Telomeres and age-related disease: How telomere biology informs clinical paradigms

Research output: Contribution to journalReview articlepeer-review

203 Scopus citations

Abstract

Telomere length shortens with age and predicts the onset of replicative senescence. Recently, short telomeres have been linked to the etiology of degenerative diseases such as idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, bone marrow failure, and cryptogenic liver cirrhosis. These disorders have recognizable clinical manifestations, and the telomere defect explains their genetics and informs the approach to their treatment. Here, I review how telomere biology has become intimately connected to clinical paradigms both for understanding pathophysiology and for individualizing therapy decisions. I also critically examine nuances of interpreting telomere length measurement in clinical studies.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)996-1002
Number of pages7
JournalJournal of Clinical Investigation
Volume123
Issue number3
DOIs
StatePublished - Mar 1 2013

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General Medicine

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