Key points from article :
New mechanism that lengthens telomeres in T cells has been discovered.
T cells (immune cells) do not experience telomere attrition until they start proliferating.
Short telomeres are found in T cells in viral infections like HIV, inflammatory diseases and immunosenescence-related conditions.
Increase in length of telomeres in T cells after contact with antigen-presenting cells (APCs) suggested transfer of telomeres.
Other known mechanisms of telomere restoration were ruled out.
Chemical labelling of APC telomeres and isolation of telomere-transporting vesicles were done.
Direct transfer of these vesicles into T cells caused telomere lengthening, providing the final proof.
APC-originated telomere transfer can rescue ultra-short telomeres in senescent T cells boosting their proliferation for effect against various diseases.
Study by Santa Lucia Foundation published in BioRxiv.
