Impact of vascular aging on cardiovascular disease: the role of telomere biology.

Cardiovascular risk increases with chronological as well as biological aging, and one marker of this might be telomere length. The telomere cap is located at the end of the DNA helix and serves to protect its end. This is an evolutionary adaptation which has resulted in stabilization of the DNA strand within the chromosome. During the life course, telomeres tend to shorten in most cells, with the exception of germ line cells and cells that do not undergo cell division, as well as cancer cells. Telomeres are typically shorter in men than in women and continue to shorten over the life-span. In certain conditions this shortening is enhanced, especially in the presence of cardiovascular risk factors. There is evidence to suggest that telomere length could be a potential marker of early vascular aging in individuals with a burden of cardiovascular risk factors that might speed up the aging process.