Effect of arsenic exposure on human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) gene expression: Risk of cardiovascular diseases

Background: Exposure to inorganic arsenic (iAs) through drinking water is currently a serious threat to public health of millions of people worldwide including Bangladesh. Some recent studies have shown that telomere dysfunction is emerging as an important factor in the pathogenesis of different cardiovascular diseases. Arsenic plays significant role on telomere dysfunction by altering the expression of telomere-related genes