Title:Association Between Telomere Length and Cardiovascular Risk:
Pharmacological Treatments Affecting Telomeres and Telomerase Activity
Volume: 20
Issue: 6
Author(s): Sonja Zafirovic*, Mirjana Macvanin, Julijana Stanimirovic, Milan Obradovic, Jelena Radovanovic, Irena Melih and Esma Isenovic
Affiliation:
- Department of Radiobiology and Molecular Genetics, VINČA Institute of Nuclear Sciences - National Institute of the Republic of Serbia, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
Keywords:
Telomeres, telomere length, telomerase activity, inflammation, cardiovascular disease, pharmacological treatments.
Abstract: Telomeres represent the ends of chromosomes, and they are composed of an extensive
number of – TTAGGG nucleotide sequence repeats in humans. Telomeres prevent chromosome
degradation, participate in stabilization, and regulate the DNA repair system. Inflammation and
oxidative stress have been identified as important processes causing cardiovascular disease and
accelerating telomere shortening rate. This review investigates the link between telomere length and
pathological vascular conditions from experimental and human studies. Also, we discuss
pharmacological treatments affecting telomeres and telomerase activity.