Accelerated telomere shortening in rheumatic diseases: cause or consequence?. (December 2013)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Dehbi, Amina ZA; Radstake, Timothy RDJ; Broen, Jasper CA
• Is Part Of: Expert review of clinical immunology. Volume 9:Number 12(2013)
• Page Start: 1193
• Page End: 1204
• Publication Date: 2013-12
• Subjects: osteoarthritis -- rheumatoid arthritis -- SLE -- systemic sclerosis -- T cells -- telomeres; Clinical immunology -- Periodicals; 616.079
• DOI: 10.1586/1744666X.2013.850031
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1744-666X

Abstract

Accelerated aging of the immune system (immune aging), represented by telomere shortening, has been implicated in a variety of rheumatic diseases. Studies addressing telomere shortening in rheumatic diseases so far yielded controversial results. The current review aims to provide an overview on the role of immune aging in a plethora of immune-mediated conditions including systemic sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus and osteoarthritis. The main question this review aims to answer is whether rheumatic diseases cause accelerated aging or that accelerated aging drives rheumatic diseases.