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Wang X, Deng H, Lin J, Zhang K, Ni J, Li L, Fan G. Distinct roles of telomerase activity in age-related chronic diseases: An update literature review. Biomed Pharmacother 2023; 167:115553. [PMID: 37738798 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2023.115553] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2023] [Revised: 09/15/2023] [Accepted: 09/18/2023] [Indexed: 09/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Although telomerase has low activity in somatic quiescent cells, it plays an significant roles in regenerative cells such as endothelial cells, hepatocytes, epithelial cells, and hemocytes. Telomerase activity and telomere length are critical factors in age-related chronic diseases as they are closely related to cell senescence. However, whether telomerase activity plays a key role in disease progression or whether the role of telomerase is unified among different diseases are unresolved. Considering that aging is the most important risk factor for neurodegenerative and metabolic diseases, this article will analyze the evidence, mechanism, and therapeutic potential of telomerase activity in several chronic disease, including type 2 diabetes, neurodegenerative diseases, atherosclerosis, heart failure and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, in order to provide clues for the use of telomerase activity to target the treatment of age-related chronic diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaodan Wang
- Medical Experiment Center, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Translational Research of TCM Prescription and Syndrome, National Clinical Research Center for Chinese Medicine Acupuncture and Moxibustion, First Teaching Hospital of Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 300381 Tianjin, China
| | - Hao Deng
- Medical Experiment Center, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Translational Research of TCM Prescription and Syndrome, National Clinical Research Center for Chinese Medicine Acupuncture and Moxibustion, First Teaching Hospital of Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 300381 Tianjin, China
| | - Jingyi Lin
- Medical Experiment Center, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Translational Research of TCM Prescription and Syndrome, National Clinical Research Center for Chinese Medicine Acupuncture and Moxibustion, First Teaching Hospital of Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 300381 Tianjin, China
| | - Kai Zhang
- Medical Experiment Center, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Translational Research of TCM Prescription and Syndrome, National Clinical Research Center for Chinese Medicine Acupuncture and Moxibustion, First Teaching Hospital of Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 300381 Tianjin, China
| | - Jingyu Ni
- Medical Experiment Center, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Translational Research of TCM Prescription and Syndrome, National Clinical Research Center for Chinese Medicine Acupuncture and Moxibustion, First Teaching Hospital of Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 300381 Tianjin, China
| | - Lan Li
- State Key Laboratory of Modern Chinese Medicine, Key Laboratory of Pharmacology of Traditional Chinese Medical Formulae for the Ministry of Education, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin 301617, China
| | - Guanwei Fan
- Medical Experiment Center, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Translational Research of TCM Prescription and Syndrome, National Clinical Research Center for Chinese Medicine Acupuncture and Moxibustion, First Teaching Hospital of Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 300381 Tianjin, China.
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Aschacher T, Geisler D, Lenz V, Aschacher O, Winkler B, Schaefer AK, Mitterbauer A, Wolf B, Enzmann FK, Messner B, Laufer G, Ehrlich MP, Grabenwöger M, Bergmann M. Impacts of Telomeric Length, Chronic Hypoxia, Senescence, and Senescence-Associated Secretory Phenotype on the Development of Thoracic Aortic Aneurysm. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms232415498. [PMID: 36555139 PMCID: PMC9779024 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232415498] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2022] [Revised: 11/18/2022] [Accepted: 11/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Thoracic aortic aneurysm (TAA) is an age-related and life-threatening vascular disease. Telomere shortening is a predictor of age-related diseases, and its progression is associated with premature vascular disease. The aim of the present work was to investigate the impacts of chronic hypoxia and telomeric DNA damage on cellular homeostasis and vascular degeneration of TAA. We analyzed healthy and aortic aneurysm specimens (215 samples) for telomere length (TL), chronic DNA damage, and resulting changes in cellular homeostasis, focusing on senescence and apoptosis. Compared with healthy thoracic aorta (HTA), patients with tricuspid aortic valve (TAV) showed telomere shortening with increasing TAA size, in contrast to genetically predisposed bicuspid aortic valve (BAV). In addition, TL was associated with chronic hypoxia and telomeric DNA damage and with the induction of senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP). TAA-TAV specimens showed a significant difference in SASP-marker expression of IL-6, NF-κB, mTOR, and cell-cycle regulators (γH2AX, Rb, p53, p21), compared to HTA and TAA-BAV. Furthermore, we observed an increase in CD163+ macrophages and a correlation between hypoxic DNA damage and the number of aortic telocytes. We conclude that chronic hypoxia is associated with telomeric DNA damage and the induction of SASP in a diseased aortic wall, promising a new therapeutic target.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Aschacher
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Clinic Floridsdorf and Karl Landsteiner Institute for Cardio-Vascular Research, 1210 Vienna, Austria
- Department of Cardiac Surgery, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +43-1-277-00-74316
| | - Daniela Geisler
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Clinic Floridsdorf and Karl Landsteiner Institute for Cardio-Vascular Research, 1210 Vienna, Austria
| | - Verena Lenz
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Clinic Floridsdorf and Karl Landsteiner Institute for Cardio-Vascular Research, 1210 Vienna, Austria
| | - Olivia Aschacher
- Department of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Bernhard Winkler
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Clinic Floridsdorf and Karl Landsteiner Institute for Cardio-Vascular Research, 1210 Vienna, Austria
- Faculty of Medicine, Sigmund Freud Private University of Vienna, 1030 Vienna, Austria
| | | | - Andreas Mitterbauer
- Department of General Surgery, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Brigitte Wolf
- Department of General Surgery, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Florian K. Enzmann
- Department of Vascular Surgery, Medical University of Innsbruck, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Barbara Messner
- Department of Cardiac Surgery, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Günther Laufer
- Department of Cardiac Surgery, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Marek P. Ehrlich
- Department of Cardiac Surgery, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Martin Grabenwöger
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Clinic Floridsdorf and Karl Landsteiner Institute for Cardio-Vascular Research, 1210 Vienna, Austria
- Faculty of Medicine, Sigmund Freud Private University of Vienna, 1030 Vienna, Austria
| | - Michael Bergmann
- Department of General Surgery, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
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TERT and TET2 Genetic Variants Affect Leukocyte Telomere Length and Clinical Outcome in Coronary Artery Disease Patients-A Possible Link to Clonal Hematopoiesis. Biomedicines 2022; 10:biomedicines10082027. [PMID: 36009574 PMCID: PMC9406025 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines10082027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2022] [Revised: 08/16/2022] [Accepted: 08/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Inherited and acquired mutations in hematopoietic stem cells can cause clonal expansion with increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD), a condition known for the clonal hematopoiesis of indeterminate potential (CHIP). Inherited genetic variants in two CHIP-associated genome loci, the telomerase gene telomerase enzyme reverse transcriptase (TERT) (rs7705526) and the epigenetic regulator ten−eleven translocation 2 (TET2) (rs2454206), were investigated in 1001 patients with stable coronary artery disease (CAD) (mean age 62 years, 22% women), with regards to cardiovascular outcome, comorbidities, and leukocyte telomere length. Over 2 years, mutated TERT increased the risk two-fold for major clinical events (MACEs) in all patients (p = 0.004), acute myocardial infarction (AMI) in male patients (p = 0.011), and stroke in female patients (p < 0.001). Mutated TET2 correlated with type 2 diabetes (p < 0.001), the metabolic syndrome (p = 0.002), as well as fasting glucose, HbA1c, and shorter telomeres (p = 0.032, p = 0.003, and p = 0.016, respectively). In conclusion, our results from stable CAD patients highlight TERTs’ role in CVD, and underline TET2s’ role in the epigenetic regulation of lifestyle-related diseases.
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Ale-Agha N, Jakobs P, Goy C, Zurek M, Rosen J, Dyballa-Rukes N, Metzger S, Greulich J, von Ameln F, Eckermann O, Unfried K, Brack F, Grandoch M, Thielmann M, Kamler M, Gedik N, Kleinbongard P, Heinen A, Heusch G, Gödecke A, Altschmied J, Haendeler J. Mitochondrial Telomerase Reverse Transcriptase Protects from Myocardial Ischemia/reperfusion Injury by Improving Complex I Composition and Function. Circulation 2021; 144:1876-1890. [PMID: 34672678 DOI: 10.1161/circulationaha.120.051923] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Background: The catalytic subunit of telomerase, Telomerase Reverse Transcriptase (TERT) has protective functions in the cardiovascular system. TERT is not only present in the nucleus, but also in mitochondria. However, it is unclear whether nuclear or mitochondrial TERT is responsible for the observed protection and appropriate tools are missing to dissect this. Methods: We generated new mouse models containing TERT exclusively in the mitochondria (mitoTERT mice) or the nucleus (nucTERT mice) to finally distinguish between the functions of nuclear and mitochondrial TERT. Outcome after ischemia/reperfusion, mitochondrial respiration in the heart as well as cellular functions of cardiomyocytes, fibroblasts, and endothelial cells were determined. Results: All mice were phenotypically normal. While respiration was reduced in cardiac mitochondria from TERT-deficient and nucTERT mice, it was increased in mitoTERT animals. The latter also had smaller infarcts than wildtype mice, whereas nucTERT animals had larger infarcts. The decrease in ejection fraction after one, two and four weeks of reperfusion was attenuated in mitoTERT mice. Scar size was also reduced and vascularization increased. Mitochondrial TERT protected a cardiomyocyte cell line from apoptosis. Myofibroblast differentiation, which depends on complex I activity, was abrogated in TERT-deficient and nucTERT cardiac fibroblasts and completely restored in mitoTERT cells. In endothelial cells, mitochondrial TERT enhanced migratory capacity and activation of endothelial NO synthase. Mechanistically, mitochondrial TERT improved the ratio between complex I matrix arm and membrane subunits explaining the enhanced complex I activity. In human right atrial appendages, TERT was localized in mitochondria and there increased by remote ischemic preconditioning. The Telomerase activator, TA-65 evoked a similar effect in endothelial cells, thereby increasing their migratory capacity, and enhanced myofibroblast differentiation. Conclusions: Mitochondrial, but not nuclear TERT, is critical for mitochondrial respiration and during ischemia/reperfusion injury. Mitochondrial TERT improves complex I subunit composition. TERT is present in human heart mitochondria, and remote ischemic preconditioning increases its level in those organelles. TA-65 has comparable effects ex vivo and improves migratory capacity of endothelial cells and myofibroblast differentiation. We conclude that mitochondrial TERT is responsible for cardioprotection and its increase could serve as a therapeutic strategy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Niloofar Ale-Agha
- Environmentally-induced Cardiovascular Degeneration, Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Diagnostics, Medical Faculty, University Hospital and Heinrich-Heine University Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Philipp Jakobs
- Environmentally-induced Cardiovascular Degeneration, Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Diagnostics, Medical Faculty, University Hospital and Heinrich-Heine University Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Christine Goy
- Environmentally-induced Cardiovascular Degeneration, Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Diagnostics, Medical Faculty, University Hospital and Heinrich-Heine University Düsseldorf, Germany; IUF-Leibniz Research Institute for Environmental Medicine, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Mark Zurek
- Environmentally-induced Cardiovascular Degeneration, Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Diagnostics, Medical Faculty, University Hospital and Heinrich-Heine University Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Julia Rosen
- Environmentally-induced Cardiovascular Degeneration, Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Diagnostics, Medical Faculty, University Hospital and Heinrich-Heine University Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Nadine Dyballa-Rukes
- Environmentally-induced Cardiovascular Degeneration, Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Diagnostics, Medical Faculty, University Hospital and Heinrich-Heine University Düsseldorf, Germany; IUF-Leibniz Research Institute for Environmental Medicine, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Sabine Metzger
- IUF-Leibniz Research Institute for Environmental Medicine, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Jan Greulich
- Environmentally-induced Cardiovascular Degeneration, Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Diagnostics, Medical Faculty, University Hospital and Heinrich-Heine University Düsseldorf, Germany; IUF-Leibniz Research Institute for Environmental Medicine, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Florian von Ameln
- Environmentally-induced Cardiovascular Degeneration, Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Diagnostics, Medical Faculty, University Hospital and Heinrich-Heine University Düsseldorf, Germany; IUF-Leibniz Research Institute for Environmental Medicine, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Olaf Eckermann
- Environmentally-induced Cardiovascular Degeneration, Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Diagnostics, Medical Faculty, University Hospital and Heinrich-Heine University Düsseldorf, Germany; IUF-Leibniz Research Institute for Environmental Medicine, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Klaus Unfried
- IUF-Leibniz Research Institute for Environmental Medicine, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Fedor Brack
- Institute for Pharmacology and Clinical Pharmacology, Medical Faculty, University Hospital and Heinrich-Heine University Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Maria Grandoch
- Institute for Pharmacology and Clinical Pharmacology, Medical Faculty, University Hospital and Heinrich-Heine University Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Matthias Thielmann
- Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery West German Heart Center, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen Germany
| | - Markus Kamler
- Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery West German Heart Center, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen Germany
| | - Nilgün Gedik
- Institute for Pathophysiology, West German Heart and Vascular Center, University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Petra Kleinbongard
- Institute for Pathophysiology, West German Heart and Vascular Center, University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Andre Heinen
- Institute for Cardiovascular Physiology, Medical Faculty, University Hospital and Heinrich-Heine University, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Gerd Heusch
- Institute for Pathophysiology, West German Heart and Vascular Center, University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Axel Gödecke
- Institute for Cardiovascular Physiology, Medical Faculty, University Hospital and Heinrich-Heine University, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Joachim Altschmied
- Environmentally-induced Cardiovascular Degeneration, Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Diagnostics, Medical Faculty, University Hospital and Heinrich-Heine University Düsseldorf, Germany; IUF-Leibniz Research Institute for Environmental Medicine, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Judith Haendeler
- Environmentally-induced Cardiovascular Degeneration, Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Diagnostics, Medical Faculty, University Hospital and Heinrich-Heine University Düsseldorf, Germany
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Xie X, Li M, Zhou M, Chow SF, Tsang CK. Pharmacological preconditioning by TERT inhibitor BIBR1532 confers neuronal ischemic tolerance through TERT-mediated transcriptional reprogramming. J Neurochem 2021; 159:690-709. [PMID: 34532857 DOI: 10.1111/jnc.15515] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2021] [Revised: 08/25/2021] [Accepted: 09/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
After a sublethal ischemic preconditioning (IPC) stimulus, the brain has a remarkable capability of acquiring tolerance to subsequent ischemic insult by establishing precautionary self-protective mechanism. Understanding this endogenous mechanism would reveal novel and effective neuroprotective targets for ischemic brain injury. Our previous study has implied that telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) is associated with IPC-induced tolerance. Here, we investigated the mechanism of TERT-mediated ischemic tolerance. Preconditioning was modeled by oxygen-glucose deprivation (OGD) and by TERT inhibitor BIBR1532 in primary neurons. We found that ischemic tolerance was conferred by BIBR1532 preconditioning. We used the Cleavage-Under-Targets-And-Tagmentation approach, a recently developed method with superior signal-to-noise ratio, to comprehensively map the genomic binding sites of TERT in primary neurons, and showed that more than 50% of TERT-binding sites were located at the promoter regions. Mechanistically, we demonstrated that under normal conditions TERT physically bound to many previously unknown genomic loci in neurons, whereas BIBR1532 preconditioning significantly altered TERT-chromatin-binding profile. Intriguingly, we found that BIBR1532-preconditioned neurons showed significant up-regulation of promoter binding of TERT to the mitochondrial anti-oxidant genes, which were correlated with their elevated expression. Functional analysis further indicated that BIBR1532-preconditioning significantly reduced ROS levels and enhanced tolerance to severe ischemia-induced mitochondrial oxidative stress in neurons in a TERT-dependent manner. Together, these results demonstrate that BIBR1532 confers neuronal ischemic tolerance through TERT-mediated transcriptional reprogramming for up-regulation of mitochondrial anti-oxidation gene expression, suggesting the translational potential of BIBR1532 as a therapeutic agent for the treatment of cerebral ischemic injury and oxidative stress-induced neurological disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuemin Xie
- Clinical Neuroscience Institute, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou, China.,Department of Neurology, The First Clinical Medical School of Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Mingxi Li
- Clinical Neuroscience Institute, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou, China.,Department of Neurology, The First Clinical Medical School of Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Mengyao Zhou
- Clinical Neuroscience Institute, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou, China.,Core Research Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Shing Fung Chow
- Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacy, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Hong Kong, China
| | - Chi Kwan Tsang
- Clinical Neuroscience Institute, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
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Frati G, Versaci F, Sciarretta S. A novel signalling mechanism regulating telomere length in cardiomyocytes. Cardiovasc Res 2021; 117:13-14. [PMID: 32666074 DOI: 10.1093/cvr/cvaa210] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Giacomo Frati
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences and Biotechnologies, Sapienza University of Rome, Latina 04100, Italy.,Department of AngioCardioNeurology, IRCCS Neuromed, Pozzilli (IS), Italy
| | - Francesco Versaci
- Department of Cardiology, Santa Maria Goretti Hospital, Latina, Italy
| | - Sebastiano Sciarretta
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences and Biotechnologies, Sapienza University of Rome, Latina 04100, Italy.,Department of AngioCardioNeurology, IRCCS Neuromed, Pozzilli (IS), Italy
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Hoffmann J, Richardson G, Haendeler J, Altschmied J, Andrés V, Spyridopoulos I. Telomerase as a Therapeutic Target in Cardiovascular Disease. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol 2021; 41:1047-1061. [PMID: 33504179 DOI: 10.1161/atvbaha.120.315695] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Shortened telomeres have been linked to numerous chronic diseases, most importantly coronary artery disease, but the underlying mechanisms remain ill defined. Loss-of-function mutations and deletions in telomerase both accelerate telomere shortening but do not necessarily lead to a clinical phenotype associated with atherosclerosis, questioning the causal role of telomere length in cardiac pathology. The differential extranuclear functions of the 2 main components of telomerase, telomerase reverse transcriptase and telomerase RNA component, offer important clues about the complex relationship between telomere length and cardiovascular pathology. In this review, we critically discuss relevant preclinical models, genetic disorders, and clinical studies to elucidate the impact of telomerase in cardiovascular disease and its potential role as a therapeutic target. We suggest that the antioxidative function of mitochondrial telomerase reverse transcriptase might be atheroprotective, making it a potential target for clinical trials. Graphic Abstract: A graphic abstract is available for this article.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jedrzej Hoffmann
- Department of Medicine, Cardiology, Goethe University Hospital, Frankfurt, Germany (J.H.)
| | - Gavin Richardson
- Institute of Biosciences, Newcastle University, United Kingdom (G.R.)
| | - Judith Haendeler
- Institute of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Diagnostic, Medical Faculty and University Hospital Duesseldorf and Heinrich-Heine-University Duesseldorf, Germany (J.H., J.A.)
| | - Joachim Altschmied
- Institute of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Diagnostic, Medical Faculty and University Hospital Duesseldorf and Heinrich-Heine-University Duesseldorf, Germany (J.H., J.A.).,IUF - Leibniz Research Institute for Environmental Medicine (J.A.)
| | - Vicente Andrés
- Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares (CNIC), Madrid, Spain (V.A.).,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Cardiovasculares (CIBERCV), Spain (V.A.)
| | - Ioakim Spyridopoulos
- Translational and Clinical Research Institute, Newcastle University, United Kingdom (I.S.).,Freeman Hospital, Cardiothoracic Centre, Newcastle Upon Tyne Hospital Trust, United Kingdom (I.S.)
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Relitti N, Saraswati AP, Federico S, Khan T, Brindisi M, Zisterer D, Brogi S, Gemma S, Butini S, Campiani G. Telomerase-based Cancer Therapeutics: A Review on their Clinical Trials. Curr Top Med Chem 2020; 20:433-457. [PMID: 31894749 DOI: 10.2174/1568026620666200102104930] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2019] [Revised: 12/02/2019] [Accepted: 12/03/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Telomeres are protective chromosomal ends that shield the chromosomes from DNA damage, exonucleolytic degradation, recombination, and end-to-end fusion. Telomerase is a ribonucleoprotein that adds TTAGGG tandem repeats to the telomeric ends. It has been observed that 85 to 90% of human tumors express high levels of telomerase, playing a crucial role in the development of cancers. Interestingly, the telomerase activity is generally absent in normal somatic cells. This selective telomerase expression has driven scientists to develop novel anti-cancer therapeutics with high specificity and potency. Several advancements have been made in this area, which is reflected by the enormous success of the anticancer agent Imetelstat. Since the discovery of Imetelstat, several research groups have contributed to enrich the therapeutic arsenal against cancer. Such contributions include the application of new classes of small molecules, peptides, and hTERT-based immunotherapeutic agents (p540, GV1001, GRNVAC1 or combinations of these such as Vx-001). Many of these therapeutic tools are under different stages of clinical trials and have shown promising outcomes. In this review, we highlight the current status of telomerase-based cancer therapeutics and the outcome of these investigations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicola Relitti
- Department of Biotechnology, Chemistry and Pharmacy, Department of Excellence 2018-2022, via Aldo Moro 2, I- 53100 Siena, University of Siena, Siena, Italy
| | - Akella P Saraswati
- Department of Biotechnology, Chemistry and Pharmacy, Department of Excellence 2018-2022, via Aldo Moro 2, I- 53100 Siena, University of Siena, Siena, Italy
| | - Stefano Federico
- Department of Biotechnology, Chemistry and Pharmacy, Department of Excellence 2018-2022, via Aldo Moro 2, I- 53100 Siena, University of Siena, Siena, Italy
| | - Tuhina Khan
- Department of Biotechnology, Chemistry and Pharmacy, Department of Excellence 2018-2022, via Aldo Moro 2, I- 53100 Siena, University of Siena, Siena, Italy
| | - Margherita Brindisi
- Department of Pharmacy, Department of Excellence 2018-2022, University of Napoli Federico II, via D. Montesano 49, I-80131 Napoli, Italy
| | - Daniela Zisterer
- School of Biochemistry and Immunology, Trinity Biomedical Sciences Institute, Trinity College Dublin, 152-160, Pearse Street, Dublin 2, Ireland
| | - Simone Brogi
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Pisa, via Bonanno Pisano 6, I-56126 Pisa, Italy
| | - Sandra Gemma
- Department of Biotechnology, Chemistry and Pharmacy, Department of Excellence 2018-2022, via Aldo Moro 2, I- 53100 Siena, University of Siena, Siena, Italy
| | - Stefania Butini
- Department of Biotechnology, Chemistry and Pharmacy, Department of Excellence 2018-2022, via Aldo Moro 2, I- 53100 Siena, University of Siena, Siena, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Campiani
- Department of Biotechnology, Chemistry and Pharmacy, Department of Excellence 2018-2022, via Aldo Moro 2, I- 53100 Siena, University of Siena, Siena, Italy
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9
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Telomeres and telomerase in risk assessment of cardiovascular diseases. Exp Cell Res 2020; 397:112361. [PMID: 33171154 DOI: 10.1016/j.yexcr.2020.112361] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2020] [Accepted: 11/02/2020] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
Telomeres are repetitive nucleoprotein structures located at the ends of chromosomes. Reduction in the number of repetitions causes cell senescence. Cells with high proliferative potential age with each replication cycle. Post-mitotic cells (e.g. cardiovascular cells) have a different aging mechanism. During the aging of cardiovascular system cells, permanent DNA damage occurs in the telomeric regions caused by mitochondrial dysfunction, which is a phenomenon independent of cell proliferation and telomere length. Mitochondrial dysfunction is accompanied by increased production of reactive oxygen species and development of inflammation. This phenomenon in the cells of blood vessels can lead to atherosclerosis development. Telomere damage in cardiomyocytes leads to the activation of the DNA damage response system, histone H2A.X phosphorylation, p53 activation and p21 and p16 protein synthesis, resulting in the SASP phenotype (senescence-associated secretory phenotype), increased inflammation and cardiac dysfunction. Cardiovascular cells show the activity of the TERT subunit of telomerase, an enzyme that prevents telomere shortening. It turns out that disrupting the activity of this enzyme can also contribute to the formation of cardiovascular diseases. Measurements of telomere length according to the "blood-muscle" model may help in the future to assess the risk of cardiovascular complications in people undergoing cardiological procedures, as well as to assess the effectiveness of some drugs.
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Pańczyszyn A, Boniewska-Bernacka E, Goc A. The role of telomeres and telomerase in the senescence of postmitotic cells. DNA Repair (Amst) 2020; 95:102956. [PMID: 32937289 DOI: 10.1016/j.dnarep.2020.102956] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2020] [Accepted: 08/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
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 triggering the signaling of DNA damage response (DDR). Telomerase subunits in post-mitotic cells translocate between the nucleus, cytoplasm and mitochondria, participating in the regulation of their activity. Among other things, they contribute to the reduction of reactive oxygen species generation, which leads to telomere dysfunction and, consequently, senescence. Some proteins of the shelterin complex also play a protective role by inhibiting senescence-initiating kinases and limiting ROS production by mitochondria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Pańczyszyn
- University of Opole, Institute of Medical Sciences, Department of Biology and Genetics, Opole 45-040, Pl.Kopernika 11a, Poland.
| | - Ewa Boniewska-Bernacka
- University of Opole, Institute of Medical Sciences, Department of Biology and Genetics, Opole 45-040, Pl.Kopernika 11a, Poland.
| | - Anna Goc
- University of Opole, Institute of Medical Sciences, Department of Biology and Genetics, Opole 45-040, Pl.Kopernika 11a, Poland.
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Rosen J, Jakobs P, Ale-Agha N, Altschmied J, Haendeler J. Non-canonical functions of Telomerase Reverse Transcriptase - Impact on redox homeostasis. Redox Biol 2020; 34:101543. [PMID: 32502898 PMCID: PMC7267725 DOI: 10.1016/j.redox.2020.101543] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2020] [Revised: 04/11/2020] [Accepted: 04/13/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Telomerase consists of the catalytic subunit Telomerase Reverse Transcriptase (TERT) and the Telomerase RNA Component. Its canonical function is the prevention of telomere erosion. Over the last years it became evident that TERT is also present in tissues with low replicative potential. Important non-canonical functions of TERT are protection against apoptosis and maintenance of the cellular redox homeostasis in cancer as well as in somatic tissues. Intriguingly, TERT and reactive oxygen species (ROS) are interdependent on each other, with TERT being regulated by changes in the redox balance and itself controlling ROS levels in the cytosol and in the mitochondria. The latter is achieved because TERT is present in the mitochondria, where it protects mitochondrial DNA and maintains levels of anti-oxidative enzymes. Since numerous diseases are associated with oxidative stress, increasing the mitochondrial TERT level could be of therapeutic value.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Rosen
- Environmentally-induced Cardiovascular Degeneration, Institute of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Diagnostics, Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine University Düsseldorf, Germany; IUF-Leibniz Research Institute for Environmental Medicine, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Philipp Jakobs
- Environmentally-induced Cardiovascular Degeneration, Institute of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Diagnostics, Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine University Düsseldorf, Germany; IUF-Leibniz Research Institute for Environmental Medicine, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Niloofar Ale-Agha
- Environmentally-induced Cardiovascular Degeneration, Institute of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Diagnostics, Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine University Düsseldorf, Germany; IUF-Leibniz Research Institute for Environmental Medicine, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Joachim Altschmied
- IUF-Leibniz Research Institute for Environmental Medicine, Düsseldorf, Germany.
| | - Judith Haendeler
- Environmentally-induced Cardiovascular Degeneration, Institute of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Diagnostics, Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine University Düsseldorf, Germany; IUF-Leibniz Research Institute for Environmental Medicine, Düsseldorf, Germany.
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12
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Sadeghi-Tabas S, Saghebjoo M, Sarir H, Hedayati M. Effects of work/rest interval manipulation of high-intensity interval training and detraining on telomerase activity and p53 levels in cardiac muscle. Sci Sports 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.scispo.2019.06.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
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13
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Lundberg M, Millischer V, Backlund L, Martinsson L, Stenvinkel P, Sellgren CM, Lavebratt C, Schalling M. Lithium and the Interplay Between Telomeres and Mitochondria in Bipolar Disorder. Front Psychiatry 2020; 11:586083. [PMID: 33132941 PMCID: PMC7553080 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2020.586083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2020] [Accepted: 08/31/2020] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Bipolar disorder is a severe psychiatric disorder which affects more than 1% of the world's population and is a leading cause of disability among young people. For the past 50 years, lithium has been the drug of choice for maintenance treatment of bipolar disorder due to its potent ability to prevent both manic and depressive episodes as well as suicide. However, though lithium has been associated with a multitude of effects within different cellular pathways and biological systems, its specific mechanism of action in stabilizing mood remains largely elusive. Mitochondrial dysfunction and telomere shortening have been implicated in both the pathophysiology of bipolar disorder and as targets of lithium treatment. Interestingly, it has in recent years become clear that these phenomena are intimately linked, partly through reactive oxygen species signaling and the subcellular translocation and non-canonical actions of telomerase reverse transcriptase. In this review, we integrate the current understanding of mitochondrial dysfunction, oxidative stress and telomere shortening in bipolar disorder with documented effects of lithium. Moreover, we propose that lithium's mechanism of action is intimately connected with the interdependent regulation of mitochondrial bioenergetics and telomere maintenance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin Lundberg
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Surgery, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.,Center for Molecular Medicine, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Vincent Millischer
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Surgery, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.,Center for Molecular Medicine, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Lena Backlund
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Surgery, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.,Center for Molecular Medicine, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Lina Martinsson
- Centre for Psychiatry Research, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet & Stockholm Healthcare Services, Region Stockholm, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Peter Stenvinkel
- Department of Clinical Science, Intervention and Technology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Carl M Sellgren
- Centre for Psychiatry Research, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet & Stockholm Healthcare Services, Region Stockholm, Stockholm, Sweden.,Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Catharina Lavebratt
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Surgery, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.,Center for Molecular Medicine, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Martin Schalling
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Surgery, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.,Center for Molecular Medicine, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
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14
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Genes associated with Type 2 Diabetes and vascular complications. Aging (Albany NY) 2019; 10:178-196. [PMID: 29410390 PMCID: PMC5842840 DOI: 10.18632/aging.101375] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2017] [Accepted: 01/30/2018] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Type 2 Diabetes (T2D) is a chronic disease associated with a number of micro- and macrovascular complications that increase the morbidity and mortality of patients. The risk of diabetic complications has a strong genetic component. To this end, we sought to evaluate the association of 40 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in 21 candidate genes with T2D and its vascular complications in 503 T2D patients and 580 healthy controls. The genes were chosen because previously reported to be associated with T2D complications and/or with the aging process. We replicated the association of T2D risk with IGF2BP rs4402960 and detected novel associations with TERT rs2735940 and rs2736098. The addition of these SNPs to a model including traditional risk factors slightly improved risk prediction. After stratification of patients according to the presence/absence of vascular complications, we found significant associations of variants in the CAT, FTO, and UCP1 genes with diabetic retinopathy and nephropathy. Additionally, a variant in the ADIPOQ gene was found associated with macrovascular complications. Notably, these genes are involved in some way in mitochondrial biology and reactive oxygen species regulation. Hence, our findings strongly suggest a potential link between mitochondrial oxidative homeostasis and individual predisposition to diabetic vascular complications.
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15
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De Meyer T, Nawrot T, Bekaert S, De Buyzere ML, Rietzschel ER, Andrés V. Telomere Length as Cardiovascular Aging Biomarker: JACC Review Topic of the Week. J Am Coll Cardiol 2019; 72:805-813. [PMID: 30092957 DOI: 10.1016/j.jacc.2018.06.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 85] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2018] [Revised: 06/04/2018] [Accepted: 06/10/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Telomeres shorten with age, the major risk factor for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (aCVD). The observation of shorter telomeres in aCVD patients thus suggested that critical telomere shortening may contribute to premature biological aging and aCVD. Therefore, telomere length often is suggested as a causal aCVD risk factor, a proposal supported by recent Mendelian randomization studies; however, epidemiological research has shown disappointingly low effect sizes. It therefore remains uncertain whether telomere shortening is a cause of aCVD or merely a consequence. The authors argue that elucidating the mechanistic foundation of these findings is essential for any possible translation of telomere biology to the clinic. Here, they critically evaluate evidence for causality in animal models and human studies, and review popular hypotheses and discuss their clinical implications. The authors identify 4 key questions that any successful mechanistic theory should address, and they discuss how atherosclerosis-associated local telomere attrition may provide the answers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tim De Meyer
- Department of Data Analysis and Mathematical Modelling, Ghent University, Belgium.
| | - Tim Nawrot
- Centre for Environmental Sciences, Hasselt University, Hasselt, Belgium
| | - Sofie Bekaert
- Bimetra Clinical Research Center, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Marc L De Buyzere
- Department of Cardiovascular Diseases, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | | | - Vicente Andrés
- Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares Carlos III (CNIC), Madrid, Spain; CIBER de Enfermedades Cardiovasculares (CIBER-CV), Madrid, Spain
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16
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Kokubun T, Saitoh SI, Miura S, Ishida T, Takeishi Y. Telomerase Plays a Pivotal Role in Collateral Growth Under Ischemia by Suppressing Age-Induced Oxidative Stress, Expression of p53, and Pro-Apoptotic Proteins. Int Heart J 2019; 60:736-745. [PMID: 31105157 DOI: 10.1536/ihj.18-564] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Aging is not only a major risk factor for impaired collateral growth under ischemia but also shortens the telomere length, which is regulated by telomerase. We examined the role of telomerase activity during impaired collateral growth during aging in ischemic skeletal muscle. Unilateral hind limb ischemia was generated in old, young, and old mice chronically administered a telomerase activator. In old mice, blood flow recovery and capillary density development in ischemic hind limbs were reduced compared to those in young mice, and these changes were restored to equal levels by administration of TA-65, a telomerase activator. During the early phase of ischemic muscle changes in old mice, telomerase reverse transcriptase expression and telomerase activity were both low compared to those in young mice and old mice treated with TA-65. Levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS), DNA double-strand breaks, and expression of p53, p16, and Bax/Bcl-2 were all elevated in ischemic muscles of old mice compared to those in the muscles of young mice and old mice treated with TA-65 treatment; these factors were maintained at low levels equivalent to those seen in young mice during the experiment. Expression of HIF1α/vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and PGC1α were decreased in old mice compared to those in young mice and old mice treated with TA-65. Collateral growth under ischemic conditions is impaired in aged animals due to low telomerase activity, increased ROS, resultant DNA damage, and expression of tumor suppressor and pro-apoptotic proteins. These data suggest that telomerase activation enhances collateral growth and rescues ischemic tissue in old individuals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomoki Kokubun
- Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Fukushima Medical University
| | - Shu-Ichi Saitoh
- Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Ohara General Hospital
| | - Shunsuke Miura
- Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Fukushima Medical University
| | - Takafumi Ishida
- Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Fukushima Medical University
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17
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Activating the PGC-1 α/TERT Pathway by Catalpol Ameliorates Atherosclerosis via Modulating ROS Production, DNA Damage, and Telomere Function: Implications on Mitochondria and Telomere Link. OXIDATIVE MEDICINE AND CELLULAR LONGEVITY 2018; 2018:2876350. [PMID: 30046372 PMCID: PMC6036816 DOI: 10.1155/2018/2876350] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2018] [Accepted: 03/15/2018] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Catalpol, an iridoid glucoside, has been found present in large quantities in the root of Rehmannia glutinosa L. and showed a strong antioxidant capacity in the previous study. In the present work, the protective effect of catalpol against AS via inhibiting oxidative stress, DNA damage, and telomere shortening was found in LDLr-/- mice. This study also shows that activation of the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ coactivator-1α (PGC-1α)/telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) pathway, which is the new link between mitochondria and telomere, was involved in the protective effects of catalpol. Further, by using PGC-1α or TERT siRNA in oxLDL-treated macrophages, it is proved that catalpol reduced oxidative stress, telomere function, and related DNA damage at least partly through activating the PGC-1α/TERT pathway. Moreover, dual luciferase activity assay-validated catalpol directly enhanced PGC-1α promoter activity. In conclusion, our study revealed that the PGC-1α/TERT pathway might be a possible therapeutic target in AS and catalpol has highly favorable characteristics for the treatment of AS via modulating this pathway.
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Chemotherapeutic-Induced Cardiovascular Dysfunction: Physiological Effects, Early Detection-The Role of Telomerase to Counteract Mitochondrial Defects and Oxidative Stress. Int J Mol Sci 2018. [PMID: 29534446 PMCID: PMC5877658 DOI: 10.3390/ijms19030797] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Although chemotherapeutics can be highly effective at targeting malignancies, their ability to trigger cardiovascular morbidity is clinically significant. Chemotherapy can adversely affect cardiovascular physiology, resulting in the development of cardiomyopathy, heart failure and microvascular defects. Specifically, anthracyclines are known to cause an excessive buildup of free radical species and mitochondrial DNA damage (mtDNA) that can lead to oxidative stress-induced cardiovascular apoptosis. Therefore, oncologists and cardiologists maintain a network of communication when dealing with patients during treatment in order to treat and prevent chemotherapy-induced cardiovascular damage; however, there is a need to discover more accurate biomarkers and therapeutics to combat and predict the onset of cardiovascular side effects. Telomerase, originally discovered to promote cellular proliferation, has recently emerged as a potential mechanism to counteract mitochondrial defects and restore healthy mitochondrial vascular phenotypes. This review details mechanisms currently used to assess cardiovascular damage, such as C-reactive protein (CRP) and troponin levels, while also unearthing recently researched biomarkers, including circulating mtDNA, telomere length and telomerase activity. Further, we explore a potential role of telomerase in the mitigation of mitochondrial reactive oxygen species and maintenance of mtDNA integrity. Telomerase activity presents a promising indicator for the early detection and treatment of chemotherapy-derived cardiac damage.
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19
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Aging: Molecular Pathways and Implications on the Cardiovascular System. OXIDATIVE MEDICINE AND CELLULAR LONGEVITY 2017; 2017:7941563. [PMID: 28874954 PMCID: PMC5569936 DOI: 10.1155/2017/7941563] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2017] [Accepted: 06/27/2017] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
The world's population over 60 years is growing rapidly, reaching 22% of the global population in the next decades. Despite the increase in global longevity, individual healthspan needs to follow this growth. Several diseases have their prevalence increased by age, such as cardiovascular diseases, the leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Understanding the aging biology mechanisms is fundamental to the pursuit of cardiovascular health. In this way, aging is characterized by a gradual decline in physiological functions, involving the increased number in senescent cells into the body. Several pathways lead to senescence, including oxidative stress and persistent inflammation, as well as energy failure such as mitochondrial dysfunction and deregulated autophagy, being ROS, AMPK, SIRTs, mTOR, IGF-1, and p53 key regulators of the metabolic control, connecting aging to the pathways which drive towards diseases. In addition, senescence can be induced by cellular replication, which resulted from telomere shortening. Taken together, it is possible to draw a common pathway unifying aging to cardiovascular diseases, and the central point of this process, senescence, can be the target for new therapies, which may result in the healthspan matching the lifespan.
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20
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The Telomeric Complex and Metabolic Disease. Genes (Basel) 2017; 8:genes8070176. [PMID: 28686177 PMCID: PMC5541309 DOI: 10.3390/genes8070176] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2017] [Revised: 06/26/2017] [Accepted: 06/30/2017] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The attrition of telomeres is believed to be a key event not only in mammalian aging, but also in disturbed nutrient sensing, which could lead to numerous metabolic dysfunctions. The current debate focuses mainly on the question whether telomere shortening, e.g., as a heritable trait, may act as a cause or rather represents a consequence of such chronic diseases. This review discusses the damaging events that ultimately may lead or contribute to telomere shortening and can be associated with metabolic diseases.
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21
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Rezende F, Schürmann C, Schütz S, Harenkamp S, Herrmann E, Seimetz M, Weißmann N, Schröder K. Knock out of the NADPH oxidase Nox4 has no impact on life span in mice. Redox Biol 2017; 11:312-314. [PMID: 28038425 PMCID: PMC5196091 DOI: 10.1016/j.redox.2016.12.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2016] [Revised: 12/07/2016] [Accepted: 12/08/2016] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
The free radical theory of aging suggests reactive oxygen species as a main reason for accumulation of damage events eventually leading to aging. Nox4, a member of the family of NADPH oxidases constitutively produces ROS and therefore has the potential to be a main driver of aging. Herein we analyzed the life span of Nox4 deficient mice and found no difference when compared to their wildtype littermates. Accordingly neither Tert expression nor telomere length was different in cells isolated from those animals. In fact, Nox4 mRNA expression in lungs of wildtype mice dropped with age. We conclude that Nox4 has no influence on lifespan of healthy mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Flavia Rezende
- Institute for Cardiovascular Physiology, Goethe-University, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Christoph Schürmann
- Institute for Cardiovascular Physiology, Goethe-University, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Susanne Schütz
- Institute for Cardiovascular Physiology, Goethe-University, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Sabine Harenkamp
- Institute for Cardiovascular Physiology, Goethe-University, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Eva Herrmann
- Instituts für Biostatistik und Mathematische Modellierung, Goethe-University, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Michael Seimetz
- Justus-Liebig University, Giessen, German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Germany; Excellence Cluster Cardiovascular and Pulmonary System (ECCPS), Germany
| | - Norbert Weißmann
- Justus-Liebig University, Giessen, German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Germany; Excellence Cluster Cardiovascular and Pulmonary System (ECCPS), Germany
| | - Katrin Schröder
- Institute for Cardiovascular Physiology, Goethe-University, Frankfurt, Germany; Excellence Cluster Cardiovascular and Pulmonary System (ECCPS), Germany; German Center for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK), Partner site RheinMain, Frankfurt, Germany.
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22
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Treating Cancer by Targeting Telomeres and Telomerase. Antioxidants (Basel) 2017; 6:antiox6010015. [PMID: 28218725 PMCID: PMC5384178 DOI: 10.3390/antiox6010015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2016] [Revised: 02/15/2017] [Accepted: 02/16/2017] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Telomerase is expressed in more than 85% of cancer cells. Tumor cells with metastatic potential may have a high telomerase activity, allowing cells to escape from the inhibition of cell proliferation due to shortened telomeres. Human telomerase primarily consists of two main components: hTERT, a catalytic subunit, and hTR, an RNA template whose sequence is complimentary to the telomeric 5′-dTTAGGG-3′ repeat. In humans, telomerase activity is typically restricted to renewing tissues, such as germ cells and stem cells, and is generally absent in normal cells. While hTR is constitutively expressed in most tissue types, hTERT expression levels are low enough that telomere length cannot be maintained, which sets a proliferative lifespan on normal cells. However, in the majority of cancers, telomerase maintains stable telomere length, thereby conferring cell immortality. Levels of hTERT mRNA are directly related to telomerase activity, thereby making it a more suitable therapeutic target than hTR. Recent data suggests that stabilization of telomeric G-quadruplexes may act to indirectly inhibit telomerase action by blocking hTR binding. Telomeric DNA has the propensity to spontaneously form intramolecular G-quadruplexes, four-stranded DNA secondary structures that are stabilized by the stacking of guanine residues in a planar arrangement. The functional roles of telomeric G-quadruplexes are not completely understood, but recent evidence suggests that they can stall the replication fork during DNA synthesis and inhibit telomere replication by preventing telomerase and related proteins from binding to the telomere. Long-term treatment with G-quadruplex stabilizers induces a gradual reduction in the length of the G-rich 3’ end of the telomere without a reduction of the total telomere length, suggesting that telomerase activity is inhibited. However, inhibition of telomerase, either directly or indirectly, has shown only moderate success in cancer patients. Another promising approach of targeting the telomere is the use of guanine-rich oligonucleotides (GROs) homologous to the 3’ telomere overhang sequence (T-oligos). T-oligos, particularly a specific 11-base oligonucleotide (5’-dGTTAGGGTTAG-3’) called T11, have been shown to induce DNA damage responses (DDRs) such as senescence, apoptosis, and cell cycle arrest in numerous cancer cell types with minimal or no cytostatic effects in normal, non-transformed cells. As a result, T-oligos and other GROs are being investigated as prospective anticancer therapeutics. Interestingly, the DDRs induced by T-oligos in cancer cells are similar to the effects seen after progressive telomere degradation in normal cells. The loss of telomeres is an important tumor suppressor mechanism that is commonly absent in transformed malignant cells, and hence, T-oligos have garnered significant interest as a novel strategy to combat cancer. However, little is known about their mechanism of action. In this review, we discuss the current understanding of how T-oligos exert their antiproliferative effects in cancer cells and their role in inhibition of telomerase. We also discuss the current understanding of telomerase in cancer and various therapeutic targets related to the telomeres and telomerase.
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