Abstract

Telomeres, protective structures composed of TTAGGG repeat sequences and proteins at chromosome ends, play a pivotal role in cell cycle regulation and aging. Studies show that telomere shortening during cell division to a critical length triggers cellular senescence, tightly linked to the development of agingrelated diseases like cancer, cardiovascular disorders, and osteoporosis. Current telomere research has achieved dual breakthroughs in technology and application. Detection methods have evolved from traditional quantitative PCR and Fluorescence in Situ Hybridization (FISH) to Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS), digital PCR and nanogold labelling techniques. Telomerase has demonstrated significant potential in delaying aging and combating cellular senescence, with technologies targeting telomerase showing promise in reversing cell senescence and treating aging-related diseases. In therapeutic strategies, telomerase inhibitors (e.g., oligonucleotides, nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors, non-nucleoside small-molecule inhibitors) combat tumor cells by suppressing telomerase activity, while telomerase activators delay cellular senescence by activating telomerase. These strategies targeting telomerase genes provide new therapeutic pathways for cancer treatment and aging intervention. Future research will focus on interdisciplinary innovation: decoding the regulatory network between telomeres and gene expression through multi-omics integration, optimizing clinical interpretation of detection data with artificial intelligence and achieving precise delivery of telomere-targeted drugs via nanocarriers. These explorations not only promote the clinical use of telomere length as an aging biomarker but also hold promise for intervening in cellular senescence by regulating telomere dynamics, opening an interdisciplinary paradigm for early warning and prevention of aging-related diseases.

Keywords:Telomere; Biomarker; Therapeutic target; Precision medicine