The Role of Telomeres and Telomerase in Aging

Dear Colleagues,

Telomeres function as a mitotic clock regulating cellular ageing. However, how telomeres regulate ageing remains largely to be elucidated. Recently, there have been many research fronts on telomere biology related to ageing in different model organisms. Although ageing inevitably occurs, premature ageing occurs as the biggest risk factor of chronic diseases. It has been thought that genetic element and environmental stress factors interact precipitating premature ageing. For example, stress may somehow accelerate telomere shortening to set off stem-cell senescence. However, telomeres are synthesised and thereby lengthened by telomerase in stem cells. It is intriguing how telomerase and telomeres may be compromised in premature ageing, thus facilitating age-related diseases.

Ageing occurs in different cell types in various tissues and organs. However, why telomerase may affect some cell types but not others and if controlled expression of telomere binding proteins and their recruiting telomerase might protect the between tissue balance of telomere maintenance in response to diverse stresses. Studies have shown that telomerase expression delays ageing, although telomerase activators have not yet been reported. Intriguingly, a number of biomolecules have been tested in protecting telomeres. These might represent exciting future directions in studying the roles of telomeres and telomerase in ageing, resetting the telomere mitotic clock for stem-cell rejuvenation and prolonged healthspan in epithelial/endothelial cell ageing damage repair, for example.

This Special Issue of the Biomolecules will focus on “The Role of Telomeres and Telomerase in Aging”, including new insights into the molecular and cellular mechanisms of telomere length variations, telomerase structures and other telomere binding proteins, stem cell senescence, and aging-related diseases. Moreover, emerging data on natural or synthetic epigenetic modulators in relation with new molecular targeting options or therapeutic strategies are welcome.

Prof. Dr. Jun-Ping Liu
Guest Editor

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