1
|
Huda N, Yasmin T, Nabi AHMN. MNS16A VNTR polymorphism of human telomerase gene: Elucidation of a gender specific potential allele associated with type 2 diabetes in Bangladeshi population. J Diabetes Complications 2021; 35:108018. [PMID: 34404572 DOI: 10.1016/j.jdiacomp.2021.108018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2021] [Revised: 07/11/2021] [Accepted: 08/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is a multifactorial disorder that affects multi-organ and can alter telomerase (encoded by hTERT gene) activity and thus, may affect telomere length. The variable number of tandem repeats MNS16A in hTERT gene facilitates extension of telomeres by regulating telomerase. In the present study, genetic analysis of MNS16A tandem repeats in hTERT gene was performed with the aim of finding out any association of allelic and genotypic variations with the risk of T2D in Bangladeshi population. METHODS A total of unrelated 395 individuals with T2D and 247 healthy individuals were included in the study. The genotypic and allelic frequencies were determined using allele specific polymerase chain reaction. The association of allelic and genotypic frequencies with risk of T2D was analyzed using logistic regression analysis on the basis of odds ratio at 95% confidence interval. Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium (HWE) test was performed to evaluate the uniformity of the genotypic frequencies and deviation from the HWE was tested using Chi-square test. RESULTS Logistic regression analyses revealed significant association of short allele containing 243 bp (OR: 1.37 and p = 0.03) with T2D, when the long alleles (commonly found) were considered as reference. The heterozygous genotype 272/302 was significantly associated with the decreased risk of T2D (OR: 0.33, p = 0.001). The combined results of genotypes indicated that the MNS16A polymorphism was significantly associated with the increased risk of T2D under the dominant model (LL vs SL + SS; OR: 2.62, p < 0.0001). Interestingly, short allele 243 was associated with the risk of disease only in male population (OR: 1.62, p = 0.02). The genotype 272/302 was also found to be associated with the decreased risk of T2D when respective data for male was analyzed individually. CONCLUSIONS We have identified four variable number of tandem repeats with varying patterns of association with T2D in Bangladeshi population and to extend our knowledge of understanding regarding these VNTRs, further large-scale studies are warranted.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nafiul Huda
- Laboratory of Population Genetics, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Tahirah Yasmin
- Laboratory of Population Genetics, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - A H M Nurun Nabi
- Laboratory of Population Genetics, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Dhaka, Bangladesh.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
The MNS16A VNTR polymorphism of the TERT gene and risk of dependency to heroin. Psychiatry Res 2021; 302:114041. [PMID: 34126463 DOI: 10.1016/j.psychres.2021.114041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2021] [Accepted: 05/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
|
3
|
Diler SB, Polat F, Bingöl G. The MNS16A VNTR polymorphism of the TERT gene in bladder cancer. Turk J Urol 2020; 46:44-49. [PMID: 31905123 DOI: 10.5152/tud.2019.19005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2019] [Accepted: 10/15/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Bladder cancer (BC) is a complex disease that has a high morbidity rate. The MNS16A polymorphism in the TERT gene has been indicated to play a role in the presence of various cancer types and multiple tumor populations. In the present study, our goal was to investigate whether the MNS16A (VNTRs) in the TERT gene was associated with bladder cancer. MATERIAL AND METHODS A total of 70 patients with BC and 120 normal controls were included in the study. The MNS16A (VNTRs) in the TERT gene was amplified using polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The PCR products were visualized on 3% high resolution agarose gel and under a UV light. RESULTS The MNS16A VNTR-302 allele was found to be the most common allele in both, the patient group (64%) and the control group (62%). The second most common allele was the VNTR-243 allele that occurred at a frequency of around 34% in BC patients and 33% in the controls. VNTR-333 (patient group, 1%; control group, 3%) and VNTR-274 (patient group, 2%; control group, 1%) alleles were reported as the least common alleles in this study. CONCLUSION When comparing the frequencies of genetic variants between cases and controls, we observed that our findings did not support the hypothesis that the MNS16A VNTR polymorphism of the TERT gene might regulate cancer susceptibility.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Songül Budak Diler
- Department of Biotechnology, University of Niğde Ömer Halisdemir Faculty of Science and Letters, Niğde, Turkey
| | - Fikriye Polat
- Department of Mathematics and Science Education, Kocaeli University Faculty of Education, Kocaeli, Turkey
| | - Günsel Bingöl
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Ankara Yıldırım Beyazıt University Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences, Ankara, Turkey
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Wysoczanska B, Dratwa M, Gebura K, Mizgala J, Mazur G, Wrobel T, Bogunia-Kubik K. Variability within the human TERT gene, telomere length and predisposition to chronic lymphocytic leukemia. Onco Targets Ther 2019; 12:4309-4320. [PMID: 31239704 PMCID: PMC6551596 DOI: 10.2147/ott.s198313] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2018] [Accepted: 04/08/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: The human telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) gene encodes the catalytic subunit of telomerase that is essential for maintenance of telomere length. We aimed to find out whether variability within the TERT gene could be associated with telomere length and development of the disease in non-treated patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). Materials and methods: Telomere length, rs2736100, rs2853690, rs33954691, rs35033501 single-nucleotide polymorphisms, and variable number of tandem repeats (VNTR-MNS16A) were assessed in patients at diagnosis. In addition, blood donors served as controls for the polymorphism studies. Results: The minor rs35033501 A variant was more frequent among CLL patients than in healthy controls (OR=3.488, p=0.039). CLL patients over 60 years of age were characterized with lower disease stage at diagnosis (p=0.001 and p=0.008, for the Rai and Binet criteria, respectively). The MNS16A VNTR-243 short allele was more frequent in patients with a low disease stage (p=0.020 and p=0.028, for the Rai and Binet staging system) and also among older patients having longer telomeres (p=0.046). Patients with Rai 0-I stage were characterized with longer telomeres than those with more advanced disease (p=0.030). This relationship was especially pronounced in patients carrying the rs2736100 C allele, independently of the criteria used, ie, Binet (p=0.048) or Rai (p=0.001). Conclusion: Our results showed that the genetic variation within the TERT gene seems to play a regulatory role in CLL and telomere length.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Barbara Wysoczanska
- Laboratory of Clinical Immunogenetics and Pharmacogenetics, Hirszfeld Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy, Polish Academy of Sciences, Wroclaw53-114, Poland
| | - Marta Dratwa
- Laboratory of Clinical Immunogenetics and Pharmacogenetics, Hirszfeld Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy, Polish Academy of Sciences, Wroclaw53-114, Poland
| | - Katarzyna Gebura
- Laboratory of Clinical Immunogenetics and Pharmacogenetics, Hirszfeld Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy, Polish Academy of Sciences, Wroclaw53-114, Poland
| | - Jakub Mizgala
- Laboratory of Clinical Immunogenetics and Pharmacogenetics, Hirszfeld Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy, Polish Academy of Sciences, Wroclaw53-114, Poland
| | - Grzegorz Mazur
- Department of Internal Medicine, Occupational Diseases, Hypertension and Clinical Oncology, Wroclaw Medical University, Wroclaw, 50-001, Poland
| | - Tomasz Wrobel
- Department of Haematology, Blood Neoplasms and Bone Marrow Transplantation, Wroclaw Medical University, Wroclaw50-367, Poland
| | - Katarzyna Bogunia-Kubik
- Laboratory of Clinical Immunogenetics and Pharmacogenetics, Hirszfeld Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy, Polish Academy of Sciences, Wroclaw53-114, Poland
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Scarabino D, Peconi M, Pelliccia F, Corbo RM. Analysis of the Association Between TERC and TERT Genetic Variation and Leukocyte Telomere Length and Human Lifespan-A Follow-Up Study. Genes (Basel) 2019; 10:genes10020082. [PMID: 30691026 PMCID: PMC6409517 DOI: 10.3390/genes10020082] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2018] [Revised: 01/14/2019] [Accepted: 01/23/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
We investigated the possible influence of TERC and TERT genetic variation and leukocyte telomere length (LTL) on human lifespan. Four polymorphisms of TERT and three polymorphisms of TERC were examined in a sample of elderly subjects (70⁻100 years). After nine years of follow-up, mortality data were collected, and sub-samples of long-lived/not long-lived were defined. TERT VNTR MNS16A L/L genotype and TERT rs2853691 A/G or G/G genotypes were found to be associated with a significantly higher risk to die before the age of 90 years, and with a significantly lower age at death. The association between lifespan and LTL at baseline was analyzed in a subsample of 163 subjects. Age at baseline was inversely associated with LTL (p < 0.0001). Mean LTL was greater in the subjects still living than in those no longer living at follow-up (0.79 T/S ± 0.09 vs 0.63 T/S ± 0.08, p < 0.0001). Comparison of age classes showed that, among the 70⁻79-year-olds, the difference in mean LTL between those still living and those no longer living at follow-up was greater than among the 80⁻90-year-olds. Our data provide evidence that shorter LTL at baseline may predict a shorter lifespan, but the reliability of LTL as a lifespan biomarker seems to be limited to a specific age (70⁻79 years).
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Daniela Scarabino
- CNR Institute of Molecular Biology and Pathology, P.le Aldo Moro 5, 00185 Rome, Italy.
| | - Martina Peconi
- CNR Institute of Translational Pharmacology, Via Fosso del Cavaliere 100, 00133 Rome, Italy.
| | - Franca Pelliccia
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology, La Sapienza University, P.le Aldo Moro 5, 00185 Rome, Italy.
| | - Rosa Maria Corbo
- CNR Institute of Molecular Biology and Pathology, P.le Aldo Moro 5, 00185 Rome, Italy.
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology, La Sapienza University, P.le Aldo Moro 5, 00185 Rome, Italy.
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Genovese LM, Geraci F, Corrado L, Mangano E, D'Aurizio R, Bordoni R, Severgnini M, Manzini G, De Bellis G, D'Alfonso S, Pellegrini M. A Census of Tandemly Repeated Polymorphic Loci in Genic Regions Through the Comparative Integration of Human Genome Assemblies. Front Genet 2018; 9:155. [PMID: 29770143 PMCID: PMC5941971 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2018.00155] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2017] [Accepted: 04/13/2018] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Polymorphic Tandem Repeat (PTR) is a common form of polymorphism in the human genome. A PTR consists in a variation found in an individual (or in a population) of the number of repeating units of a Tandem Repeat (TR) locus of the genome with respect to the reference genome. Several phenotypic traits and diseases have been discovered to be strongly associated with or caused by specific PTR loci. PTR are further distinguished in two main classes: Short Tandem Repeats (STR) when the repeating unit has size up to 6 base pairs, and Variable Number Tandem Repeats (VNTR) for repeating units of size above 6 base pairs. As larger and larger populations are screened via high throughput sequencing projects, it becomes technically feasible and desirable to explore the association between PTR and a panoply of such traits and conditions. In order to facilitate these studies, we have devised a method for compiling catalogs of PTR from assembled genomes, and we have produced a catalog of PTR for genic regions (exons, introns, UTR and adjacent regions) of the human genome (GRCh38). We applied four different TR discovery software tools to uncover in the first phase 55,223,485 TR (after duplicate removal) in GRCh38, of which 373,173 were determined to be PTR in the second phase by comparison with five assembled human genomes. Of these, 263,266 are not included by state-of-the-art PTR catalogs. The new methodology is mainly based on a hierarchical and systematic application of alignment-based sequence comparisons to identify and measure the polymorphism of TR. While previous catalogs focus on the class of STR of small total size, we remove any size restrictions, aiming at the more general class of PTR, and we also target fuzzy TR by using specific detection tools. Similarly to other previous catalogs of human polymorphic loci, we focus our catalog toward applications in the discovery of disease-associated loci. Validation by cross-referencing with existing catalogs on common clinically-relevant loci shows good concordance. Overall, this proposed census of human PTR in genic regions is a shared resource (web accessible), complementary to existing catalogs, facilitating future genome-wide studies involving PTR.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Filippo Geraci
- Institute for Informatics and Telematics of CNR, Pisa, Italy
| | - Lucia Corrado
- Department of Health Sciences, University of Eastern Piedmont Amedeo Avogadro, Novara, Italy
| | | | | | - Roberta Bordoni
- Institute for Biomedical Technologies of CNR, Segrate, Italy
| | | | - Giovanni Manzini
- Institute for Informatics and Telematics of CNR, Pisa, Italy.,Department of Science and Technological Innovation, University of Eastern Piedmont Amedeo Avogadro, Novara, Italy
| | | | - Sandra D'Alfonso
- Department of Health Sciences, University of Eastern Piedmont Amedeo Avogadro, Novara, Italy
| | | |
Collapse
|
7
|
Dato S, De Rango F, Crocco P, Passarino G, Rose G. Pleiotropic effects of UCP2–UCP3 variability on leucocyte telomere length and glucose homeostasis. Biogerontology 2017; 18:347-355. [DOI: 10.1007/s10522-017-9690-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2016] [Accepted: 03/06/2017] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
|
8
|
Scarabino D, Broggio E, Gambina G, Pelliccia F, Corbo RM. Common variants of human TERT and TERC genes and susceptibility to sporadic Alzheimers disease. Exp Gerontol 2016; 88:19-24. [PMID: 28039025 DOI: 10.1016/j.exger.2016.12.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2016] [Revised: 12/07/2016] [Accepted: 12/19/2016] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Studies investigating telomere length in association with cognitive decline, dementia, and sporadic Alzheimer's disease (AD) have frequently found shorter telomeres to be associated with the development of AD and telomerase expression with pathological processes in AD. Human telomerase is constituted by two components: the telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) and the telomerase RNA component (TERC). Genetic variation at the two loci has been investigated in relation to telomere length, longevity, and common diseases of advanced age, but not in relation to AD. We examined three polymorphisms of the TERT gene (VNTR MNS16A, rs2853691, rs33954691) and three polymorphisms of the TERC gene (rs12696304, rs3772190, rs16847897) in a sample of 220 AD patients and 146 controls. MNS16A LL genotype was found to be associated with an increased risk of AD only in males [interaction term adjusted OR=3.55 (95% CI 1.2-10.2)]. The three TERC single nucleotide polymorphisms are in strict linkage disequilibrium and their genotype combinations influenced the age at AD onset (AAO). The combined genotype GG-TT-CC was associated with a mean AAO six years lower (70.5±6.7) than that associated with the other genotype combinations (76.04±6.7, p=0.01). The fact that the MNS16 L allele has been reported to lower TERT expression, and that the TERC alleles G, T, C (rs12696304, rs3772190, rs16847897 in this order have been repeatedly found associated with shorter LTL, seems to corroborate the hypothesis of a role of telomere length and telomerase in AD susceptibility.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- D Scarabino
- CNR Institute of Cellular Biology and Neurobiology, Monterotondo Scalo, Rome, Italy
| | - E Broggio
- Alzheimer's Disease Center, Department of Neuroscience, University and Hospital of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - G Gambina
- Alzheimer's Disease Center, Department of Neuroscience, University and Hospital of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - F Pelliccia
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology, La Sapienza University, Rome, Italy
| | - R M Corbo
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology, La Sapienza University, Rome, Italy.
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Wysoczanska B, Wrobel T, Dobrzynska O, Mazur G, Bogunia-Kubik K. Role of the functional MNS16A VNTR-243 variant of the human telomerase reverse transcriptase gene in progression and response to therapy of patients with non-Hodgkin's B-cell lymphomas. Int J Immunogenet 2015; 42:100-5. [PMID: 25684018 DOI: 10.1111/iji.12182] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2014] [Revised: 12/17/2014] [Accepted: 01/26/2015] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
MNS16A is a functional polymorphic tandem repeat within the human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) gene. To investigate whether any of the MNS16A repeats represents a genetic risk factor for NHL susceptibility, progression of or response to therapy in 75 patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphomas (NHLs) and 126 healthy individuals were genotyped using the PCR-VNTR technique. A slightly higher frequency of the MNS16A VNTR-243 variant was detected among patients who did not respond to treatment (NR) as compared to patients with complete or partial remission (0.83 vs. 0.51, P = 0.055). NR patients more frequently developed aggressive than indolent type of the disease (0.92 vs. 0.41, P = 0.001). The VNTR-243 allele was more frequently detected among patients with an intermediate-high/high International Prognostic Index (IPI 3-4) score (P = 0.063), especially in patients with advanced age and IPI 3-4 (P = 0.040). In multivariate analysis, higher IPI 3-4 score (OR = 11.364, P = 0.051) and aggressive type of the disease (OR = 18.182, P = 0.012) were found to be independent genetic markers associated with nonresponse to treatment. Presence of the MNS16A VNTR-243 variant also strongly tended to affect the risk of a less favourable response to therapy and was more frequently present among nonresponders (OR = 5.848, P = 0.059). Genetic variation within the hTERT gene may affect the progression and treatment of lymphoproliferative disorders.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- B Wysoczanska
- Laboratory of Clinical Immunogenetics and Pharmacogenetics, L. Hirszfeld Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy, Polish Academy of Sciences, Wroclaw, Poland
| | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
10
|
A genetic-demographic approach reveals a gender-specific association of SLC6A3/DAT1 40 bp-VNTR with life-expectancy. Biogerontology 2015; 16:365-73. [PMID: 25617181 DOI: 10.1007/s10522-015-9552-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2014] [Accepted: 01/16/2015] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Several recent lines of evidence are proving an important role for dopamine in the aging process and in the determination of life span. Components of the dopaminergic system may represent good candidates for longevity studies. Herein, we tested the possible association of the functional SLC6A3/DAT1 40-bp VNTR with life-expectancy in a healthy population of Central Italy (N = 993) by applying a genetic-demographic approach that takes into account the demographic information and different survival rates between sexes for modeling the survival of specific allele carriers in the population. Male carriers of S*/S* genotype showed a lower survival chance across most of the lifespan respect to the survival of DAT1*L-carriers (P = 0.021). The same analyses gave non-significant results in females. Several studies already reported significant sex differences in dopamine metabolism and its related biological pathways. Thus, we can hypothesize that the SLC6A3/DAT1 40 bp-VNTR may affect life expectancy in a sex-specific way. Moreover, it is conceivable that DAT1 S*/S* carriers, who are prone to assume "risk" type behaviors, may be dropped out of the "healthy" population by a sort of "demographic selection".
Collapse
|
11
|
The functional VNTR of IGH enhancer HS1.2 associates with human longevity and interacts with TNFA promoter diplotype in a population of Central Italy. Gene 2014; 551:201-5. [PMID: 25175451 DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2014.08.057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2014] [Revised: 08/26/2014] [Accepted: 08/27/2014] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
The dysregulation of both immune and inflammatory responses occurring with aging is believed to substantially contribute to morbidity and mortality in humans. We have already reported the association of the functional Variable Number of Tandem Repeat (VNTR) at the Immunoglobulin heavy chain (IGH) enhancer HS1.2 with Immunoglobulin levels and with several autoimmune diseases. Herein we tested the association of the VNTR at the HS1.2 enhancer with human longevity, also evaluating the possible modulatory effect of TNFA promoter diplotype (rs361525/rs1800629). HS1.2 enhancer genotypes have been determined for 193 unrelated healthy individuals from Central Italy divided into two groups: Group 1 (18-84 yrs, mean age 56.8 ± 19.4) and Group 2 (85-100 yrs, mean age 93.0 ± 3.5). Homozygous subjects for 2 allele were significantly disadvantaged in reaching higher life-expectancy (OR=0.457, p=0.021). A significant interaction between TNFA promoter diplotype status, HS1.2 2/2 genotype and the two Groups was found (p=0.014). Of note, TNFA -308A allele seems to exert a protective effect in HS1.2 2/2 carriers. These results support the hypothesis of an important role of HS1.2 VNTR in the puzzle of the immune-system regulation, evidenced also by the potential interaction with TNFA. Moreover, the previous results showing the association of HS1.2 2 allele with inflammatory phenomena are consistent with the hypothesis that this allele is a detrimental factor in reaching advanced age.
Collapse
|
12
|
Cho M, Suh Y. Genome maintenance and human longevity. Curr Opin Genet Dev 2014; 26:105-15. [PMID: 25151201 DOI: 10.1016/j.gde.2014.07.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2014] [Revised: 07/16/2014] [Accepted: 07/18/2014] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Accumulation of DNA damage and mutations is considered an important causal factor in age-related diseases. Genetic defects in DNA repair cause premature onset and accelerated progression of age-related diseases and a shorter life span in humans and mice, providing strong evidence that genome maintenance is a bona fide longevity assurance pathway. However, the contribution of genome maintenance to human longevity itself remains to be established. Here, we review the results of human genetics studies, including genome wide association studies, and attempted to catalogue all genes involved in major DNA repair pathways that harbor variants associated with longevity. We hope to provide a comprehensive review to facilitate future endeavors aimed at uncovering the functional role of genome maintenance genes in human longevity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Miook Cho
- Department of Genetics, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA
| | - Yousin Suh
- Department of Genetics, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA; Department of Medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Xia G, Xin N, Liu W, Yao H, Hou Y, Qi J. Inhibitory effect of Lycium barbarum polysaccharides on cell apoptosis and senescence is potentially mediated by the p53 signaling pathway. Mol Med Rep 2014; 9:1237-41. [PMID: 24549741 DOI: 10.3892/mmr.2014.1964] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2013] [Accepted: 02/03/2014] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Lycium barbarum (L. barbarum) fruit or extract has been regarded as a superior-grade Chinese medicine, used to modulate body immunity and for anti-aging purposes. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms behind these effects remain unclear. In the present study, L. barbarum polysaccharides (LBPs), considered a major contributor of L. barbarum effects, were used to elucidate its mechanism of action by phenotypic and senescence associated-β-galactosidase (SA-β-gal) assays, evaluation of survival rates in vivo and expression profiling of genes related to the p53 signaling pathway in a zebrafish model. Zebrafish embryos were continuously exposed to various concentrations of LBPs (1.0, 2.0, 3.0 and 4.0 mg/ml) for 3 days. The results of fluorescent acridine orange and SA-β-gal staining indicated that cell apoptosis and senescence mainly occur in the head at 24 hours post fertilization (hpf) and 72 hpf. In addition, resistance to replicative senescence was observed at low doses of LBPs, especially at the 3.0 mg/ml concentration. Furthermore, the expression of genes that relate to aging, such as p53, p21 and Bax, was decreased, while that of Mdm2 and TERT genes was increased after treatment with LBPs. The results demonstrated that the effects of LBPs on cell apoptosis and aging might be mediated by the p53-mediated pathway.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Guangqing Xia
- College of Life Science, Tonghua Normal University, Tonghua, Jilin 134002, P.R. China
| | - Nian Xin
- Key Laboratory of Marine Genetics and Breeding, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266003, P.R. China
| | - Wei Liu
- College of Life Science, Tonghua Normal University, Tonghua, Jilin 134002, P.R. China
| | - Huimin Yao
- College of Life Science, Tonghua Normal University, Tonghua, Jilin 134002, P.R. China
| | - Yi Hou
- Key Laboratory of Marine Genetics and Breeding, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266003, P.R. China
| | - Jie Qi
- Key Laboratory of Marine Genetics and Breeding, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266003, P.R. China
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Dato S, Crocco P, D'Aquila P, de Rango F, Bellizzi D, Rose G, Passarino G. Exploring the role of genetic variability and lifestyle in oxidative stress response for healthy aging and longevity. Int J Mol Sci 2013; 14:16443-72. [PMID: 23965963 PMCID: PMC3759920 DOI: 10.3390/ijms140816443] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2013] [Revised: 07/30/2013] [Accepted: 07/31/2013] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Oxidative stress is both the cause and consequence of impaired functional homeostasis characterizing human aging. The worsening efficiency of stress response with age represents a health risk and leads to the onset and accrual of major age-related diseases. In contrast, centenarians seem to have evolved conservative stress response mechanisms, probably derived from a combination of a diet rich in natural antioxidants, an active lifestyle and a favorable genetic background, particularly rich in genetic variants able to counteract the stress overload at the level of both nuclear and mitochondrial DNA. The integration of these factors could allow centenarians to maintain moderate levels of free radicals that exert beneficial signaling and modulator effects on cellular metabolism. Considering the hot debate on the efficacy of antioxidant supplementation in promoting healthy aging, in this review we gathered the existing information regarding genetic variability and lifestyle factors which potentially modulate the stress response at old age. Evidence reported here suggests that the integration of lifestyle factors (moderate physical activity and healthy nutrition) and genetic background could shift the balance in favor of the antioxidant cellular machinery by activating appropriate defense mechanisms in response to exceeding external and internal stress levels, and thus possibly achieving the prospect of living a longer life.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Serena Dato
- Department of Biology, Ecology and Heart Science, University of Calabria, Ponte Pietro Bucci cubo 4c, Rende 87036, CS, Italy.
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|