Statins Enhance Migratory Capacity by Upregulation of the Telomere Repeat-Binding Factor TRF2 in Endothelial Progenitor Cells

Abstract

Ex vivo culturing of EPCs leads to "uncapping" of telomeres, indicated by the loss of TRF2. Statin cotreatment of EPCs prevents impairment of their functional capacity by a TRF2-dependent, posttranscriptional mechanism. This is the first time a beneficial effect of statins on telomere biology has been described.