The role of telomeres and telomerase in the senescence of postmitotic cells
Senescence is a process related to the stopping of divisions and changes leading the cell to the SASP phenotype. Permanent senescence of many SASP cells contributes to faster aging of the body and development of age-related diseases due to the release of pro-inflammatory factors. Both mitotically active and non-dividing cells can undergo senescence as a result of activation of different molecular pathways. Telomeres, referred to as the molecular clock, direct the dividing cell into the aging pathway when reaching a critical length. In turn, the senescence of postmitotic cells depends not on the length of telomeres, but their functionality. Dysfunctional telomeres are responsible for trigger…
The Length of Leukocyte and Femoral Artery Telomeres in Patients with Peripheral Atherosclerosis.
The length of telomeres (TLs) that protect chromosome ends may reflect the age of cells as well as the degree of genetic material damage caused by external factors. Since leukocyte telomere length is associated with cardiovascular diseases, the aim of this study was to evaluate whether leukocyte TL reflects femoral artery wall telomeres of patients with atherosclerosis and lower limb ischemia. Samples of femoral artery wall and blood were collected from 32 patients qualified to surgical revascularization. The analysis included blood and artery wall telomere length measurement and biochemical parameters. The study indicated that there was a moderate correlation between artery wall TL and leu…