Longevity & AgingRNA Therapy Reverses Lung Scarring by Reactivating Telomerase in Human Tissue
Researchers at Hannover Medical School and Fraunhofer ITEM developed a modified mRNA (modRNA) encoding human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) to treat pulmonary fibrosis. In primary human alveolar type II cells, modRNA hTERT transiently restored telomerase activity, elongated telomeres, reduced DNA damage, and boosted cell proliferation. Immune activation was minimal and short-lived. A circularized, exonuclease-resistant version of the mRNA extended the expression window. Critically, a single treatment of precision-cut lung slices from end-stage fibrosis patients significantly reduced senescence markers, pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-6, IL-8), and key fibrosis drivers (TGF-β, COL1A1), offering the first human-tissue proof of concept for RNA-based hTERT therapy in lung fibrosis.
