Telomerase reverse transcriptase and neurodegenerative diseases

Front Immunol. 2023 Mar 29:14:1165632. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1165632. eCollection 2023.

Abstract

Neurodegenerative diseases (NDs) are chronic conditions that result in progressive damage to the nervous system, including Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD), Huntington's disease (HD), and Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Age is a major risk factor for NDs. Telomere shortening is a biological marker of cellular aging, and telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) has been shown to slow down this process by maintaining telomere length. The blood-brain barrier (BBB) makes the brain a unique immune organ, and while the number of T cells present in the central nervous system is limited, they play an important role in NDs. Research suggests that NDs can be influenced by modulating peripheral T cell immune responses, and that TERT may play a significant role in T cell senescence and NDs. This review focuses on the current state of research on TERT in NDs and explores the potential connections between TERT, T cells, and NDs. Further studies on aging and telomeres may provide valuable insights for developing therapeutic strategies for age-related diseases.

Keywords: T cell; aging; nervous system; neurodegenerative diseases; telomerase reverse transcriptase.

Publication types

  • Review
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Cellular Senescence
  • Humans
  • Neurodegenerative Diseases* / therapy
  • T-Lymphocytes
  • Telomerase* / genetics
  • Telomere Shortening

Substances

  • Telomerase
  • TERT protein, human

Grants and funding

This work was supported by the National Natural Sciences Foundation of China (81901116, 92049106), China Postdoctoral Science Foundation (Grant No. 2019M661161) and The Science Research Foundation of Liaoning Province (NO. 2020-MS-169).