# T Cell and Monocyte Telomere Length Dynamics in Patients with COVID-19

> **NIH NIH U01** · RBHS-NEW JERSEY MEDICAL SCHOOL · 2020 · $286,285

## Abstract

SUMMARY
Severe lymphopenia, expressed in decreased numbers of CD4 and CD8 T cells, increases the risk of dying from
COVID-19. Regardless of the underlying causes of the decline in T cells, replenishing their numbers through
massive replication is likely vital for convalescence. Such a process depends on telomere length (TL), which can
impose a limit on T cell replication. The recovery from lymphopenia associated with COVID-19 might, therefore,
stall in individuals with comparatively short telomeres, including older individuals, men, and those with cardio-
metabolic disease. These individuals are more likely to have severe COVID-19 and die from the infection. In
addition, short telomeres might contribute to a macrophage-mediated ‘cytokine storm’ in these patients. The
substantial inter-individual variation in TL from birth onwards means, however, that telomeres of some young
adults are as short as those of older adults. Despite their young age, such younger persons are also at increased
risk for severe COVID-19-associated decreased number of T cells and increased number of dysfunctional
macrophages. The aims of the project are to measure TL parameters in CD4/CD8 T cells and monocytes from
patients with mild and severe COVID-19, monitor their TL dynamics during the course of the disease, and
examine their relations with the levels of selected cytokines, previously shown to be elevated in patients with
severe COVID-19. Findings have the potential to identify adults of any age who are at increased risk of dying
from COVID-19, and guide therapeutic modalities to reverse COVID-19- associated decline in CD4/CD8 T cells,
including agents that stimulate telomerase, the reverse transcriptase that lengthens telomeres.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10149585
- **Project number:** 3U01AG066529-02S1
- **Recipient organization:** RBHS-NEW JERSEY MEDICAL SCHOOL
- **Principal Investigator:** ABRAHAM AVIV
- **Activity code:** U01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $286,285
- **Award type:** 3
- **Project period:** 2019-09-30 → 2022-05-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10149585

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10149585, T Cell and Monocyte Telomere Length Dynamics in Patients with COVID-19 (3U01AG066529-02S1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10149585. Licensed CC0.

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