoma, Alzheimer and so on.”

Lisa expected she could get clear cause of her illness by this inspection, but at the same time she felt anxious about the bad result. If the cause is genetic and if it is fatal, what will become of her?

“Don’t worry. It will not be so serious. Take it easy.”

Yuichi tried to encourage her, but his voice had not reached her ear.

Two weeks later.

”Hmm. It has become more complicated.”

The doctor murmured with hard expression.

“Is there anything wrong?”

“Look at this.”

The doctor turned his PC screen to Lisa and directed to look into. On the screen she saw a complicated figure which was probably a part of her DNA analysis.

“Look at this part. It shows Telomere of your DNA. Telomere’s function is controlling cell division. Every time a cell is divided, the Telomere gradually becomes shorter and shorter. And when the Telomere runs out, cell division will stop which means the death of cell.”

It was too difficult for Lisa to understand his explanation.

“Then what will happen if the Telomere runs out?”

“Well, I cannot say exactly but aging will begin. Your Telomere indicates you are already 60, no 70 years old. Recent your climacteric symptoms may be caused by this shortened Telomere.”

“Then what shall I do? Is there any medical treatment for this?”

“I am sorry but we have no way to stop aging. Only I can say your life expectancy would be 10 years or so at most.”

At this moment Lisa felt dizziness and almost lost her consciousness.

After leaving the Hospital, she lost herself and walking and walking. When she finally came to herself, she found she was home in Kobe.

”It’s has been long time. You said you were too busy to come home because of your study. What’s happened today?”

Lisa’s mother, Akiko, tilted the tea pot. She felt something wrong with Lisa’s looking. All of a sudden Lisa burst into tears.

“I’m not sure. I can’t understand. Why? Why?”

“Lisa, what happened to you?”

“I don’t know. My Telo, Telomere is shorter and my life expectancy is only 10 years left.”

“What? What are you saying? Please explain.”

Akiko was flustered with her words. Lisa would not stop crying.

How many hours had past? Lisa gradually got calm down and talked about her problem.

“Then, what did the doctor say? Is there any…?”

“No, nothing. He said it could be a hereditary disease, therefore no effective treatment by the current medicine. No cure…”

Long, long silence had dominated the room. Tears had gradually flooded in Akiko’s eyes.

“I’m sorry. I’m terribly sorry. It’s my fault. No, it’s our fault.”

What does Akiko mean by this? Why does Akiko apologize? Akiko continued her story a little hesitantly.

“Lisa, please calm down and listen. To be honest, you are not our real child. You are an adopted child. I am very sorry to conceal it.”

Lisa was shocked with her word. It was her first time to hear that. She believed she was a real child of Akiko and her father who had died 10 years ago.

“We had had no baby for long period after our marriage. At that time there had been no sophisticated artificial insemination like now. We had no way to have a baby other than adopted. Then we visited to the Kobe Child Welfare Facility and decided to adopt you.”

“Then, then why you choose me? Is there any information about my real mother and father?”

“No, nothing. It’s a rule of Child Welfare Facility not to open such information.”

According to the record, your real mother had left you when you were still 2 months baby. No more detail.”

Lisa thought there had been serious reason for her real mother not to bring her up. Or did she just throw her away? She did never want to think so.

“Lisa, you said your illness was related to any hereditary cause. Therfore I should say my apology to you. It’s our fault.”

Lisa had burst into tears again. Then Akiko brought out small jewelry box from a drawer of the desk.

“This is a sole keepsake for you.”

Akiko handed a small pack to Lisa. Lisa slowly opened the pack and found a strange pendant which was 3 cm square shape and made of glass or something. Its surface was a little rough feeling and glittered various colors when tilted.

“Look at its edge. These carved letters shows “Lisa”. Your father said it might be your name. Therefore we named you Lisa after that.”

“This is a very strange thing. I have never seen such thing. I am sure it’s not a jewel but I can’t say what it is.”

Lisa firmly grasped it in her hand.

3 days later Lisa returned to Kyoto. Even if her life expectancy was 10 years, it would not be so soon. She had still a lot to do.

“Hmm. This is a sole keepsake, isn’t it?”

Yuichi looked at that pendant from various angles. Lisa told everything she had heard at her home and showed that pendant. After looking into it for a while, Yuichi suddenly shouted.

“W, wait a moment. This is a DNA Array, isn’t it? It looks very similar to the one which I saw in the last lecture.”

“DNA Array? Really?”

“But it was a little different. That one was smaller and smoother, not like this.”

“Anyhow please ask the professor to check this, shall we?”

Lisa excited.

“That’s a good idea. Today’s afternoon we will have the second lecture.”

At the class room of the University.

After the lecture they approached the professor.

“Professor, we would ask you to look at this, wouldn’t you?”

Lisa and Yuichi showed him that pendant. The professor seemed very surprised at a glance and carefully checked it for a while.

“Hmm. You have a very rare treasure, haven’t you? It’s surely a DNA array.”

Lisa flashed and Yuichi excited.

“But strange, where did you get this?”

“I’m not sure. But it’s her keepsake. She has had it since her born.”

“That’s another big surprise. Where did this come from? At that time we didn’t have any DNA array in this University. It was still very rare device in Japan. If it is true, this was used in some overseas study organization. For example, the DNA Center of the Harvard University in America or the Gene Technology Institution of the Cambridge University in England.”

“Really? Then why was such precious device here?”

“It’s my question. You said it’s a keepsake. Does that mean your parents had already died?”

“We are not sure. This is the only clue for that.”

The professor scrutinized the array but could not find anything more.

“Then you must go to Harvard or Cambridge for further information.”

To be continued