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Mayer SE, Guan J, Lin J, Hamlat E, Parker JE, Brownell K, Price C, Mujahid M, Tomiyama AJ, Slavich GM, Laraia BA, Epel ES. Intergenerational effects of maternal lifetime stressor exposure on offspring telomere length in Black and White women. Psychol Med 2023; 53:6171-6182. [PMID: 36457292 PMCID: PMC10235210 DOI: 10.1017/s0033291722003397] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/04/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Although maternal stressor exposure has been associated with shorter telomere length (TL) in offspring, this literature is based largely on White samples. Furthermore, timing of maternal stressors has rarely been examined. Here, we examined how maternal stressors occurring during adolescence, pregnancy, and across the lifespan related to child TL in Black and White mothers. METHOD Mothers (112 Black; 110 White; Mage = 39) and their youngest offspring (n = 222; Mage = 8) were part of a larger prospective cohort study, wherein mothers reported their stressors during adolescence (assessed twice during adolescence for the past year), pregnancy (assessed in midlife for most recent pregnancy), and across their lifespan (assessed in midlife). Mother and child provided saliva for TL measurement. Multiple linear regression models examined the interaction of maternal stressor exposure and race in relation to child TL, controlling for maternal TL and child gender and age. Race-stratified analyses were also conducted. RESULTS Neither maternal adolescence nor lifespan stressors interacted with race in relation to child TL. In contrast, greater maternal pregnancy stressors were associated with shorter child TL, but this effect was present for children of White but not Black mothers. Moreover, this effect was significant for financial but not social pregnancy stressors. Race-stratified models revealed that greater financial pregnancy stressors predicted shorter telomeres in offspring of White, but not Black mothers. CONCLUSIONS Race and maternal stressors interact and are related to biological aging across generations, but these effects are specific to certain races, stressors, and exposure time periods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefanie E. Mayer
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143-0984, USA
| | - Joanna Guan
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143-0984, USA
| | - Jue Lin
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Elissa Hamlat
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143-0984, USA
| | - Jordan E. Parker
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Kristy Brownell
- School of Public Health, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Candice Price
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Mahasin Mujahid
- School of Public Health, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - A. Janet Tomiyama
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - George M. Slavich
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Barbara A. Laraia
- School of Public Health, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Elissa S. Epel
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143-0984, USA
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Reimann B, Martens DS, Wang C, Ghantous A, Herceg Z, Plusquin M, Nawrot TS. Interrelationships and determinants of aging biomarkers in cord blood. J Transl Med 2022; 20:353. [PMID: 35945616 PMCID: PMC9361565 DOI: 10.1186/s12967-022-03541-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2022] [Accepted: 07/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Increasing evidence supports the concept of prenatal programming as an early factor in the aging process. DNA methylation age (DNAm age), global genome-wide DNA methylation (global methylation), telomere length (TL), and mitochondrial DNA content (mtDNA content) have independently been shown to be markers of aging, but their interrelationship and determinants at birth remain uncertain. METHODS We assessed the inter-correlation between the aging biomarkers DNAm age, global methylation, TL and mtDNA content using Pearson's correlation in 190 cord blood samples of the ENVIRONAGE birth cohort. TL and mtDNA content was measured via qPCR, while the DNA methylome was determined using the human 450K methylation Illumina microarray. Subsequently, DNAm age was calculated according to Horvath's epigenetic clock, and mean global, promoter, gene-body, and intergenic DNA methylation were determined. Path analysis, a form of structural equation modeling, was performed to disentangle the complex causal relationships among the aging biomarkers and their potential determinants. RESULTS DNAm age was inversely correlated with global methylation (r = -0.64, p < 0.001) and mtDNA content (r = - 0.16, p = 0.027). Cord blood TL was correlated with mtDNA content (r = 0.26, p < 0.001) but not with global methylation or DNAm age. Path analysis showed the strongest effect for global methylation on DNAm age with a decrease of 0.64 standard deviations (SD) in DNAm age for each SD (0.01%) increase in global methylation (p < 0.001). Among the applied covariates, newborn sex and season of delivery were the strongest determinants of aging biomarkers. CONCLUSIONS We provide insight into molecular aging signatures at the start of life, including their interrelations and determinants, showing that cord blood DNAm age is inversely associated with global methylation and mtDNA content but not with newborn telomere length. Our findings demonstrate that cord blood TL and DNAm age relate to different pathways/mechanisms of biological aging and can be influenced by environmental factors already at the start of life. These findings are relevant for understanding fetal programming and for the early prevention of noncommunicable diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brigitte Reimann
- Centre for Environmental Sciences, Hasselt University, Hasselt, Belgium
| | - Dries S Martens
- Centre for Environmental Sciences, Hasselt University, Hasselt, Belgium
| | - Congrong Wang
- Centre for Environmental Sciences, Hasselt University, Hasselt, Belgium
| | - Akram Ghantous
- Epigenomics and Mechanisms Branch, International Agency for Research On Cancer (IARC), Lyon, France
| | - Zdenko Herceg
- Epigenomics and Mechanisms Branch, International Agency for Research On Cancer (IARC), Lyon, France
| | - Michelle Plusquin
- Centre for Environmental Sciences, Hasselt University, Hasselt, Belgium.
| | - Tim S Nawrot
- Centre for Environmental Sciences, Hasselt University, Hasselt, Belgium
- School of Public Health, Occupational and Environmental Medicine, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
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Tatsi C, Flippo C, Faucz FR, Sinaii N, Stratakis CA. Telomere Length Changes in Children With Cushing Disease: A Pilot Study. J Endocr Soc 2020; 4:bvaa067. [DOI: 10.1210/jendso/bvaa067] [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] [Received: 05/15/2020] [Accepted: 06/03/2020] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Context
Changes in telomere length (TL) have been linked to certain diseases. Studies on the effect of cortisol on TL have not led to conclusive results.
Objective
To determine whether TL is affected in pediatric patients with Cushing disease (CD) through an exploratory study.
Design
We studied 10 pediatric patients [mean age: 13.3 (2.6) years, 7 females], diagnosed and treated successfully for CD. TL was measured before and approximately 1 year after treatment. TL was compared with controls adjusting for age, and associations with disease characteristics were assessed.
Results
Adjusting for age, total lymphocyte TL of patients did not differ from controls during active disease (P = 0.13) but was shorter than controls at follow-up (P = 0.031). Total lymphocyte TL during active CD and at follow-up did not correlate with markers of hypercortisolemia. There was strong inverse correlation between TL during active disease and at follow-up with triglyceride levels at active disease (adjusted [Adj] R2 = 0.64; P = 0.02 and Adj R2 = 0.5; P = 0.036, respectively), suggesting that the higher the triglycerides, the shorter the TL in patients with CD. The change of TL between active disease and follow-up was positively correlated with systolic blood pressure (Adj R2 = 0.76; P = 0.006).
Conclusions
In this pilot study, TL is shorter in children with hypercortisolemia, a difference that becomes detectable only after cure of CD. Triglycerides and blood pressure appear to be factors that are associated with TL in these patients. Further studies are required to confirm these results.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christina Tatsi
- Section on Endocrinology and Genetics, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Chelsi Flippo
- Section on Endocrinology and Genetics, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Fabio R Faucz
- Section on Endocrinology and Genetics, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Ninet Sinaii
- Biostatistics and Clinical Epidemiology Service, NIH Clinical Center, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Constantine A Stratakis
- Section on Endocrinology and Genetics, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
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Martens DS, Janssen BG, Bijnens EM, Clemente DBP, Vineis P, Plusquin M, Nawrot TS. Association of Parental Socioeconomic Status and Newborn Telomere Length. JAMA Netw Open 2020; 3:e204057. [PMID: 32364595 PMCID: PMC7199116 DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2020.4057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
IMPORTANCE Low socioeconomic status is associated with higher all-cause mortality and risks for aging-related diseases. Biological aging is a potential process underlying health conditions related to social disadvantages, which may be present from birth onward. OBJECTIVE To evaluate the association of parental socioeconomic status with telomere length (TL) at birth, a marker of biological aging. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS This prospective birth cohort study was conducted among 1504 mother-newborn pairs in Belgium recruited between February 1, 2010, and July 1, 2017. EXPOSURES Parental socioeconomic measures, including maternal educational level, occupation, paternal educational level, and neighborhood income based on median annual household income. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES Mean relative TL was measured in cord blood and placental tissue. By constructing a principal component, an integrative socioeconomic measure was derived that integrates parental socioeconomic status and neighborhood income. Multivariable adjusted regression analyses were performed to associate the integrative socioeconomic measure and TL at birth. RESULTS In 1026 newborns (517 boys; mean [SD] gestational age, 39.2 [1.4] weeks), a higher socioeconomic status was associated with longer cord blood TL and placental TL. Each unit increment in the integrative socioeconomic status measure was associated with 2.1% (95% CI, 0.9%-3.4%; P < .001) longer cord blood TL in boys, while no association was observed for girls (0.5% longer cord blood TL; 95% CI, -0.9% to 1.8%; P = .50). The sex-specific socioeconomic status interaction revealed a stronger association in boys compared with newborn girls (1.6%; 95% CI, 0.02%-3.3%; P = .047 for interaction). In placental tissue, higher socioeconomic status was associated with 1.8% (95% CI, 0.3%-3.3%; P = .02) longer TL in newborn boys but not in girls (0.4% longer TL; 95% CI, -1.2% to 2.0%; P = .63). For placental tissue, no sex and socioeconomic status interaction on TL was observed (1.4%; 95% CI, -0.5% to 3.4%; P = .16 for interaction). CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE This study suggests that parental socioeconomic status is associated with newborn TL, especially in boys. The results indicate that familial social economic factors are associated with the potential cellular longevity of the next generation, with a potential higher transgenerational vulnerability for newborn boys.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dries S. Martens
- Centre for Environmental Sciences, Hasselt University, Hasselt, Belgium
| | - Bram G. Janssen
- Centre for Environmental Sciences, Hasselt University, Hasselt, Belgium
| | - Esmée M. Bijnens
- Centre for Environmental Sciences, Hasselt University, Hasselt, Belgium
| | | | - Paolo Vineis
- Medical Research Council–Health Policy Agency, Centre for Environment and Health, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Michelle Plusquin
- Centre for Environmental Sciences, Hasselt University, Hasselt, Belgium
| | - Tim S. Nawrot
- Centre for Environmental Sciences, Hasselt University, Hasselt, Belgium
- Department of Public Health and Primary Care, Leuven University, Leuven, Belgium
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5
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Niu Z, Li K, Xie C, Wen X. Adverse Birth Outcomes and Birth Telomere Length: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. J Pediatr 2019; 215:64-74.e6. [PMID: 31630890 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpeds.2019.08.040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2019] [Revised: 07/18/2019] [Accepted: 08/21/2019] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To synthesize previous findings on the difference in birth telomere length between newborns with and without intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) or with and without preterm birth. STUDY DESIGN We systematically searched 3 databases (PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science) for publications that examined the relationships of IUGR or preterm birth with birth telomere length. We conducted meta-analysis to pool the estimated difference in birth telomere length either between IUGR and non-IUGR or between preterm birth and full-term birth. Subgroup analyses were conducted by tissues (newborn blood vs placenta) and techniques used for telomere length measurement (quantitative polymerase chain reaction [qPCR] vs telomere restriction fragment). RESULTS We included 11 articles on comparing birth telomere length between IUGR (combined n = 227) and non-IUGR (n = 1897) and 7 articles on comparing birth telomere length between preterm birth (n = 182) and full-term birth (n = 1320). We found IUGR was associated with shorter birth telomere length only when birth telomere length was measured in placenta (pooled standardized mean difference [SMD] = -0.85; 95% CI -1.13 to -0.57; IUGR/non-IUGR n = 87/173), but not in newborn blood (pooled SMD = 0.00, 95% CI -0.18 to 0.19; IUGR/non-IUGR n = 148/1733). Birth telomere length was significantly longer in preterm birth than in full-term birth when birth telomere length was measured by qPCR (pooled SMD = 0.40, 95% CI 0.18-0.63; preterm birth/full-term birth n = 137/682) but not by telomere restriction fragment (pooled SMD = 0.05, 95% CI -0.29 to 0.38; preterm birth/full-term birth n = 44/444). CONCLUSIONS IUGR is associated with shorter placental telomere length and preterm birth is associated with longer birth telomere length measured by qPCR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhongzheng Niu
- Department of Epidemiology and Environmental Health, School of Public Health and Health Professions, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY
| | - Karen Li
- Division of Behavioral Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY; College of Health Professions, Lienhard School of Nursing, Pace University, New York, NY
| | - Chuanbo Xie
- Department of Cancer Prevention Research, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China
| | - Xiaozhong Wen
- Division of Behavioral Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY.
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6
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Jiang Y, Da W, Qiao S, Zhang Q, Li X, Ivey G, Zilioli S. Basal cortisol, cortisol reactivity, and telomere length: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2019; 103:163-172. [PMID: 30695740 PMCID: PMC6450740 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2019.01.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2018] [Revised: 01/11/2019] [Accepted: 01/21/2019] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
The objective of the present study is to synthesize the existing empirical literature and perform a meta-analysis of published data on the relationship between cortisol and telomere length. We systematically searched studies that examined the relationship between cortisol and telomere length in humans on electronic databases and screened reference sections of included articles. Fourteen studies were included in the meta-analysis, with effect sizes being extracted for two cortisol measures: basal cortisol levels and cortisol reactivity to acute psychological stress. Results from random effects models showed that basal cortisol levels (13 effect sizes from 12 cross-sectional studies, N = 3675 participants) were not significantly correlated with telomere length (r =-0.05, 95% CI [-0.11, 0.02]). Further, results stratified by the specimen type for cortisol measurement (i.e., saliva, urine, blood) showed that none of the three basal cortisol level measures were correlated with telomere length. However, we found a statistically significant correlation between salivary cortisol reactivity to acute psychosocial stress (6 cross-sectional studies, N = 958 participants) and telomere length (r = -0.13, 95% CI [-0.23, -0.03]). Subgroup analyses revealed that correlations between salivary cortisol reactivity and telomere length were more evident in studies conducted among children (vs. adults) and in studies that included female participants only (vs. both genders). However, the small number of available studies limits the conclusions derived from subgroup analyses, and more studies are needed before moderator effects can be properly established. Overall, findings of this study support the existence of a relationship between cortisol reactivity and telomere shortening.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanping Jiang
- Department of Health Promotion, Education, & Behavior, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC United States.
| | - Wendi Da
- Department of Health Promotion, Education, & Behavior, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC
| | - Shan Qiao
- Department of Health Promotion, Education, & Behavior, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC
| | - Quan Zhang
- Department of Health Promotion, Education, & Behavior, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC
| | - Xiaoming Li
- Department of Health Promotion, Education, & Behavior, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC
| | - Grace Ivey
- Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC
| | - Samuele Zilioli
- Department of Psychology, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI United States; Department of Family Medicine and Public Health Sciences, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI United States.
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7
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Enlow MB, Sideridis G, Bollati V, Hoxha M, Hacker MR, Wright RJ. Maternal cortisol output in pregnancy and newborn telomere length: Evidence for sex-specific effects. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2019; 102:225-235. [PMID: 30590340 PMCID: PMC6420355 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2018.12.222] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2018] [Revised: 12/15/2018] [Accepted: 12/16/2018] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
Newborn telomere length is a potential biomarker of the effects of maternal-fetal processes on offspring long-term health. A number of maternal psychosocial and environmental factors in pregnancy (e.g., stress, health, socioeconomic status) have been associated with shortened telomere length at birth. The physiological mechanisms responsible for potential effects of maternal factors on newborn telomere length have yet to be identified. Indirect evidence suggests that disruptions in maternal hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis functioning in pregnancy may be involved. Studies are needed that test whether maternal HPA axis functioning in pregnancy is associated with newborn telomere length. This study examined whether maternal HPA axis functioning across pregnancy, reflected in hair cortisol collected within one week after delivery, predicted newborn telomere length assessed from leukocyte cord blood collected at birth among 93 sociodemographically diverse mother-infant dyads. We further tested whether associations between maternal hair cortisol and newborn telomere length differed by infant sex, given documented sex differences in prenatal environmental exposure effects on offspring health, patterns of cortisol exposure during gestation, and telomere biology across the lifespan. In a multi-group structural equation modeling analysis that accounted for cortisol exposures across trimesters, maternal cortisol levels in pregnancy were not associated with newborn telomere length in the sample as a whole. However, significant sex differences emerged, with a significant positive association among females and a lack of a significant association among males. In addition, analyses revealed that cortisol levels were higher across trimesters among mothers of male infants than mothers of female infants. The results suggest that functioning of the maternal HPA axis in pregnancy may differ by fetal sex and have sex-specific effects on newborn telomere biology. These findings have implications for understanding the mechanisms by which maternal psychosocial and environmental exposures influence newborn telomere length and for elucidating mechanisms contributing to sex disparities in health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michelle Bosquet Enlow
- Department of Psychiatry, Boston Children’s Hospital, 300 Longwood Ave, AT-120.3, Mailstop BCH 3199, Boston, MA 02115, USA,Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Georgios Sideridis
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA,Institutional Centers for Clinical and Translational Research, Boston Children’s Hospital, 300 Longwood Ave, AT-210.3, Mailstop BCH 3200, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Valentina Bollati
- EPIGET Lab, Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, Università degli Studi di Milano, via San Barnaba 8, 20122, Milan, Italy
| | - Mirjam Hoxha
- EPIGET Lab, Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, Università degli Studi di Milano, via San Barnaba 8, 20122, Milan, Italy
| | - Michele R. Hacker
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, 330 Brookline Avenue, KS3, Boston, MA 02215, USA,Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Rosalind J. Wright
- Department of Pediatrics, Mount Sinai Kravis Children’s Hospital, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, One Gustave L. Levy Place, Box 1198, New York City, NY 10029, USA,Institute for Exposomic Research, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York City, NY, USA
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8
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Wai KM, Umezaki M, Kosaka S, Mar O, Umemura M, Fillman T, Watanabe C. Impact of prenatal heavy metal exposure on newborn leucocyte telomere length: A birth-cohort study. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2018; 243:1414-1421. [PMID: 30278415 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2018.09.090] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2018] [Revised: 08/29/2018] [Accepted: 09/18/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Arsenic, cadmium and lead are toxic environmental contaminants. They were shown to be associated with telomere length (TL) in adults. Although they can cross the placental barrier, the effect of prenatal exposure of these metals on newborn TL is unknown. The aim of this study was to examine whether prenatal exposure to heavy metals has an impact on newborn leucocyte TL. A birth-cohort study was conducted with 409 pregnant women and their newborns in Myanmar. During the first visit, face-to-face interviews were conducted, and maternal spot urine sampling was performed. Cord blood samples were collected during follow-up. Urinary heavy metal concentration was measured by ICP-MS and adjusted for creatinine. Relative TL was measured by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. The extent of prenatal arsenic, cadmium and lead exposure and their associations with newborn leucocyte TL were assessed using multivariate linear regression. The median values of maternal urinary arsenic, cadmium, and lead concentrations were 73.9, 0.9, and 1.8 μg/g creatinine, respectively. Prenatal arsenic and cadmium exposure was significantly associated with newborn TL shortening (lowest vs highest quartile, coefficient = - 0.13, 95% CI: - 0.22, - 0.03, p = 0.002, and coefficient = - 0.17, 95% CI: - 0.27, - 0.07, p = 0.001, respectively), and the associations remained robust after adjusting for confounders. There was no significant association between prenatal lead exposure and newborn TL. The present study identified the effect of arsenic and cadmium exposure on TL shortening, even in utero exposure at a lower concentration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kyi Mar Wai
- Department of Human Ecology, School of International Health, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Japan.
| | - Masahiro Umezaki
- Department of Human Ecology, School of International Health, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Japan
| | - Satoko Kosaka
- Department of Human Ecology, School of International Health, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Japan
| | - Ohn Mar
- Department of Physiology, The University of Medicine (1), Yangon, Myanmar
| | - Mitsutoshi Umemura
- Hokkaido Research Center, Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute, Forest Research and Management Organization, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Toki Fillman
- Department of Human Ecology, School of International Health, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Japan
| | - Chiho Watanabe
- Department of Human Ecology, School of International Health, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Japan; National Institute for Environmental Studies, Japan
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9
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Liu H, Chen Q, Lei L, Zhou W, Huang L, Zhang J, Chen D. Prenatal exposure to perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances affects leukocyte telomere length in female newborns. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2018; 235:446-452. [PMID: 29310088 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2017.12.095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2017] [Revised: 12/23/2017] [Accepted: 12/24/2017] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
Evidence has shown that leukocyte telomere length (LTL) at birth is related to the susceptibility to various diseases in later life and the setting of newborn LTL is influenced by the intrauterine environment. Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs), as a kind of persistent organic pollutants, are commonly used in commercial and domestic applications and are capable of crossing the maternal-fetal barrier during pregnancy. We hypothesized that intrauterine exposure to PFASs may affect fetal LTL by increasing oxidative stress. To verify this hypothesis, LTL, concentrations of PFASs and reactive oxygen species (ROS) were measured in umbilical cord blood of 581 newborns from a prospective cohort. Our results showed that there were interactions between PFOS/PFDA and sex on LTL and ROS. The LTL was significantly shorter (0.926 ± 0.053 vs 0.945 ± 0.054, P = .023 for PFOS; 0.919 ± 0.063 vs 0.940 ± 0.059, P = .011 for PFDA) and the ROS levels were extremely higher (252.9 ± 60.5 [M] vs 233.5 ± 53.6 [M], P = .031 for PFOS; 255.2 ± 62.9 [M] vs 232.9 ± 58.3 [M], P = .011 for PFDA) in the female newborns whose PFOS or PFDA concentrations fell in the upmost quartile compared with those in the lowest quartile after adjusting for potential confounders. ROS levels were inversely associated with LTL in female newborns (β = -1.42 × 10-4, P = .022). 13% of the effect of PFOS on female LTL was mediated through ROS approximately by the mediation analyses. However, in male newborns, no relationships among PFASs, ROS and LTL were observed. Our findings suggest a "programming" role of PFASs on fetal telomere biology system in females in intrauterine stage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Han Liu
- Ministry of Education and Shanghai Key Laboratory of Children's Environmental Health, Xin Hua Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Qian Chen
- Ministry of Education and Shanghai Key Laboratory of Children's Environmental Health, Xin Hua Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Lei Lei
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, East Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Wei Zhou
- Ministry of Education and Shanghai Key Laboratory of Children's Environmental Health, Xin Hua Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Lisu Huang
- Pediatric Department, Xin Hua Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China; Clinical Research Unit, Xin Hua Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Jun Zhang
- Ministry of Education and Shanghai Key Laboratory of Children's Environmental Health, Xin Hua Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
| | - Dan Chen
- Ministry of Education and Shanghai Key Laboratory of Children's Environmental Health, Xin Hua Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
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10
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Entringer S, de Punder K, Buss C, Wadhwa PD. The fetal programming of telomere biology hypothesis: an update. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2018; 373:20170151. [PMID: 29335381 PMCID: PMC5784074 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2017.0151] [Citation(s) in RCA: 127] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/26/2017] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Research on mechanisms underlying fetal programming of health and disease risk has focused primarily on processes that are specific to cell types, organs or phenotypes of interest. However, the observation that developmental conditions concomitantly influence a diverse set of phenotypes, the majority of which are implicated in age-related disorders, raises the possibility that such developmental conditions may additionally exert effects via a common underlying mechanism that involves cellular/molecular ageing-related processes. In this context, we submit that telomere biology represents a process of particular interest in humans because, firstly, this system represents among the most salient antecedent cellular phenotypes for common age-related disorders; secondly, its initial (newborn) setting appears to be particularly important for its long-term effects; and thirdly, its initial setting appears to be plastic and under developmental regulation. We propose that the effects of suboptimal intrauterine conditions on the initial setting of telomere length and telomerase expression/activity capacity may be mediated by the programming actions of stress-related maternal-placental-fetal oxidative, immune, endocrine and metabolic pathways in a manner that may ultimately accelerate cellular dysfunction, ageing and disease susceptibility over the lifespan. This perspectives paper provides an overview of each of the elements underlying this hypothesis, with an emphasis on recent developments, findings and future directions.This article is part of the theme issue 'Understanding diversity in telomere dynamics'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sonja Entringer
- Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health (BIH), Institute of Medical Psychology, Berlin, Germany
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California, School of Medicine, Irvine, CA, USA
- Development, Health and Disease Research Program, University of California, School of Medicine, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Karin de Punder
- Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health (BIH), Institute of Medical Psychology, Berlin, Germany
| | - Claudia Buss
- Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health (BIH), Institute of Medical Psychology, Berlin, Germany
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California, School of Medicine, Irvine, CA, USA
- Development, Health and Disease Research Program, University of California, School of Medicine, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Pathik D Wadhwa
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, University of California, School of Medicine, Irvine, CA, USA
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of California, School of Medicine, Irvine, CA, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California, School of Medicine, Irvine, CA, USA
- Department of Epidemiology, University of California, School of Medicine, Irvine, CA, USA
- Development, Health and Disease Research Program, University of California, School of Medicine, Irvine, CA, USA
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Oerther S, Lorenz R. State of the Science: Using Telomeres as Biomarkers During the First 1,000 Days of Life. West J Nurs Res 2018; 41:305-325. [PMID: 29504461 DOI: 10.1177/0193945918762806] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
Telomere biology shows promise as an integrative biomarker of exposures and increased occurrence of chronic disease and early mortality. This integrative review examined the state of the science regarding toxicokinetic risks and maternal factors in humans and in vivo models that are correlated with telomere length during the first 1,000 days of life. The Preferred Reporting Items of Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses framework assisted in guiding this integrative by aiding researchers in identifying, selecting, and critically appraising the literature. Ovid MEDLINE, CINAHL, Cochrane Systematic Reviews, Web of Science, and SCOPUS databases were searched. The initial search yielded a total of 381 published articles. Full-text screening resulted in 19 articles retained for review (14 quasi-experimental studies and five experimental studies). Findings suggest a relationship between toxicokinetic exposures creating inflammation or oxidative stress (i.e., smoking) and maternal health conditions such as sleep apnea to shorter telomere length in children below 2 years old.
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