Systemic Human Htert Aav Gene Transfer Therapy And The Effect On Telomere Length And Biological Age, A Case Report

Abstract

A single adult female human was treated with AAV hTERT gene transfer therapy on two separate occasions 5 years apart. Follow-up is 5.8 years. The first dose administered on 9.16.2015 consisted of a total intravenous dose of 3e15 AAV hTERT. The second dose administered on 9.24.2020 consisted of a total intravenous dose of 3e15 AAV hTERT. Before and after each therapy and periodically in between the doses, Human Leucocyte telomere analysis was performed. The initial telomere length measurements collected on 9.15.2015 at the initiation of the AAV hTERT gene transfer therapy demonstrated a baseline average telomere length of 6.71kb which corresponded to a telomere percentage relative to age and population at the 30th percentile. The most recent telomere length measurements collected on 7.13.2021 demonstrated an average telomere length of 8.94kb which corresponded to a telomere percentage relative to age and population at the 89th percentile. The results demonstrate the progressive lengthening of the recipient’s telomeres from 6.71kb to 8.94kb despite advancing 5.8 years in chronological age. Associated age as related to telomere length (also known as biological age) was calculated and compared to chronological age. Initially on 9.15.2015, and prior to the first AAV hTERT gene transfer therapy, the associated age was calculated to be 62 years. The latest telomere analysis dated 7.13.2021 demonstrated a calculated associated age of 25 years. This decrease in associated, or biological age, decreased at a rate of 5.3 years per year of chronological age advancement.