Telomeres and atherosclerosis

Abstract The pathogenesis of atherosclerosis, an age-related disorder, may be due to a premature biological ageing. Cellular senescence, the finite replicative lifespan of cells, plays a critical role in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. The biological mechanism that triggers the onset of cellular senescence is thought to be telomere shortening. The two major mechanisms responsible for telomere shortening are the end-replication problem, oxidative DNA damage as well as inflammation induced by environmental risk factors. Repair of the endothelium depends on the presence of endothelial progenitor cells which depends on the hematopoietic stem cells (HSC) reserves. In numerous past studies, short LTL has been associated with atherosclerosis. Here we review the literature on telomere biology and coronary artery disease (CAD).