Connecting the Dots: Telomere Shortening and Rheumatic Diseases
Fang Han,
Farooq Riaz,
Jincheng Pu,
Ronglin Gao,
Lufei Yang,
Yanqing Wang,
Jiamin Song,
Yuanyuan Liang,
Zhenzhen Wu,
Chunrui Li,
Jianping Tang,
Xianghuai Xu,
Xuan Wang
Affiliations
Fang Han
Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, Tongji Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, No. 389 Xincun Road, Shanghai 200065, China
Farooq Riaz
Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Shenzhen University of Advanced Technology, Shenzhen 518000, China
Jincheng Pu
Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, Tongji Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, No. 389 Xincun Road, Shanghai 200065, China
Ronglin Gao
Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, Tongji Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, No. 389 Xincun Road, Shanghai 200065, China
Lufei Yang
Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, Tongji Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, No. 389 Xincun Road, Shanghai 200065, China
Yanqing Wang
Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, Tongji Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, No. 389 Xincun Road, Shanghai 200065, China
Jiamin Song
Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, Tongji Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, No. 389 Xincun Road, Shanghai 200065, China
Yuanyuan Liang
Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, Tongji Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, No. 389 Xincun Road, Shanghai 200065, China
Zhenzhen Wu
Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, Tongji Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, No. 389 Xincun Road, Shanghai 200065, China
Chunrui Li
Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, Tongji Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, No. 389 Xincun Road, Shanghai 200065, China
Jianping Tang
Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, Tongji Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, No. 389 Xincun Road, Shanghai 200065, China
Xianghuai Xu
Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Tongji Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, No. 389 Xincun Road, Shanghai 200065, China
Xuan Wang
Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, Tongji Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, No. 389 Xincun Road, Shanghai 200065, China
Telomeres, repetitive sequences located at the extremities of chromosomes, play a pivotal role in sustaining chromosomal stability. Telomerase is a complex enzyme that can elongate telomeres by appending telomeric repeats to chromosome ends and acts as a critical factor in telomere dynamics. The gradual shortening of telomeres over time is a hallmark of cellular senescence and cellular death. Notably, telomere shortening appears to result from the complex interplay of two primary mechanisms: telomere shelterin complexes and telomerase activity. The intricate interplay of genetic, environmental, and lifestyle influences can perturb telomere replication, incite oxidative stress damage, and modulate telomerase activity, collectively resulting in shifts in telomere length. This age-related process of telomere shortening plays a considerable role in various chronic inflammatory and oxidative stress conditions, including cancer, cardiovascular disease, and rheumatic disease. Existing evidence has shown that abnormal telomere shortening or telomerase activity abnormalities are present in the pathophysiological processes of most rheumatic diseases, including different disease stages and cell types. The impact of telomere shortening on rheumatic diseases is multifaceted. This review summarizes the current understanding of the link between telomere length and rheumatic diseases in clinical patients and examines probable telomere shortening in peripheral blood mononuclear cells and histiocytes. Therefore, understanding the intricate interaction between telomere shortening and various rheumatic diseases will help in designing personalized treatment and control measures for rheumatic disease.
