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Bosquet Enlow M, De Vivo I, Petty CR, Nelson CA. Temperament and sex as moderating factors of the effects of exposure to maternal depression on telomere length in early childhood. Dev Psychopathol 2024:1-14. [PMID: 38426330 DOI: 10.1017/s0954579424000518] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/02/2024]
Abstract
Individual differences in sensitivity to context are posited to emerge early in development and to influence the effects of environmental exposures on a range of developmental outcomes. The goal of the current study was to examine the hypothesis that temperament characteristics and biological sex confer differential vulnerability to the effects of exposure to maternal depression on telomere length in early childhood. Telomere length has emerged as a potentially important biomarker of current and future health, with possible mechanistic involvement in the onset of various disease states. Participants comprised a community sample of children followed from infancy to age 3 years. Relative telomere length was assessed from DNA in saliva samples collected at infancy, 2 years, and 3 years. Maternal depressive symptoms and the child temperament traits of negative affectivity, surgency/extraversion, and regulation/effortful control were assessed via maternal report at each timepoint. Analyses revealed a 3-way interaction among surgency/extraversion, sex, and maternal depressive symptoms, such that higher surgency/extraversion was associated with shorter telomere length specifically among males exposed to elevated maternal depressive symptoms. These findings suggest that temperament and sex influence children's susceptibility to the effects of maternal depression on telomere dynamics in early life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michelle Bosquet Enlow
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Immaculata De Vivo
- Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Channing Division of Network Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Epidemiology, Program in Genetic Epidemiology and Statistical Genetics, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Carter R Petty
- Institutional Centers for Clinical and Translational Research, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Charles A Nelson
- Division of Developmental Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Harvard Graduate School of Education, Boston, MA, USA
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2
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Wolf SE, Hastings WJ, Ye Q, Etzel L, Apsley AT, Chiaro C, Heim CC, Heller T, Noll JG, Schreier HMC, Shenk CE, Shalev I. Cross-tissue comparison of telomere length and quality metrics of DNA among individuals aged 8 to 70 years. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0290918. [PMID: 38386656 PMCID: PMC10883573 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0290918] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2023] [Accepted: 01/03/2024] [Indexed: 02/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Telomere length (TL) is an important biomarker of cellular aging, yet its links with health outcomes may be complicated by use of different tissues. We evaluated within- and between-individual variability in TL and quality metrics of DNA across five tissues using a cross-sectional dataset ranging from 8 to 70 years (N = 197). DNA was extracted from all tissue cells using the Gentra Puregene DNA Extraction Kit. Absolute TL (aTL) in kilobase pairs was measured in buccal epithelial cells, saliva, dried blood spots (DBS), buffy coat, and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) using qPCR. aTL significantly shortened with age for all tissues except saliva and buffy coat, although buffy coat was available for a restricted age range (8 to 15 years). aTL did not significantly differ across blood-based tissues (DBS, buffy coat, PBMC), which had significantly longer aTL than buccal cells and saliva. Additionally, aTL was significantly correlated for the majority of tissue pairs, with partial Spearman's correlations controlling for age and sex ranging from ⍴ = 0.18 to 0.51. We also measured quality metrics of DNA including integrity, purity, and quantity of extracted DNA from all tissues and explored whether controlling for DNA metrics improved predictions of aTL. We found significant tissue variation: DNA from blood-based tissues had high DNA integrity, more acceptable A260/280 and A260/230 values, and greater extracted DNA concentrations compared to buccal cells and saliva. Longer aTL was associated with lower DNA integrity, higher extracted DNA concentrations, and higher A260/230, particularly for saliva. Model comparisons suggested that incorporation of quality DNA metrics improves models of TL, although relevant metrics vary by tissue. These findings highlight the merits of using blood-based tissues and suggest that incorporation of quality DNA metrics as control variables in population-based studies can improve TL predictions, especially for more variable tissues like buccal and saliva.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah E. Wolf
- Department of Biobehavioral Health, Penn State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Waylon J. Hastings
- Department of Biobehavioral Health, Penn State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, United States of America
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, Louisiana, United States of America
| | - Qiaofeng Ye
- Department of Biobehavioral Health, Penn State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Laura Etzel
- Department of Biobehavioral Health, Penn State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Abner T. Apsley
- Department of Biobehavioral Health, Penn State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Christopher Chiaro
- Department of Biobehavioral Health, Penn State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Christine C. Heim
- Charité–Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin Institute of Health, Institute of Medical Psychology, Berlin, Germany
| | - Thomas Heller
- Department of Biobehavioral Health, Penn State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Jennie G. Noll
- Department of Psychology, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, United States of America
- Department of Human Development and Family Studies, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, United States of America
| | - Hannah M. C. Schreier
- Department of Biobehavioral Health, Penn State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Chad E. Shenk
- Department of Human Development and Family Studies, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, United States of America
- Department of Pediatrics, The Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, United States of America
| | - Idan Shalev
- Department of Biobehavioral Health, Penn State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, United States of America
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3
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Urlacher SS, Kim EY, Luan T, Young LJ, Adjetey B. Minimally invasive biomarkers in human and non-human primate evolutionary biology: Tools for understanding variation and adaptation. Am J Hum Biol 2022; 34:e23811. [PMID: 36205445 PMCID: PMC9787651 DOI: 10.1002/ajhb.23811] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2022] [Revised: 08/21/2022] [Accepted: 09/10/2022] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The use of minimally invasive biomarkers (MIBs - physiological biomarkers obtained from minimally invasive sample types) has expanded rapidly in science and medicine over the past several decades. The MIB approach is a methodological strength in the field of human and non-human primate evolutionary biology (HEB). Among humans and our closest relatives, MIBs provide unique opportunities to document phenotypic variation and to operationalize evolutionary hypotheses. AIMS This paper overviews the use of MIBs in HEB. Our objectives are to (1) highlight key research topics which successfully implement MIBs, (2) identify promising yet under-investigated areas of MIB application, and (3) discuss current challenges in MIB research, with suggestions for advancing the field. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS A range of MIBs are used to investigate focal topics in HEB, including energetics and life history variation/evolution, developmental plasticity, and social status and dominance relationships. Nonetheless, we identify gaps in existing MIB research on traits such as physical growth and gut function that are central to the field. Several challenges remain for HEB research using MIBs, including the need for additional biomarkers and methods of assessment, robust validations, and approaches that are standardized across labs and research groups. Importantly, researchers must provide better support for adaptation and fitness effects in hypothesis testing (e.g., by obtaining complementary measures of energy expenditure, demonstrating redundancy of function, and performing lifetime/longitudinal analyses). We point to continued progress in the use of MIBs in HEB to better understand the past, present, and future of humans and our closest primate relatives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samuel S. Urlacher
- Department of AnthropologyBaylor UniversityWacoTexasUSA
- Human Evolutionary Biology and Health LabBaylor UniversityWacoTexasUSA
- Child and Brain Development ProgramCIFARTorontoOntarioCanada
| | - Elizabeth Y. Kim
- Human Evolutionary Biology and Health LabBaylor UniversityWacoTexasUSA
- Department of BiologyBaylor UniversityWacoTexasUSA
| | - Tiffany Luan
- Human Evolutionary Biology and Health LabBaylor UniversityWacoTexasUSA
| | - Lauren J. Young
- Human Evolutionary Biology and Health LabBaylor UniversityWacoTexasUSA
| | - Brian Adjetey
- Human Evolutionary Biology and Health LabBaylor UniversityWacoTexasUSA
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4
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Iannarelli NJ, Wade TJ, Dempster KS, Moore J, MacNeil AJ, O'Leary DD. No Mediation Effect of Telomere Length or Mitochondrial DNA Copy Number on the Association Between Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and Central Arterial Stiffness. J Am Heart Assoc 2022; 11:e026619. [DOI: 10.1161/jaha.122.026619] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Background
Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) have been linked to increased cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk. Previous reports have suggested that accelerated biological aging—indexed by telomere length (TL) and mitochondrial DNA copy number (mtDNAcn)—may contribute to associations between ACEs and cardiovascular health outcomes. Here, we examine the potential mediating effects of TL and mtDNAcn on the association between ACEs and central arterial stiffness—an intermediate cardiovascular health outcome—as a novel pathway linking ACEs to CVD risk among young adults.
Methods and Results
One hundred and eighty‐five (n=102 women; mean age, 22.5±1.5 years) individuals provided information on ACEs. TL (kb per diploid cell) and mtDNAcn (copies per diploid cell) were quantified using quantitative polymerase chain reaction techniques. Central arterial stiffness was measured as carotid‐femoral pulse wave velocity (cfPWV; m/s). Multiple linear regression analyses were used to examine the associations between ACEs, TL, mtDNAcn, and cfPWV. ACEs were positively associated with cfPWV (
β
=0.147,
P
=0.035). TL (
β
=−0.170,
P
=0.011) and mtDNAcn (
β
=−0.159,
P
=0.019) were inversely associated with cfPWV. Neither TL (
β
=−0.027,
P
=0.726) nor mtDNAcn (
β
=0.038,
P
=0.620) was associated with ACEs. Neither marker mediated the association between ACEs and cfPWV.
Conclusions
An increasing number of ACEs were associated with a faster cfPWV and thus, a greater degree of central arterial stiffness. ACEs were not associated with either TL or mtDNAcn, suggesting that these markers do not represent a mediating pathway linking ACEs to central arterial stiffness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathaniel J. Iannarelli
- Department of Health Sciences Faculty of Applied Health Sciences Brock University St. Catharines Ontario Canada
- Brock‐Niagara Centre for Health and Well‐Being Brock University St. Catharines Ontario Canada
| | - Terrance J. Wade
- Department of Health Sciences Faculty of Applied Health Sciences Brock University St. Catharines Ontario Canada
- Brock‐Niagara Centre for Health and Well‐Being Brock University St. Catharines Ontario Canada
| | - Kylie S. Dempster
- Department of Health Sciences Faculty of Applied Health Sciences Brock University St. Catharines Ontario Canada
- Brock‐Niagara Centre for Health and Well‐Being Brock University St. Catharines Ontario Canada
| | - Jessy Moore
- Department of Health Sciences Faculty of Applied Health Sciences Brock University St. Catharines Ontario Canada
| | - Adam J. MacNeil
- Department of Health Sciences Faculty of Applied Health Sciences Brock University St. Catharines Ontario Canada
| | - Deborah D. O'Leary
- Department of Health Sciences Faculty of Applied Health Sciences Brock University St. Catharines Ontario Canada
- Brock‐Niagara Centre for Health and Well‐Being Brock University St. Catharines Ontario Canada
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5
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Geronimus AT, Bound J, Mitchell C, Martinez-Cardoso A, Evans L, Hughes L, Schneper L, Notterman DA. Coming up short: Comparing venous blood, dried blood spots & saliva samples for measuring telomere length in health equity research. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0255237. [PMID: 34407110 PMCID: PMC8372921 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0255237] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2021] [Accepted: 07/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Telomere length (TL) in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from fresh venous blood is increasingly used to estimate molecular impacts of accumulated social adversity on population health. Sometimes, TL extracted from saliva or dried blood spots (DBS) are substituted as less invasive and more scalable specimen collection methods; yet, are they interchangeable with fresh blood? Studies find TL is correlated across tissues, but have not addressed the critical question for social epidemiological applications: Do different specimen types show the same association between TL and social constructs? METHODS We integrate expertise in social epidemiology, molecular biology, and the statistical impact of measurement error on parameter estimates. Recruiting a diverse sample of 132 Metro-Detroit women, we measure TL for each woman from fresh blood PBMC, DBS, and saliva. Using regression methods, we estimate associations between social characteristics and TL, comparing estimates across specimen types for each woman. RESULTS Associations between TL and social characteristics vary by specimen type collected from the same woman, sometimes qualitatively altering estimates of the magnitude or direction of a theorized relationship. Being Black is associated with shorter TL in PBMC, but longer TL in saliva or DBS. Education is positively associated with TL in fresh blood, but negatively associated with TL using DBS. CONCLUSION Findings raise concerns about the use of TL measures derived from different tissues in social epidemiological research. Investigators need to consider the possibility that associations between social variables and TL may be systematically related to specimen type, rather than be valid indicators of socially-patterned biopsychosocial processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arline T. Geronimus
- School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
- Population Studies Center, Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
- National Academy of Medicine, Washington, DC, United States of America
| | - John Bound
- Population Studies Center, Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
- Department of Economics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
| | - Colter Mitchell
- Population Studies Center, Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
| | - Aresha Martinez-Cardoso
- Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America
| | - Linnea Evans
- Center for Health Equity Research, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Arizona, United States of America
| | - Landon Hughes
- School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
- Population Studies Center, Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
| | - Lisa Schneper
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey, United States of America
| | - Daniel A. Notterman
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey, United States of America
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6
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Page RL, Han G, Akinlotan M, Patron MP, Gandhi H, Kochan KJ. Telomere Length and Preterm Birth in Pregnant Mexican-Origin Women. Matern Child Health J 2021; 25:1798-1805. [PMID: 34390428 DOI: 10.1007/s10995-021-03209-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Despite the obstacles of limited education and employment opportunities-and the stress associated with immigration and pregnancy-Mexican immigrant women have low rates of preterm birth (PTB) compared to the US national average for all races and ethnicities. Stressors during pregnancy, and stressors associated with acculturation, may accelerate cellular aging manifested by shortened telomere length (TL) in pregnant women. Our objectives were to: (1) determine whether women with PTBs had shorter telomere lengths compared to women who had full term births; (2) assess the association of acculturation with TL and PTB. METHODS This prospective pilot study collected data from 100 self-identified Mexican-origin pregnant women. Survey data included self-administered sociodemographic and acculturation measures and was collected from participants via paper and pen, while biologic data was collected via a single blood draw during a regularly scheduled prenatal visit between 26 and 36 weeks gestation. PTB data was collected from the participant's medical record after delivery. RESULTS TL was significantly associated with PTB; the median TL of the women with PTB was less than the median TL for the full sample (p = 0.02). Based on regression analysis for PTB vs acculturation, we found no significant associations between acculturation and PTB or TL. CONCLUSIONS FOR PRACTICE This study provides important evidence of the association between shortened maternal TL and adverse birth outcomes. By linking social, clinical and biologic data, we can enhance our understanding of social determinants that may affect racial and ethnic disparities in preterm birth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robin L Page
- Texas A&M University College of Nursing, 1359 TAMU, College Station, TX, 77843, USA.
| | - Gang Han
- School of Public Health, Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA
| | - Marvellous Akinlotan
- Texas A&M University College of Nursing, 1359 TAMU, College Station, TX, 77843, USA
| | | | - Heta Gandhi
- Texas A&M University School of Public Health, College Station, TX, USA
| | - Kelli J Kochan
- Texas A&M University Institute for Genome Sciences and Society Experimental Genomics Laboratory, College Station, TX, USA
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7
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Aguayo L, Ogolsky B, Teran-Garcia M, Pineros-Leano M, Wiley A, Lin J, Aguirre-Pereyra R, Schwingel A. From culture to chromosomes: A mother-child dyadic study of acculturation, telomere lengths and body fat. COMPREHENSIVE PSYCHONEUROENDOCRINOLOGY 2021; 5:100029. [PMID: 35754453 PMCID: PMC9216675 DOI: 10.1016/j.cpnec.2021.100029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2021] [Accepted: 01/19/2021] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Studies suggest that telomere lengths, a biomarker of aging, could also capture the physiological weathering attributable to poor health behaviors and adverse experiences, particularly those experienced in early life. For these reasons, we propose that telomere lengths may be a pivotal biomarker for measuring the heightened susceptibility to illness resulting from the cumulative exposure to acculturation to the US culture. This binational study used an Actor–Partner Interdependence Model to test if maternal acculturation to the US moderates the cross-sectional associations of telomere lengths with percentage of body fat (PBF) among Mexican women, among their children, and the intergenerational associations of mother and children telomere lengths with each other’s PBF. Low income Mexican child–mother dyads (n = 108 dyads) were recruited to participate in this cross-sectional study in Mexico and the US. The pooled dataset included measurements of maternal acculturation to the US, mother and children’s salivary telomere lengths, PBF measured through bioelectrical impedance, and demographic characteristics. Results showed that the influences of maternal acculturation in the associations of telomere lengths with PBF were different for mothers and their children: Among mothers with higher maternal acculturation to the US, longer salivary telomere lengths were associated with lower PBF. In contrast, among mothers with lower maternal acculturation to the US, salivary telomere lengths were not associated with PBF. There were no significant associations between children’s salivary telomere lengths and PBF, and the null associations did not vary across different levels of maternal acculturation to the US. Future longitudinal studies are needed to determine whether acculturation to the US (experienced through immigration or remotely) influences the association of telomere length attrition with obesity risks among immigrant and non-immigrant Mexican children and adults. Women’s acculturation to the US modified the association of their TL with body fat. In mothers with high acculturation to the US, longer TL associated with higher body fat. In mothers with low acculturation to the US, TL were not associated with body fat. We found no evidence of intergenerational associations between TL and body fat.
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8
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Bosquet Enlow M, Petty CR, Hacker MR, Burris HH. Maternal psychosocial functioning, obstetric health history, and newborn telomere length. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2021; 123:105043. [PMID: 33176222 PMCID: PMC7732207 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2020.105043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2020] [Revised: 10/26/2020] [Accepted: 10/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
There is growing interest in elucidating the determinants of newborn telomere length, given its potential as a biomarker of lifetime disease risk affected by prenatal exposures. There is limited evidence that increased maternal stress during pregnancy predicts shorter newborn telomere length. However, the few studies published to date have been conducted primarily with small samples utilizing inconsistent definitions of maternal stress. Moreover, the potential influence of fetal sex as a moderator of maternal stress effects on newborn telomere length has been largely ignored despite compelling evidence of likely impact. In a prospective cohort study of pregnant women seeking routine prenatal care, we tested whether a range of maternal measures of stressor exposures, subjective feelings of stress, and mental health (depression, anxiety) were associated with newborn telomere length assessed from cord blood among 146 pregnant women and their newborn infants. We further examined whether the pattern of associations differed by infant sex. Sociodemographic and maternal and newborn health indicators were considered as potential covariates. When examined within the whole sample, none of the maternal psychosocial measures were associated with newborn telomere length. Among potential covariates, maternal history of smoking and preeclampsia in a previous pregnancy were negatively associated with newborn telomere length. In adjusted linear regression analyses that considered potential sex-specific effects, maternal depression, general anxiety, and pregnancy-specific anxiety symptoms were positively associated with newborn telomere length among males. Overall, the findings provide some evidence for an association between maternal psychosocial wellbeing in pregnancy and newborn telomere length in males, although in the opposite direction than previously reported. Maternal smoking and obstetric history prior to conception may be associated with shorter offspring telomere length.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michelle Bosquet Enlow
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
| | - Carter R. Petty
- Institutional Centers for Clinical and Translational Research, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Michele R. Hacker
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA,Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Heather H. Burris
- Department of Neonatology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA,Division of Neonatology, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA,Department of Pediatrics, Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
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9
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MIZUNO YUKI, HUR KYU, UMEZAKI MASAHIRO. Assessment of intra- and inter-assay variation in dried blood spot telomere length measurements by qPCR. ANTHROPOL SCI 2021. [DOI: 10.1537/ase.2011301] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/01/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- YUKI MIZUNO
- Department of Human Ecology, School of International Health, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo
| | - KYU HUR
- Department of Human Ecology, School of International Health, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo
| | - MASAHIRO UMEZAKI
- Department of Human Ecology, School of International Health, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo
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10
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Cepon-Robins TJ. Measuring attack on self: The need for field-friendly methods development and research on autoimmunity in human biology. Am J Hum Biol 2020; 33. [PMID: 33289250 DOI: 10.1002/ajhb.23544] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2020] [Revised: 11/17/2020] [Accepted: 11/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Autoimmune and inflammatory disorder (AIID) prevalence appears to be increasing in all but the world's poorest regions and countries. Autoimmune diseases occur when there is a breakdown in processes that regulate inflammation and self-recognition by immune cells. Very few field-based studies have been conducted among Indigenous populations and underserved communities with limited access to medical care. This is due, in part, to the fact that autoimmune diseases are difficult to diagnose, even in clinical settings. In remote field settings these difficulties are compounded by the absence of infrastructure necessary for sample storage and analysis, and the lack of hospital/clinic access for more invasive diagnostic procedures. Because of these limitations, little is known about the prevalence of autoimmunity outside wealthy regions and clinical settings. AIMS The present paper discusses why AIID are of critical importance in human biology research and why more work needs to be devoted to validating, testing, and utilizing methods for detecting autoantibodies and other biomarkers related to autoimmunity in field-friendly, minimally invasively-collected samples. This paper reviews some of the methods used to diagnose AIIDs in clinical settings, and highlights methods that have been used in studies within human biology and related fields, emphasizing the invasiveness of specific methods and their feasibility in remote field settings. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS Risk for AIID is affected by several reproductive, dietary, environmental, and genetic factors. Human biologists have unique perspectives that they can bring to autoimmunity research, and more population-based studies on autoimmunity are needed within these and related fields.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tara J Cepon-Robins
- Department of Anthropology, University of Colorado Colorado Springs, Colorado Springs, Colorado, USA
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11
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Dutra L, Souza F, Friberg I, Araújo M, Vasconcellos A, Young R. Validating the use of oral swabs for telomere length assessment in dogs. J Vet Behav 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jveb.2020.07.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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12
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Sex-Specific Associations of Harsh Childhood Environment with Psychometrically Assessed Life History Profile: no Evidence for Mediation through Developmental Timing or Embodied Capital. ADAPTIVE HUMAN BEHAVIOR AND PHYSIOLOGY 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/s40750-020-00144-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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13
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Cuevas AG, Greatorex-Voith S, Abuelezam N, Eckert N, Assari S. Educational mobility and telomere length in middle-aged and older adults: testing three alternative hypotheses. BIODEMOGRAPHY AND SOCIAL BIOLOGY 2020; 66:220-235. [PMID: 34583600 DOI: 10.1080/19485565.2021.1983760] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Critical period, social mobility, and social accumulation are three hypotheses that may explain how educational mobility impacts health. Thus far, there is little evidence on how these processes are associated with biological aging as measured by telomere length. Using cross-sectional data from the 2008 Health and Retirement Study, we examined the association between educational mobility (parental education and contemporaneous education) and telomere length. The final model is adjusted for sociodemographic factors and socioeconomic status, childhood adversity, and health behaviors/risk factors, as well as depressive symptoms. A total of 1,894 participants were included in the main analyses. High parental education was associated with longer telomere length in a fully adjusted model (B = 0.03, CI [0.002,0.07]). Downwardly mobile individuals (high parental education and low contemporaneous education) had longer telomere length compared to stably low individuals in a fully adjusted model (B = 0.05, CI [0.004,0.09]). There was support for the critical period hypothesis and partial support for the change hypothesis. There was no evidence to support the social accumulation hypothesis. Prospective studies are needed to understand the mechanism that can help further explain the association between educational mobility and telomere length.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adolfo G Cuevas
- Department of Community Health, Tufts University, Medford, MA
| | | | - Nadia Abuelezam
- Boston College William F. Connell School of Nursing, Chestnut Hill, Ma, USA
| | - Natalie Eckert
- Department of Community Health, Tufts University, Medford, MA
| | - Shervin Assari
- Department of Family Medicine, Charles R Drew University of Medicine and Science, Los Angeles, CA
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14
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Patterns of change in telomere length over the first three years of life in healthy children. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2020; 115:104602. [PMID: 32120019 PMCID: PMC7183438 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2020.104602] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2019] [Revised: 12/18/2019] [Accepted: 02/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
There is growing interest in the use of telomere length as a biomarker of health and a predictor of later morbidity and mortality. However, little is known about developmentally expected telomere erosion over the first years of life. This gap hinders our ability to interpret the meaning of relative telomere length and rate of attrition in relation to risk factors and health outcomes. The overall goal of this study was to examine the rate of relative telomere length attrition in a large, normative sample of healthy children (N = 630) followed from infancy to three years of age. A secondary goal was to explore associations between sociodemographic characteristics and telomere erosion over this time period. Relative telomere length was assessed from DNA in saliva samples collected in infancy (M = 8.6 months), age 2 years (M = 25.2 months), and age 3 years (M = 38.3 months). In the sample as a whole, relative telomere length decreased from infancy to 2 years but remained stable from 2 years to 3 years. Notably, increases in relative telomere length were observed in 29 % of children between infancy and 2 years of age and in 46 % of children between 2 and 3 years of age; 62 % of children showed both increases and decreases in relative telomere length across the study period. Females showed longer relative telomere length than males, regardless of timepoint. There was some evidence that parental age and family finances were associated with changes in child relative telomere length across time. Overall, the findings suggest that telomere length attrition is not uniform across the early years of life, with the most rapid attrition occurring during the first two years, and that increases as well as decreases in telomere length during this period are commonly observed.
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Rej PH, Bondy MH, Lin J, Prather AA, Kohrt BA, Worthman CM, Eisenberg DTA. Telomere length analysis from minimally-invasively collected samples: Methods development and meta-analysis of the validity of different sampling techniques: American Journal of Human Biology. Am J Hum Biol 2020; 33:e23410. [PMID: 32189404 DOI: 10.1002/ajhb.23410] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2019] [Revised: 02/07/2020] [Accepted: 02/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Telomeres are the protective caps of chromosomes. They shorten with cell replication, age, and possibly environmental stimuli (eg, infection and stress). Short telomere length (TL) predicts subsequent worse health. Although venous whole blood (VWB) is most commonly used for TL measurement, other, more minimally invasive, sampling techniques are becoming increasingly common due to their field-friendliness, allowing for feasible measurement in low-resource contexts. We conducted statistical validation work for measuring TL in dried blood spots (DBS) and incorporated our results into a meta-analysis evaluating minimally invasive sampling techniques to measure TL. METHODS We isolated DNA extracts from DBS using a modified extraction protocol and tested how they endured different shipping conditions and long-term cryostorage. We then included our in-house DBS TL validation statistics (correlation values with VWB TL and age) in a series of meta-analyses of results from 24 other studies that published similar associations for values between TL measured in DBS, saliva, and buccal cells. RESULTS Our modified DBS extraction technique produced DNA yields that were roughly twice as large as previously recorded. Partially extracted DBS DNA was stable for 7 days at room temperature, and still provided reliable TL measurements, as determined by external validation statistics. In our meta-analysis, DBS TL had the highest external validity, followed by saliva, and then buccal cells-possibly reflecting similarities/differences in cellular composition vs VWB. CONCLUSIONS DBS DNA is the best proxy for VWB from the three minimally-invasively specimen types evaluated and can be used to expand TL research to diverse settings and populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter H Rej
- Department of Anthropology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Madison H Bondy
- Department of Anthropology, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Jue Lin
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Aric A Prather
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Brandon A Kohrt
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Services, George Washington University, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
| | - Carol M Worthman
- Department of Anthropology, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Dan T A Eisenberg
- Department of Anthropology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA.,Center for Studies in Demography and Ecology, Seattle, Washington, USA
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Paghera S, Quiros-Roldan E, Sottini A, Properzi M, Castelli F, Imberti L. Lymphocyte homeostasis is maintained in perinatally HIV-infected patients after three decades of life. IMMUNITY & AGEING 2019; 16:26. [PMID: 31636688 PMCID: PMC6791008 DOI: 10.1186/s12979-019-0166-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2019] [Accepted: 09/25/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Background While immunosenescence, defined as reduced production of new lymphocytes, restriction of T-cell receptor repertoire and telomeres shortening, has been extensively evaluated in HIV-infected children and adults, no data about these parameters are available in perinatally-infected patients with very long-lasting HIV infection. Methods We compared thymic and bone marrow output, telomere length (measured by Real-Time PCR) and T-cell receptor repertoire (determined by spectratyping) of 21 perinatally HIV-infected subjects (with a median of 27 years of infection) with those of 19 age-matched non-perinatally HIV-infected patients and 40 healthy controls. All patients received a combined antiretroviral therapy. Results While thymic and bone marrow output were not different among the analyzed groups, telomere length in peripheral blood cells and T-cell receptor diversity were significantly lower in HIV-perinatally and non-perinatally infected individuals compared to healthy controls. Conclusions In HIV-infected subjects, a normal thymic output together with a reduced telomere length and a restricted T-cell receptor repertoire could be explained by the shift of newly produced cells into memory subsets. This phenomenon may allow to control viral infection and maintain peripheral homeostasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Paghera
- 1Centro di Ricerca Emato-oncologica AIL (CREA), Diagnostic Department, ASST Spedali Civili, Brescia, Italy
| | - E Quiros-Roldan
- 2Department of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, University of Brescia and ASST Spedali Civili, Brescia, Italy
| | - A Sottini
- 1Centro di Ricerca Emato-oncologica AIL (CREA), Diagnostic Department, ASST Spedali Civili, Brescia, Italy
| | - M Properzi
- 2Department of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, University of Brescia and ASST Spedali Civili, Brescia, Italy
| | - F Castelli
- 2Department of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, University of Brescia and ASST Spedali Civili, Brescia, Italy
| | - L Imberti
- 1Centro di Ricerca Emato-oncologica AIL (CREA), Diagnostic Department, ASST Spedali Civili, Brescia, Italy
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Brown L, García C, Ailshire J. Does Salivary Telomere Length Explain Race/Ethnic Differences in Aging? BIODEMOGRAPHY AND SOCIAL BIOLOGY 2019; 65:351-369. [PMID: 33335644 PMCID: PMC7740300 DOI: 10.1080/19485565.2020.1798736] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Telomere length (TL) is a biomarker that can be used to characterize variability in aging and may explain race/ethnic differences in aging. Yet, it remains unclear if TL is related to aging-associated health risks in multi-ethnic populations or if it explains race/ethnic differences in health. We examine whether salivary TL (STL) explains any of the race/ethnic variability in 15 indicators of high-risk biological, physical and cognitive health among 4,074 white, black, and Latinx older adults ages 54+ in the 2008 Health and Retirement Study. TL was assayed from saliva using quantitative PCR (T/S ratio). Decomposition analyses from logistic regression models show variation in STL does not account for any of the observed race/ethnic differences health. In age-adjusted, race-stratified models, STL was associated with HDL, total cholesterol, and lung function among whites, but was not associated with any markers of health among black or Latinx groups. In this diverse national sample of older adults, STL does not account for race/ethnic differences in late life health, is associated with relatively few indicators of health among whites, and is not associated with indicators of health among black or Latinx groups. STL may not be a useful biomarker for understanding racial/ethnic differences in population aging among older adults.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren Brown
- Population Studies Center, Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Catherine García
- Leonard Davis School of Gerontology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Jennifer Ailshire
- Leonard Davis School of Gerontology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
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Comparison of telomere lengths in leukocytes and in nasal and vaginal epithelial cells from Water Buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis) of different ages. Res Vet Sci 2019; 124:328-333. [PMID: 31035221 DOI: 10.1016/j.rvsc.2019.04.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2019] [Revised: 04/17/2019] [Accepted: 04/22/2019] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Telomeres are short and repetitive sequences at the ends of linear chromosomes which shorten with every cell-division in vitro. Telomere length (TL) is reported to decrease with age and stress. The domesticated water buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) is the second most important milk producing animal worldwide. The productive lifespan of water buffalo cows is reported to be longer than that of dairy cows (Bos taurus). With this background, we aimed to compare TL in leukocytes obtained from blood samples from water buffaloes across different ages. In addition, we tested the suitability of assessing TL in DNA derived from nasal and vaginal epithelial cells via swabs as potential non-invasive alternatives to blood sampling Samples were collected from 20 calves (3 months of age), 20 heifers (2 years old), 20 cows (1st lactation, 3 years old), and 13 cows (3rd lactation, about 5 years old). We found that TL in leukocytes from water buffalo calves, heifers, and from cows in their first lactation was not different, but shorter telomeres were observed in cows in their third lactation. The results thus support an age-dependent decrease of TL in water buffaloes. Leukocyte TL was weakly correlated with TL measured in DNA from nasal epithelial cells (r = 0.327; P = .025), but not with TL from vaginal epithelial cells. Due to the poor correlation between epithelial cell and leukocyte TL and to the difficulties with collecting nasal swabs, we conclude that they are no suitable alternatives to blood samples for telomere studies in water buffaloes.
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Willis M, Staudinger UM, Factor-Litvak P, Calvo E. Stress and Salivary Telomere Length in the Second Half of Life: A Comparison of Life-course Models. ADVANCES IN LIFE COURSE RESEARCH 2019; 39:34-41. [PMID: 31186623 PMCID: PMC6557584 DOI: 10.1016/j.alcr.2019.02.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
Background Previous research has explored the relationship between childhood and adulthood stressful life events (SLEs) and adult salivary telomere length (TL), but no research to date has tested different life-course models in which stress in adulthood may fully, partly, or not mediate the relationship between childhood stress and adult TL. Methods To fill this gap, we elaborate over previous work by Puterman et al. (2016) and other standard models that do not account for the temporal order of stressors in childhood and adulthood, by using structural equation modeling (SEM) for a sample of 5,754 Health and Retirement Study (HRS) participants to compare the fit of three nested life-course models-social trajectory, early critical period, and cumulative risk. Results Results indicated that the social trajectory model, in which the association between childhood SLEs and TL in later adulthood is fully mediated by adulthood SLEs, fit the data better than the early critical period (no mediation) and cumulative risk (partial mediation) models. Conclusion In the social trajectory model, childhood SLEs are related to TL in later life only through adulthood SLEs. The direct physiological effect of childhood SLEs on TL in later life would be overestimated if adulthood SLEs are overlooked.
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Affiliation(s)
- Margaret Willis
- Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University
| | - Ursula M. Staudinger
- Robert N. Butler Columbia Aging Center, Columbia University
- Department of Sociomedical Sciences, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University
| | - Pam Factor-Litvak
- Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University
| | - Esteban Calvo
- Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University
- Robert N. Butler Columbia Aging Center, Columbia University
- Society and Health Research Center, Facultad de Humanidades, Universidad Mayor
- Laboratory on Aging and Social Epidemiology, Universidad Mayor
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20
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Lin J, Smith DL, Esteves K, Drury S. Telomere length measurement by qPCR - Summary of critical factors and recommendations for assay design. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2019; 99:271-278. [PMID: 30343983 PMCID: PMC6363640 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2018.10.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 90] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2018] [Revised: 09/06/2018] [Accepted: 10/08/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Research in the last decade has explored the length of telomeres, the protective ends of eukaryotic chromosomes, as a biomarker for the cumulative effects of environmental exposures and life experiences as well as a risk factor for major diseases. With a growing interest in telomere biology across biomedical, epidemiological and public health research, it is critical to ensure that the measurement of telomere length is performed with high precision and accuracy. Of the several major methods utilized to determine telomere length, quantitative PCR (qPCR) remains the most cost-effective and suitable method for large-scale epidemiological and population studies. However, inconsistencies in recent reports utilizing the qPCR method highlight the need for a careful methodological analysis of each step of this process. In this review, we summarize each critical step in qPCR telomere length assay, including sample type selection, sample collection, storage, processing issues and assay procedures. We provide guidance and recommendations for each step based on current knowledge. It is clear that a collaborative and rigorous effort is needed to characterize and resolve existing issues related to sample storage, both before and after DNA extraction, as well as the impact of different extraction protocols, reagents and post extraction processing across all tissue types (e.g. blood, saliva, buccal swabs, etc.) to provide the needed data upon which best practices for TL analyses can be agreed upon. Additionally, we suggest that the whole telomere research community be invited to collaborate on the development and implementation of standardized protocols for the assay itself as well as for reporting in scientific journals. The existing evidence provides substantial support for the continuation of telomere research across a range of different exposures and health outcomes. However, as with any technological or methodologic advance in science, reproducibility, reliability and rigor need to be established to ensure the highest quality research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jue Lin
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of California, San Francisco, CA, 94158, United States.
| | - Dana L. Smith
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of California, San Francisco, CA, 94158, United States
| | - Kyle Esteves
- Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA, 70112, United States
| | - Stacy Drury
- Department of Psychiatry, Tulane University Brain Institute, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, 70112, United States
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21
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Willis M, Reid SN, Calvo E, Staudinger UM, Factor-Litvak P. A scoping systematic review of social stressors and various measures of telomere length across the life course. Ageing Res Rev 2018; 47:89-104. [PMID: 30048807 PMCID: PMC6195444 DOI: 10.1016/j.arr.2018.07.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2018] [Revised: 07/10/2018] [Accepted: 07/18/2018] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Numerous studies examine the relationship between social stressors and telomere length (TL). Beyond considering methods and major findings, this scoping systematic review takes a novel approach as it groups studies according to the types of social stressor considered and by age groups. Following PRISMA guidelines, we searched PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, and Scopus. We included all English-language human subject research articles that modeled any measure of TL as a dependent variable and exposure to a social stressor as an independent variable. For the sample of 105 articles, we summarized methods and findings by type of social stressor (socioeconomic stressors, stressful life events, work-related stressors, and neighborhood stressors) and by age of the study population (infants/children, middle-aged adults, older adults, and mixed samples of middle-aged and older adults). We found more variation in TL measurement methodology in studies of infants/children and older adults than in studies focusing on middle-aged adults. The most consistent finding was a relationship between early-life stressors and shorter TL. Work and neighborhood stressors, and older populations, are currently understudied. Across all stressors, limited evidence suggests that the stress-TL relationship may be moderated by characteristics such as age, sex, and race/ethnicity. We conclude with specific suggestions for future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Margaret Willis
- Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, United States.
| | - Shaina N Reid
- Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, United States
| | - Esteban Calvo
- Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, United States; Robert N. Butler Columbia Aging Center, Columbia University, United States; Society and Health Research Center, Facultad de Humanidades, Universidad Mayor, Chile; Laboratory on Aging and Social Epidemiology, Universidad Mayor, Chile
| | - Ursula M Staudinger
- Robert N. Butler Columbia Aging Center, Columbia University, United States; Department of Sociomedical Sciences, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, United States
| | - Pam Factor-Litvak
- Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, United States
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Ryan CP, Hayes MG, Lee NR, McDade TW, Jones MJ, Kobor MS, Kuzawa CW, Eisenberg DTA. Reproduction predicts shorter telomeres and epigenetic age acceleration among young adult women. Sci Rep 2018; 8:11100. [PMID: 30038336 PMCID: PMC6056536 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-29486-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2018] [Accepted: 07/10/2018] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Evolutionary theory predicts that reproduction entails costs that detract from somatic maintenance, accelerating biological aging. Despite support from studies in human and non-human animals, mechanisms linking 'costs of reproduction' (CoR) to aging are poorly understood. Human pregnancy is characterized by major alterations in metabolic regulation, oxidative stress, and immune cell proliferation. We hypothesized that these adaptations could accelerate blood-derived cellular aging. To test this hypothesis, we examined gravidity in relation to telomere length (TL, n = 821) and DNA-methylation age (DNAmAge, n = 397) in a cohort of young (20-22 year-old) Filipino women. Age-corrected TL and accelerated DNAmAge both predict age-related morbidity and mortality, and provide markers of mitotic and non-mitotic cellular aging, respectively. Consistent with theoretical predictions, TL decreased (p = 0.031) and DNAmAge increased (p = 0.007) with gravidity, a relationship that was not contingent upon resource availability. Neither biomarker was associated with subsequent fertility (both p > 0.3), broadly consistent with a causal effect of gravidity on cellular aging. Our findings provide evidence that reproduction in women carries costs in the form of accelerated aging through two independent cellular pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Calen P Ryan
- Department of Anthropology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA.
| | - M Geoffrey Hayes
- Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism and Molecular Medicine, Department of Medicine, Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA
- Center for Genetic Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA
| | - Nanette R Lee
- Office of Population Studies Foundation Inc., Cebu City, Philippines
- Department of Anthropology, Sociology, and History, University of San Carlos, Cebu City, Philippines
| | - Thomas W McDade
- Department of Anthropology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA
- Institute for Policy Research, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA
- Child and Brain Development Program, Canadian Institute for Advanced Research, Toronto, ON, M5G 1Z8, Canada
| | - Meaghan J Jones
- BC Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, V5Z 4H4, Canada
| | - Michael S Kobor
- Child and Brain Development Program, Canadian Institute for Advanced Research, Toronto, ON, M5G 1Z8, Canada
- BC Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, V5Z 4H4, Canada
| | - Christopher W Kuzawa
- Department of Anthropology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA
- Institute for Policy Research, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA
| | - Dan T A Eisenberg
- Department of Anthropology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA.
- Center for Studies in Demography and Ecology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA.
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