Telomere transcription in ageing.

Area of Science:

• Genetics
• Molecular Biology
• Gerontology

Background:

• Telomeres protect chromosome ends and are vital for cellular senescence and organismal aging.
• Dysfunctional telomeres contribute to aging hallmarks like senescence and genomic instability.
• Telomeric transcripts have emerged as critical regulators of telomere function.

Purpose of the Study:

• To provide a comprehensive overview of the telomere transcriptome.
• To outline the regulatory roles of telomeric transcripts in safeguarding telomere integrity.
• To review therapeutic strategies targeting telomeric non-coding RNAs for age-related diseases.

Main Methods:

• Review of existing literature on telomere transcription and function.
• Analysis of the roles of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) such as TERRA and tdilncRNA.
• Exploration of antisense oligonucleotide (ASO) therapeutic approaches.

Main Results:

• Telomeric transcripts function as a regulatory platform essential for telomere integrity and stability.
• Specific lncRNAs, TERRA and tdilncRNA, actively orchestrate telomere length regulation and DNA damage signaling.
• Emerging evidence supports targeting these telomeric ncRNAs for therapeutic interventions.

Conclusions:

• Telomere transcription mechanisms are biologically relevant in human aging physiology and pathology.
• Targeting telomeric ncRNAs with antisense oligonucleotides shows potential for ameliorating aging and age-related diseases.
• Understanding the telomere transcriptome is key to developing novel anti-aging strategies.