Measuring relative telomere length: Is tissue an issue?
Year: 2010
Type: article
Abstract: Telomeres, the specialized structures at chromosome ends, consist of long stretches of protein-bound TTAGGG repeats [1]. In certain cell types, such as germ cells and stem cell populations, the length of telomeric DNA is maintained by the enzyme telo-merase. Most somatic cells, however, lack sufficient telomerase; consequently, telomeric DNA shortens progressively with each cell division. Upon reaching a critically short length, proliferation is halted and cells often enter a state of senescence. Thus, progressive telomere shortening is thought to serve as a molecular clock for cellular replicative aging. Based upon this fundamental tenet of telomere biology, an ever-increasing number of studies spanning a wide spectrum of human conditions have utilized telomere length, typically measured in buccal cells or blood mono-nuclear cells, as a biomarker for cellular replicative age. Individuals with relatively short age-adjusted telomere lengths, due to a combination of inherent factors and environmental stressors, are considered to have acceler-ated cellular replicative aging, potentially resulting in increased disease susceptibility [2]. Telomere length is also used as a diagnostic tool in diseases characterized by fundamental derangements of telomere biology, such as dyskeratosis congenita (DC). DC is a rare genetic disorder stemming from a defect in telomere maintenance. This defect results in a broad and highly variable clinical phenotype consisting of predisposition to bone marrow failure and malignancy, a triad of mucocutaneous features, and a number of less frequent manifestations such as pulmonary fibrosis and liver disease [3]. In nearly all reported cases, affect- ted individuals have severely shortened telomeres, which can be directly attributed to mutations in genes
Source: Aging
Authors: Monica M. Gramatges, Alison A. Bertuch
Institution: Baylor College of Medicine
Language: English
Subfield: Physiology
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: green
Funder: National Cancer Institute
Award: G1089374304
OpenAlex ID: W159036624