Research Square · Nov 1, 2026
Senescence-associated KRAS upregulation in peripheral T cells links to premature coronary artery disease
By Sun Z, Yang Z, Wang X et al.
Aims Premature coronary artery disease (PCAD) lacks specific molecular drivers, and the role of immunosenescence is unclear. We investigated whether aging-related gene dysregulation in T cells contributes to PCAD. Methods We combined bulk transcriptomics of PBMCs from 12 PCAD patients and 21 controls, single-cell RNA sequencing of PBMCs and human atherosclerotic plaques, weighted gene co‑expression network analysis, gene perturbation network analysis, and molecular docking. Results KRAS was identified as a hub gene intersecting PCAD-associated genes and aging-related genes. Single-cell analysis showed KRAS upregulation predominantly in effector CD8 ⁺ T cells, which exhibited the highest senescence scores that were further elevated in disease. Network perturbation of KRAS strongly impacted the cell killing pathway. KRAS-high effector CD8 ⁺ T cells were detected in coronary and carotid plaques, displaying enhanced cytotoxicity, exhaustion, and senescence features. Additionally, a candidate small molecule was computationally predicted to bind inactive KRAS. Conclusions Elevated KRAS expression in senescent, cytotoxic CD8 ⁺ T cells is associated with PCAD, bridging immunosenescence and premature atherosclerosis. This finding provides a novel biomarker candidate and potential therapeutic entry point, awaiting further functional validation.