1
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Geng D, Liu H, Wang H, Wang H. Telomere length exhibits inverse association with migraine among Americans aged 20-50 years, without implications beyond age 50: a cross-sectional study. Sci Rep 2024; 14:22597. [PMID: 39349547 PMCID: PMC11443084 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-72675-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2024] [Accepted: 09/10/2024] [Indexed: 10/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Migraine, common in individuals under 50 years, is linked to oxidative stress. The association between telomere length shortening and migraine, along with potential age-related influences, has not been comprehensively studied. This cross-sectional study included data from 6169 participants in the National Health and Nutrition Survey (NHANES) from 1999 to 2002, encompassing information on peripheral blood leukocyte telomere length, severe headache or migraine, and potential confounders. Stratifying by age (20-50 years, > 50 years), we employed multivariable logistic regression, restricted cubic splines and interaction test to investigate age-influenced telomere length in relation to migraine. In participants aged 20-50 years, the odds ratio (OR) for migraine in the shortest telomere length group T1 (0.39-0.89) was 1.35 (95% confidence interval [95% CI] 1.01, 1.79) compared to the longest group T3 (1.10-9.42), whereas in those aged > 50 years, the OR of T1 was 0.93 (95% CI 0.60, 1.43). Additionally, telomere length and age interacted in the development of migraine (p for interaction: 0.010). In individuals aged 20-50, an L-shaped relationship was found between telomere length and migraine, with an inflection point at 1.02T/S ratio. The OR was 9.34 (95% CI 1.56, 55.99) for telomere lengths < 1.02T/S ratio. These findings suggest age influences the association between telomere length and migraine in U.S. adults.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dandan Geng
- Department of Neurology, Hebei General Hospital affiliated to Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, China
| | - Huanxian Liu
- Department of Neurology, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Haoyuan Wang
- Department of Neurology, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Hebo Wang
- Department of Neurology, Hebei General Hospital affiliated to Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, China.
- Hebei Key Laboratory of Cerebral Network and Cognitive Disorders, Shijiazhuang, 050051, Hebei, China.
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2
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Suberry A, Bodner E. Psychological Well-Being and Self-Aging Attitudes Moderate the Association between Subjective Age and Age Discrimination in the Workplace. Behav Sci (Basel) 2024; 14:742. [PMID: 39335958 PMCID: PMC11428681 DOI: 10.3390/bs14090742] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2024] [Revised: 08/05/2024] [Accepted: 08/23/2024] [Indexed: 09/30/2024] Open
Abstract
Views of aging include peoples' assessment of their own aging process and their subjective age. Positive views of aging relate to a improved psychological well-being which predicts better physical and mental health. While these relationships were substantially studied, the moderating roles of self-aging attitudes and psychological well-being in the subjective age-age discrimination connection have been much less explored. The current study used a convenience sample of 568 participants (mean = 66.21y, SD = 11.95, age range 50-95), 55.8% women, 67.1% employed. In line with the hypotheses, young subjective age and psychological well-being were connected to less age discrimination in the workplace, and higher psychological well-being mitigated the subjective age-age discrimination at work connection. When the perception of old age as a period of loss was added to the model, adults who perceived old age as a period of loss and reported lower levels of psychological well-being demonstrated the strongest relationship between an increase in subjective age and an increase in age-related discrimination at work. The findings emphasize the importance of the psychological well-being of older employees as a resource for improving their attitudes towards their last years at work.
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Affiliation(s)
- Assaf Suberry
- Department of Social & Health Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan 5290002, Israel
| | - Ehud Bodner
- Department of Social & Health Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan 5290002, Israel
- Music Department, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan 5290002, Israel
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3
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Wang Y, Kuca K, You L, Nepovimova E, Heger Z, Valko M, Adam V, Wu Q, Jomova K. The role of cellular senescence in neurodegenerative diseases. Arch Toxicol 2024; 98:2393-2408. [PMID: 38744709 PMCID: PMC11272704 DOI: 10.1007/s00204-024-03768-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2024] [Accepted: 04/24/2024] [Indexed: 05/16/2024]
Abstract
Increasing evidence has revealed that cellular senescence drives NDs, including Alzheimer's disease (AD) and Parkinson's disease. Different senescent cell populations secrete senescence-associated secretory phenotypes (SASP), including matrix metalloproteinase-3, interleukin (IL)-1α, IL-6, and IL-8, which can harm adjacent microglia. Moreover, these cells possess high expression levels of senescence hallmarks (p16 and p21) and elevated senescence-associated β-galactosidase activity in in vitro and in vivo ND models. These senescence phenotypes contribute to the deposition of β-amyloid and tau-protein tangles. Selective clearance of senescent cells and SASP regulation by inhibiting p38/mitogen-activated protein kinase and nuclear factor kappa B signaling attenuate β-amyloid load and prevent tau-protein tangle deposition, thereby improving cognitive performance in AD mouse models. In addition, telomere shortening, a cellular senescence biomarker, is associated with increased ND risks. Telomere dysfunction causes cellular senescence, stimulating IL-6, tumor necrosis factor-α, and IL-1β secretions. The forced expression of telomerase activators prevents cellular senescence, yielding considerable neuroprotective effects. This review elucidates the mechanism of cellular senescence in ND pathogenesis, suggesting strategies to eliminate or restore senescent cells to a normal phenotype for treating such diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yating Wang
- College of Life Science, Yangtze University, Jingzhou, 434025, China
| | - Kamil Kuca
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Hradec Králové, 500 03, Hradec Králové, Czech Republic
- Biomedical Research Center, University Hospital Hradec Kralove, 500 05, Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic
- Andalusian Research Institute in Data Science and Computational Intelligence (DaSCI), University of Granada, Granada, Spain
| | - Li You
- College of Physical Education and Health, Chongqing College of International Business and Economics, Chongqing, 401520, China
| | - Eugenie Nepovimova
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Hradec Králové, 500 03, Hradec Králové, Czech Republic
| | - Zbynek Heger
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Mendel University in Brno, 613 00, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Marian Valko
- Faculty of Chemical and Food Technology, Slovak University of Technology, 812 37, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Vojtech Adam
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Mendel University in Brno, 613 00, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Qinghua Wu
- College of Life Science, Yangtze University, Jingzhou, 434025, China.
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Hradec Králové, 500 03, Hradec Králové, Czech Republic.
| | - Klaudia Jomova
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Constantine the Philosopher University in Nitra, 949 74, Nitra, Slovakia.
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4
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Gómez‐Blanco D, Tobler M, Hasselquist D. Why and when should organisms elongate their telomeres? Elaborations on the 'excess resources elongation' and 'last resort elongation' hypotheses. Ecol Evol 2023; 13:e10825. [PMID: 38099139 PMCID: PMC10719541 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.10825] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2023] [Revised: 10/31/2023] [Accepted: 11/28/2023] [Indexed: 12/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Telomere length and telomere shortening are thought to be critical cellular attributes and processes that are related to an individual's life span and fitness. The general pattern across most taxa is that after birth telomere length gradually decreases with age. Telomere protection and restoration mechanisms are usually assumed to reduce the rate of shortening or at most keep telomere length constant. However, here we have compiled a list of 26 articles showing that there is an increasing number of studies reporting apparent elongation of telomeres (i.e., a net increase in TL from timet to timet+1) often in a considerable proportion of the individuals studied. Moreover, the few studies which have studied telomere elongation in detail show that increases in telomere length are unlikely to be due to measurement error alone. In this article, we argue that episodes of telomere elongation deserve more attention as they could reflect individual strategies to optimise life histories and maximise fitness, which may not be reflected in the overall telomere dynamics patterns. We propose that patterns of telomere (net) elongation may be partly determined by other factors than those causing telomere shortening, and therefore deserve analyses specifically targeted to investigate the occurrence of telomere elongation. We elaborate on two ecological hypotheses that have been proposed to explain patterns of telomere elongation (the 'excess resources elongation' and the 'last resort elongation' hypothesis) and we discuss the current evidence for (or against) these hypotheses and propose ways to test them.
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5
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Weng NP. Transcriptome-based measurement of CD8 + T cell age and its applications. Trends Immunol 2023; 44:542-550. [PMID: 37248098 PMCID: PMC10330598 DOI: 10.1016/j.it.2023.05.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2023] [Revised: 05/05/2023] [Accepted: 05/08/2023] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
The ability of T cells to undergo robust cell division in response to antigenic stimulation is essential for competent T cell function. However, this ability is reduced with aging and contributes to increased susceptibility to infectious diseases, cancers, and other diseases among older adults. To better understand T cell aging, improved measurements of age-related cellular changes in T cells are necessary. The recent development of machine learning (ML)-assisted transcriptome-based quantification of individual CD8+ T cell age represents a significant step forward in this regard. It reveals both prominent and subtle changes in gene expression and points to potential functional alterations of CD8+ T cells with aging. I argue that single-cell transcriptome-based age prediction in the immune system may have promising future applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nan-Ping Weng
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology and Immunology, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD 21224, USA.
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6
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Panagiotou N, McGuinness D, Jaminon AMG, Mees B, Selman C, Schurgers L, Shiels PG. Microvesicle-Mediated Tissue Regeneration Mitigates the Effects of Cellular Ageing. Cells 2023; 12:1707. [PMID: 37443741 PMCID: PMC10340655 DOI: 10.3390/cells12131707] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2023] [Revised: 06/19/2023] [Accepted: 06/21/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Extracellular vesicles (EVs), comprising microvesicles (MVs) and exosomes (Exos), are membranous vesicles secreted by cells which mediate the repair of cellular and tissue damage via paracrine mechanisms. The action of EVs under normative and morbid conditions in the context of ageing remains largely unexplored. We demonstrate that MVs, but not Exos, from Pathfinder cells (PCs), a putative stem cell regulatory cell type, enhance the repair of human dermal fibroblast (HDF) and mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) co-cultures, following both mechanical and genotoxic stress. Critically, this effect was found to be both cellular age and stress specific. Notably, MV treatment was unable to repair mechanical injury in older co-cultures but remained therapeutic following genotoxic stress. These observations were further confirmed in human dermal fibroblast (HDF) and vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) co-cultures of increasing cellular age. In a model of comorbidity comprising co-cultures of HDFs and highly senescent abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) VSMCs, MV administration appeared to be senotherapeutic, following both mechanical and genotoxic stress. Our data provide insights into EVs and the specific roles they play during tissue repair and ageing. These data will potentiate the development of novel cell-free therapeutic interventions capable of attenuating age-associated morbidities and avoiding undesired effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nikolaos Panagiotou
- Davidson Building, School of Molecular Biosciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, UK; (N.P.)
| | - Dagmara McGuinness
- School of Infection & Immunity, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, UK; (D.M.)
| | - Armand M. G. Jaminon
- Department of Biochemistry, Cardiovascular Research Institute Maastricht, Maastricht University,
Maastricht, 6229 ER Maastricht, NetherlandsThe Netherlands
| | - Barend Mees
- Department of Vascular Surgery, Maastricht University Medical Centre (MUMC),
Maastricht, The Netherlands;
| | - Colin Selman
- Graham Kerr Building, College of Medical, Veterinary & Life Sciences, Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, UK;
| | - Leon Schurgers
- School of Infection & Immunity, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, UK; (D.M.)
- Graham Kerr Building, College of Medical, Veterinary & Life Sciences, Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, UK;
| | - Paul G. Shiels
- Davidson Building, School of Molecular Biosciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, UK; (N.P.)
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7
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Mahmoodpoor A, Sanaie S, Eskandari M, Behrouzi N, Taghizadeh M, Roudbari F, Emamalizadeh B, Sohrabifar N, Kazeminasab S. Association between leukocyte telomere length and COVID-19 severity. EGYPTIAN JOURNAL OF MEDICAL HUMAN GENETICS 2023; 24:37. [PMID: 37273887 PMCID: PMC10225776 DOI: 10.1186/s43042-023-00415-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2023] [Accepted: 05/16/2023] [Indexed: 06/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Inter-individual variations in the clinical manifestations of SARS-CoV-2 infection are among the challenging features of COVID-19. The known role of telomeres in cell proliferation and immune competency highlights their possible function in infectious diseases. Variability in telomere length is an invaluable parameter in the heterogeneity of the clinical presentation of diseases. Result In this study, our aim was to investigate the possible association between leukocyte telomere length (LTL) and COVID-19 severity. LTL was measured in 100 patients with moderate and severe forms of COVID-19 using the quantitative PCR (q-PCR) method. Statistical analysis confirmed a strong inverse correlation between relative LTL and COVID-19 severity. Conclusions These findings suggest that LTL can be a useful parameter for predicting disease severity in patients, as individuals with short telomeres may have a higher risk of developing severe COVID-19. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s43042-023-00415-z.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ata Mahmoodpoor
- Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care, Faculty of Medicine, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Sarvin Sanaie
- Research Center of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Aging Research Institute, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Maqsoud Eskandari
- Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care, Faculty of Medicine, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Nazila Behrouzi
- Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care, Faculty of Medicine, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Majid Taghizadeh
- Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care, Faculty of Medicine, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | | | - Babak Emamalizadeh
- Department of Medical Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Nasim Sohrabifar
- Cardiovascular Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Somayeh Kazeminasab
- Department of Medical Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
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8
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Doherty T, Dempster E, Hannon E, Mill J, Poulton R, Corcoran D, Sugden K, Williams B, Caspi A, Moffitt TE, Delany SJ, Murphy TM. A comparison of feature selection methodologies and learning algorithms in the development of a DNA methylation-based telomere length estimator. BMC Bioinformatics 2023; 24:178. [PMID: 37127563 PMCID: PMC10152624 DOI: 10.1186/s12859-023-05282-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2022] [Accepted: 04/11/2023] [Indexed: 05/03/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The field of epigenomics holds great promise in understanding and treating disease with advances in machine learning (ML) and artificial intelligence being vitally important in this pursuit. Increasingly, research now utilises DNA methylation measures at cytosine-guanine dinucleotides (CpG) to detect disease and estimate biological traits such as aging. Given the challenge of high dimensionality of DNA methylation data, feature-selection techniques are commonly employed to reduce dimensionality and identify the most important subset of features. In this study, our aim was to test and compare a range of feature-selection methods and ML algorithms in the development of a novel DNA methylation-based telomere length (TL) estimator. We utilised both nested cross-validation and two independent test sets for the comparisons. RESULTS We found that principal component analysis in advance of elastic net regression led to the overall best performing estimator when evaluated using a nested cross-validation analysis and two independent test cohorts. This approach achieved a correlation between estimated and actual TL of 0.295 (83.4% CI [0.201, 0.384]) on the EXTEND test data set. Contrastingly, the baseline model of elastic net regression with no prior feature reduction stage performed less well in general-suggesting a prior feature-selection stage may have important utility. A previously developed TL estimator, DNAmTL, achieved a correlation of 0.216 (83.4% CI [0.118, 0.310]) on the EXTEND data. Additionally, we observed that different DNA methylation-based TL estimators, which have few common CpGs, are associated with many of the same biological entities. CONCLUSIONS The variance in performance across tested approaches shows that estimators are sensitive to data set heterogeneity and the development of an optimal DNA methylation-based estimator should benefit from the robust methodological approach used in this study. Moreover, our methodology which utilises a range of feature-selection approaches and ML algorithms could be applied to other biological markers and disease phenotypes, to examine their relationship with DNA methylation and predictive value.
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Affiliation(s)
- Trevor Doherty
- School of Biological, Health and Sports Sciences, Technological University Dublin, Dublin, Ireland.
- SFI Centre for Research Training in Machine Learning, Technological University Dublin, Dublin, Ireland.
| | - Emma Dempster
- University of Exeter Medical School, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
| | - Eilis Hannon
- University of Exeter Medical School, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
| | - Jonathan Mill
- University of Exeter Medical School, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
| | - Richie Poulton
- Department of Psychology, University of Otago, Dunedin, 9016, New Zealand
| | - David Corcoran
- Center for Genomic and Computational Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27708, USA
| | - Karen Sugden
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Ben Williams
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Avshalom Caspi
- Social, Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Terrie E Moffitt
- Social, Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Sarah Jane Delany
- School of Computer Science, Technological University Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Therese M Murphy
- School of Biological, Health and Sports Sciences, Technological University Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
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9
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Sabot D, Lovegrove R, Stapleton P. The association between sleep quality and telomere length: A systematic literature review. Brain Behav Immun Health 2023; 28:100577. [PMID: 36691437 PMCID: PMC9860369 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbih.2022.100577] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2022] [Accepted: 12/20/2022] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Several sleep parameters present an elevated risk for processes that contribute to cellular aging. Short sleep duration, sleep apnoea, and insomnia are significantly associated with shorter telomeres, a biological marker of cellular aging. However, there has been no review or analysis of studies that have examined the association between the psychological construct of sleep quality and telomere length. The present study aimed to provide a systematic review of the association between sleep quality and telomere length. A systematic review of English articles was conducted using MEDLINE/PubMed, PsycINFO, Google Scholar, and Web of Science electronic databases, with the final search conducted on 3rd September 2021. Search terms included sleep quality, poor sleep, insomnia, sleep difficulties, sleep issue*, non-restorative sleep, telomere*, cellular aging, and immune cell telomere length. Study eligibility criteria included human participants aged 18 years or older and a reproducible methodology. Study appraisal and synthesis were completed using a systematic search in line with a PICOS approach (P = Patient, problem, or population; I = Intervention, prognostic factor, exposure; C = Comparison, control, or comparator; O = Outcomes; S = Study designs). Twenty-two studies met review inclusion criteria. Qualitative synthesis of the literature indicated insufficient evidence overall to support a significant association between sleep quality and telomere length. Limitations across studies were addressed, such as the assessment of examined constructs. Findings highlight important targets for future research, including the standardised operationalisation of the sleep quality construct and experimental study designs. Research in this area has clinical significance by identifying possible mechanisms that increase the risk for age-related disease and mortality. PROSPERO Registration No.: CRD 42021233139.
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Affiliation(s)
- Debbie Sabot
- School of Psychology, Faculty of Society and Design, Bond University, Australia
| | - Rhianna Lovegrove
- School of Psychology, Faculty of Society and Design, Bond University, Australia
| | - Peta Stapleton
- School of Psychology, Faculty of Society and Design, Bond University, Australia
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10
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Brown TJ, Spurgin LG, Dugdale HL, Komdeur J, Burke T, Richardson DS. Causes and consequences of telomere lengthening in a wild vertebrate population. Mol Ecol 2022; 31:5933-5945. [PMID: 34219315 DOI: 10.1111/mec.16059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2021] [Revised: 05/24/2021] [Accepted: 06/21/2021] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
Telomeres have been advocated to be important markers of biological age in evolutionary and ecological studies. Telomeres usually shorten with age and shortening is frequently associated with environmental stressors and increased subsequent mortality. Telomere lengthening - an apparent increase in telomere length between repeated samples from the same individual - also occurs. However, the exact circumstances, and consequences, of telomere lengthening are poorly understood. Using longitudinal data from the Seychelles warbler (Acrocephalus sechellensis), we tested whether telomere lengthening - which occurs in adults of this species - is associated with specific stressors (reproductive effort, food availability, malarial infection and cooperative breeding) and predicts subsequent survival. In females, telomere shortening was observed under greater stress (i.e., low food availability, malaria infection), while telomere lengthening was observed in females experiencing lower stress (i.e., high food availability, assisted by helpers, without malaria). The telomere dynamics of males were not associated with the key stressors tested. These results indicate that, at least for females, telomere lengthening occurs in circumstances more conducive to self-maintenance. Importantly, both females and males with lengthened telomeres had improved subsequent survival relative to individuals that displayed unchanged, or shortened, telomeres - indicating that telomere lengthening is associated with individual fitness. These results demonstrate that telomere dynamics are bidirectionally responsive to the level of stress that an individual faces, but may poorly reflect the accumulation of stress over an individuals lifetime.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas J Brown
- School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK
| | - Lewis G Spurgin
- School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK
| | - Hannah L Dugdale
- Behavioural and Physiological Ecology, Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Jan Komdeur
- Behavioural and Physiological Ecology, Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Terry Burke
- Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - David S Richardson
- School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK.,Nature Seychelles, Victoria, Mahé, Seychelles
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11
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Kertes DA, Leri J, Duan K, Tarrence J, Browning C, Pickler R, Ford J. Demographic and health predictors of telomere length during adolescence. Dev Psychobiol 2022; 64:e22311. [PMID: 36282763 PMCID: PMC9749139 DOI: 10.1002/dev.22311] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2022] [Revised: 05/31/2022] [Accepted: 06/03/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
Telomere length (TL) is proposed to play a mechanistic role in how the exposome affects health outcomes. Little is known about TL during adolescence, a developmental period during which precursors of adult-onset health problems often emerge. We examined health and demographic sources of variation in TL in 899 youth aged 11-17. Demographic and health information included age, sex, race, household income, caregiver age and marital status, youth tobacco exposure, body mass index, pubertal status, health problems, medication use, and season of data collection. Genomic DNA was extracted from saliva, and T/S ratios were computed following qPCR. Age, race, season of data collection, and household income were associated with the telomere to single copy (T/S) ratio. We found that T/S ratios were larger at younger ages, among Black youth, for saliva collected during autumn and winter, and among households with higher income. Analyses stratified by race revealed that the association between age and T/S ratio was present for Black youth, that season of collection was present across races, but that family demographic associations with T/S ratio varied by race. The results provide information for future telomere research and highlight adolescence as a potentially important developmental phase for racial disparities in telomere shortening and health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Darlene A. Kertes
- Department of Psychology, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA,Genetics Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
| | - John Leri
- Department of Psychology, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
| | - Ke Duan
- Department of Psychology, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
| | - Jake Tarrence
- Department of Sociology, Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA
| | | | - Rita Pickler
- College of Nursing, Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA
| | - Jodi Ford
- College of Nursing, Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA
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12
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Shokr H, Lush V, Dias IH, Ekárt A, De Moraes G, Gherghel D. The Use of Retinal Microvascular Function and Telomere Length in Age and Blood Pressure Prediction in Individuals with Low Cardiovascular Risk. Cells 2022; 11:3037. [PMID: 36230999 PMCID: PMC9563868 DOI: 10.3390/cells11193037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2022] [Revised: 09/24/2022] [Accepted: 09/26/2022] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Ageing represents a major risk factor for many pathologies that limit human lifespan, including cardiovascular diseases. Biological ageing is a good biomarker to assess early individual risk for CVD. However, finding good measurements of biological ageing is an ongoing quest. This study aims to assess the use retinal microvascular function, separate or in combination with telomere length, as a predictor for age and systemic blood pressure in individuals with low cardiovascular risk. In all, 123 healthy participants with low cardiovascular risk were recruited and divided into three groups: group 1 (less than 30 years old), group 2 (31-50 years old) and group 3 (over 50 years old). Relative telomere length (RTL), parameters of retinal microvascular function, CVD circulatory markers and blood pressure (BP) were measured in all individuals. Symbolic regression- analysis was used to infer chronological age and systemic BP measurements using either RTL or a combination of RTL and parameters for retinal microvascular function. RTL decreased significantly with age (p = 0.010). There were also age-related differences between the study groups in retinal arterial time to maximum dilation (p = 0.005), maximum constriction (p = 0.007) and maximum constriction percentage (p = 0.010). In the youngest participants, the error between predicted versus actual values for the chronological age were smallest in the case of using both retinal vascular functions only (p = 0.039) or the combination of this parameter with RTL (p = 0.0045). Systolic BP was better predicted by RTL also only in younger individuals (p = 0.043). The assessment of retinal arterial vascular function is a better predictor than RTL for non-modifiable variables such as age, and only in younger individuals. In the same age group, RTL is better than microvascular function when inferring modifiable risk factors for CVDs. In older individuals, the accumulation of physiological and structural biological changes makes such predictions unreliable.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hala Shokr
- Vascular Research Laboratory, College of Health and Life Sciences, Aston University, Birmingham B4 7ET, UK
- Pharmacy Division, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PL, UK
| | - Victoria Lush
- Computer Science, School of Informatics and Digital Engineering, College of Engineering and Physical Sciences, Aston University, Birmingham B4 7ET, UK
| | - Irundika Hk Dias
- Aston Medical School, College of Health and Life Sciences, Aston University, Birmingham B4 7ET, UK
| | - Anikó Ekárt
- Computer Science, School of Informatics and Digital Engineering, College of Engineering and Physical Sciences, Aston University, Birmingham B4 7ET, UK
| | - Gustavo De Moraes
- Bernard and Shirlee Brown Glaucoma Research Laboratory, Department of Ophthalmology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Doina Gherghel
- Vascular Research Laboratory, College of Health and Life Sciences, Aston University, Birmingham B4 7ET, UK
- Division of Cardiovascular Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PL, UK
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Precioso M, Molina-Morales M, Dawson DA, Burke TA, Martínez JG. Effects of long-term ethanol storage of blood samples on the estimation of telomere length. Evol Ecol 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s10682-022-10198-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
AbstractTelomeres, DNA structures located at the end of eukaryotic chromosomes, shorten with each cellular cycle. The shortening rate is affected by factors associated with stress, and, thus telomere length has been used as a biomarker of ageing, disease, and different life history trade-offs. Telomere research has received much attention in the last decades, however there is still a wide variety of factors that may affect telomere measurements and to date no study has thoroughly evaluated the possible long-term effect of a storage medium on telomere measurements. In this study we evaluated the long-term effects of ethanol on relative telomere length (RTL) measured by qPCR, using blood samples of magpies collected over twelve years and stored in absolute ethanol at room temperature. We firstly tested whether storage time had an effect on RTL and secondly we modelled the effect of time of storage (from 1 to 12 years) in differences in RTL from DNA extracted twice in consecutive years from the same blood sample. We also tested whether individual amplification efficiencies were influenced by storage time, and whether this could affect our results. Our study provides evidence of an effect of storage time on telomere length measurements. Importantly, this effect shows a pattern of decreasing loss of telomere sequence with storage time that stops after approximate 4 years of storage, which suggests that telomeres may degrade in blood samples stored in ethanol. Our method to quantify the effect of storage time could be used to evaluate other storage buffers and methods. Our results highlight the need to evaluate the long-term effects of storage on telomere measurements, particularly in long-term studies.
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Li H, Ren M, He Q, Gao J, Li Q. Revealing the Longevity Code of Humans with up to Extreme Longevity in Guangxi Based on Physical Examination Indicators and Personalized Biomarkers of Aging. BIOMED RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2022; 2022:2810379. [PMID: 35607300 PMCID: PMC9124135 DOI: 10.1155/2022/2810379] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2022] [Accepted: 04/28/2022] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Background The pursuit of health and longevity is the eternal theme of humanity. Guangxi has a remarkable phenomenon of longevity in long-lived regions and ranks with the highest number of longevity villages in China, thus providing a natural advantage for health longevity research. Methods In this study, we selected 117 natives of a longevity area in Guangxi, covering a large age range (38-118 years old) as subjects to measure peripheral leukocyte telomere length (LTL). Nineteen physical examination indicators and two inflammatory factor levels were measured. Results Pearson's analysis revealed a significant negative correlation between age and LTL (r = -0.3694, p = 0.003), as well as alanine aminotransferase, albumin, total bilirubin, direct bilirubin, γ-glutamyltransferase, triglycerides, Interleukin-10, and tumor necrosis factor type-α. Systolic blood pressure and blood urea nitrogen were positively correlated with age. In addition, LTL decreased in people aged 38-89 years, and an upward trend was observed in people aged older than 90 years. Conclusions Longevity individuals have characteristics, such as longer LTL, good hepatic function, and lower triglycerides and inflammation levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- He Li
- College of Light Industry and Food Engineering, Guangxi University, Nanning, China
| | - Minhong Ren
- College of Light Industry and Food Engineering, Guangxi University, Nanning, China
| | - Qianzu He
- Guangxi University Hospital, Guangxi University, Nanning, China
| | - Jie Gao
- College of Light Industry and Food Engineering, Guangxi University, Nanning, China
| | - Quanyang Li
- College of Light Industry and Food Engineering, Guangxi University, Nanning, China
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15
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He J, Ge X, Cheng H, Bao Y, Feng X, Zan G, Wang F, Zou Y, Yang X. Sex-specific associations of exposure to metal mixtures with telomere length change: Results from an 8-year longitudinal study. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 811:151327. [PMID: 34717997 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.151327] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2021] [Revised: 10/22/2021] [Accepted: 10/26/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Studies on the relationships between exposure to metal mixtures and telomere length (TL) are limited, particularly longitudinal studies. Few studies are available on the potential sex-specific associations between metal exposures and TL change. We examined blood metal concentrations and TL at baseline (August 2012) and follow-up (June 2020) among 316 participants in a ferro-manganese refinery. The least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) followed by the generalized linear model (GLM) was applied to evaluate the associations between multiple-metal exposures and TL change (TL in 2012 minus TL in 2020). Bayesian kernel machine regression (BKMR) was applied to cope with metal mixtures and evaluate their joint effects on TL change. Among men, three statistical methods consistently showed rubidium was negatively associated with TL change (β [95% CI] = -2.755 [-5.119, -0.391] in the GLM) and dominated the negative overall effects of 10 metal mixtures (magnesium, manganese, iron, cobalt, copper, zinc, selenium, rubidium, cadmium, and lead) on TL change (posterior inclusion probabilities = 0.816). Among women, the GLM (β [95% CI] = 4.463 [0.943, 7.983]) and LASSO (β = 4.289) showed rubidium was positively associated with TL change. Interestingly, no significant association was observed between exposure to metal mixtures and TL change in overall participants (P > 0.05). Furthermore, stratified analysis showed significant relationships between rubidium and TL change in men (β = -2.744), women (β = 3.624), and current smokers (β = -3.266) (both P interaction <0.05). In summary, our findings underlined the steady and negative association between rubidium and TL change among men with potential sex-dependent heterogeneities. Further experimental studies are required to expound the underlying mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junxiu He
- Department of Occupational Health and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning 530021, China
| | - Xiaoting Ge
- Department of Occupational Health and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning 530021, China; Department of Public Health, School of Medicine, Guangxi University of Science and Technology, Liuzhou 545006, Guangxi, China
| | - Hong Cheng
- Department of Occupational Health and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning 530021, China
| | - Yu Bao
- Department of Occupational Health and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning 530021, China
| | - Xiuming Feng
- Department of Occupational Health and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning 530021, China
| | - Gaohui Zan
- Department of Occupational Health and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning 530021, China
| | - Fei Wang
- Department of Occupational Health and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning 530021, China
| | - Yunfeng Zou
- Department of Toxicology, School of Public Health, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning 530021, China; Guangxi Colleges and Universities Key Laboratory of Prevention and Control of Highly Prevalent Diseases, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning 530021, China
| | - Xiaobo Yang
- Department of Occupational Health and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning 530021, China; Guangxi Colleges and Universities Key Laboratory of Prevention and Control of Highly Prevalent Diseases, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning 530021, China; Department of Public Health, School of Medicine, Guangxi University of Science and Technology, Liuzhou 545006, Guangxi, China.
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16
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Semeraro MD, Almer G, Renner W, Gruber HJ, Herrmann M. Telomere length in leucocytes and solid tissues of young and aged rats. Aging (Albany NY) 2022; 14:1713-1728. [PMID: 35220278 PMCID: PMC8908913 DOI: 10.18632/aging.203922] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2021] [Accepted: 02/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Background: Telomeres are protective nucleoprotein structures at the end of chromosomes that shorten with age. Telomere length (TL) in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) has been proposed as surrogate marker for TL in the entire organism. Solid evidence that supports this concept is lacking. Methods: Relative TL (RTL) was measured in PBMCS and multiple solid tissues from 24 young (4 months) and 24 aged (14 months) Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats. The mRNA expression of telomerase (TERT) and shelterin proteins TERF-1 and TERF-2 was also measured. Results: Mean RTL in PBMCs and solid tissues of young rats ranged from 0.64 ± 0.26 in large intestine to 1.07 ± 0.22 in skeletal muscle. RTL in PBMCs correlated with that in kidney (r = 0.315, p = 0.008), skeletal muscle (r = 0.276, p = 0.022), liver (r = 0.269, p = 0.033), large intestine (r = −0.463, p = 7.035E-5) and aorta (r = −0.273, p = 0.028). A significant difference of RTL between young and aged animals was only observed in aorta (0.98 ± 0.15 vs. 0.76 ± 0.11, p = 1.987E-6), lung (0.76 ± 0.14 vs. 0.85 ± 0.14, p = 0.024) and visceral fat (0.83 ± 0.14 vs. 0.92 ± 0.15, p = 0.44). The expression of TERT significantly differed between the tested organs with highest levels in liver and kidney. Age-related differences in TERT expression were found in PBMCs, skeletal muscle, and visceral fat. mRNA expression of TERF-1 and TERF-2 was tissue-specific with the highest levels in liver. Age-related differences in TERF-1 and TERF-2 expression were inconsistent. Conclusions: The present study questions the utility of RTL in PBMCs as a biomarker for the individual assessment of aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Donatella Semeraro
- Clinical Institute of Medical and Chemical Laboratory Diagnostics (CIMCL), Medical University of Graz, Graz 8036, Austria
| | - Gunter Almer
- Clinical Institute of Medical and Chemical Laboratory Diagnostics (CIMCL), Medical University of Graz, Graz 8036, Austria
| | - Wilfried Renner
- Clinical Institute of Medical and Chemical Laboratory Diagnostics (CIMCL), Medical University of Graz, Graz 8036, Austria
| | - Hans-Jürgen Gruber
- Clinical Institute of Medical and Chemical Laboratory Diagnostics (CIMCL), Medical University of Graz, Graz 8036, Austria
| | - Markus Herrmann
- Clinical Institute of Medical and Chemical Laboratory Diagnostics (CIMCL), Medical University of Graz, Graz 8036, Austria
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17
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Hastings WJ, Etzel L, Heim CM, Noll JG, Rose EJ, Schreier HMC, Shenk CE, Tang X, Shalev I. Comparing qPCR and DNA methylation-based measurements of telomere length in a high-risk pediatric cohort. Aging (Albany NY) 2022; 14:660-677. [PMID: 35077392 PMCID: PMC8833135 DOI: 10.18632/aging.203849] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2021] [Accepted: 01/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Various approaches exist to assess population differences in biological aging. Telomere length (TL) is one such measure, and is associated with disease, disability and early mortality. Yet, issues surrounding precision and reproducibility are a concern for TL measurement. An alternative method to estimate TL using DNA methylation (DNAmTL) was recently developed. Although DNAmTL has been characterized in adult and elderly cohorts, its utility in pediatric populations remains unknown. We examined the comparability of leukocyte TL measurements generated using qPCR (absolute TL; aTL) to those estimated using DNAmTL in a high-risk pediatric cohort (N = 269; age: 8–13 years, 83% investigated for maltreatment). aTL and DNAmTL measurements were correlated with one another (r = 0.20, p = 0.001), but exhibited poor measurement agreement and were significantly different in paired-sample t-tests (Cohen’s d = 0.77, p < 0.001). Shorter DNAmTL was associated with older age (r = −0.25, p < 0.001), male sex (β = −0.27, p = 0.029), and White race (β = −0.74, p = 0.008). By contrast, aTL was less strongly associated with age (r = −0.13, p = 0.040), was longer in males (β = 0.31, p = 0.012), and was not associated with race (p = 0.820). These findings highlight strengths and limitations of high-throughput measures of TL; although DNAmTL replicated hypothesized associations, aTL measurements were positively skewed and did not replicate associations with external validity measures. These results also extend previous research in adults and suggest that DNAmTL is a sensitive TL measure for use in pediatric populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Waylon J Hastings
- Department of Biobehavioral Health, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Laura Etzel
- Department of Biobehavioral Health, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Christine M Heim
- Department of Biobehavioral Health, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA.,Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt Universität zu Berlin, Institute of Medical Psychology, Berlin, Germany
| | - Jennie G Noll
- Department of Human Development and Family Studies, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Emma J Rose
- Department of Human Development and Family Studies, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA.,The Edna Bennett Pierce Prevention Research Center, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Hannah M C Schreier
- Department of Biobehavioral Health, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Chad E Shenk
- Department of Human Development and Family Studies, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA.,Department of Pediatrics, The Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, Hershey, PA 17033, USA
| | - Xin Tang
- Department of Biobehavioral Health, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Idan Shalev
- Department of Biobehavioral Health, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
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18
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Effect of Physical Activity, Smoking, and Sleep on Telomere Length: A Systematic Review of Observational and Intervention Studies. J Clin Med 2021; 11:jcm11010076. [PMID: 35011817 PMCID: PMC8745211 DOI: 10.3390/jcm11010076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2021] [Revised: 12/14/2021] [Accepted: 12/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Aging is a risk factor for several pathologies, restricting one’s health span, and promoting chronic diseases (e.g., cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases), as well as cancer. Telomeres are regions of repetitive DNA located at chromosomal ends. Telomere length has been inversely associated with chronological age and has been considered, for a long time, a good biomarker of aging. Several lifestyle factors have been linked with telomere shortening or maintenance. However, the consistency of results is hampered by some methodological issues, including study design, sample size, measurement approaches, and population characteristics, among others. Therefore, we aimed to systematically review the current literature on the effects of three relevant lifestyle factors on telomere length in human adults: physical activity, smoking, and sleep. We conducted a qualitative systematic review of observational and intervention studies using the Preferred Reporting Item for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) guidelines. The systematic literature search covered articles published in MEDLINE and EMBASE databases (from 2010 to 2020). A total of 1400 studies were identified; 83 were included after quality control. Although fewer sedentary activities, optimal sleep habits, and non- or ex-smoker status have been associated with less telomere shortening, several methodological issues were detected, including the need for more targeted interventions and standardized protocols to better understand how physical activity and sleep can impact telomere length and aging. We discuss the main findings and current limitations to gain more insights into the influence of these lifestyle factors on the healthy aging process.
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19
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Lee KH, Kim DY, Kim W. Regulation of Gene Expression by Telomere Position Effect. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms222312807. [PMID: 34884608 PMCID: PMC8657463 DOI: 10.3390/ijms222312807] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2021] [Revised: 11/23/2021] [Accepted: 11/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Many diseases that involve malignant tumors in the elderly affect the quality of human life; therefore, the relationship between aging and pathogenesis in geriatric diseases must be under-stood to develop appropriate treatments for these diseases. Recent reports have shown that epigenetic regulation caused by changes in the local chromatin structure plays an essential role in aging. This review provides an overview of the roles of telomere shortening on genomic structural changes during an age-dependent shift in gene expression. Telomere shortening is one of the most prominent events that is involved in cellular aging and it affects global gene expression through genome rearrangement. This review provides novel insights into the roles of telomere shortening in disease-affected cells during pathogenesis and suggests novel therapeutic approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kyung-Ha Lee
- Division of Cosmetic Science and Technology, Daegu Haany University, Gyeongsan 38610, Korea;
| | - Do-Yeon Kim
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Dentistry, Kyungpook National University, Daegu 41940, Korea
- Correspondence: (D.-Y.K.); (W.K.)
| | - Wanil Kim
- Department of Biochemistry, Department of Convergence Medical Science, Institute of Health Sciences, School of Medicine, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju 52727, Korea
- Correspondence: (D.-Y.K.); (W.K.)
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20
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Spießberger M, Hoelzl F, Smith S, Vetter S, Ruf T, Nowack J. The tarnished silver spoon? Trade-off between prenatal growth and telomere length in wild boar. J Evol Biol 2021; 35:81-90. [PMID: 34687577 PMCID: PMC9298079 DOI: 10.1111/jeb.13954] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2021] [Revised: 10/08/2021] [Accepted: 10/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Life-history theory predicts a trade-off between growth rates and lifespan, which is reflected by telomere length, a biomarker of somatic state. We investigated the correlation between telomere length and early-life growth of wild boar piglets, Sus scrofa, kept under semi-natural conditions with high food availability to examine our hypothesis that increased pre- and postnatal growth will lead to telomere length attrition, but that a high supply of nutrient may provide the possibility to compensate telomere loss via telomere repair mechanisms. As predicted, our data showed a clear negative correlation between birth body mass and initial telomere length: heavier neonates had shorter telomeres at birth, and we did not find an influence of the mother on initial telomere length. Body mass at birth correlated with body mass later in life and postnatal growth rate did not affect telomere length. We observed an increase in telomere length during postnatal development, suggesting that high food availability allowed piglets to invest into both, growth and telomere restoration. The increase in telomere length over the duration of the study was not accompanied by telomerase activity; thus, telomere elongation was caused either by alternative mechanisms or by short pulses of telomerase activity that we missed. Taken together, this study suggests a trade-off between investment into growth and telomere maintenance even before birth and the possibility to compensate telomere attrition during growth under high amounts of available energy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Magdalena Spießberger
- Department of Interdisciplinary Life Sciences, Research Institute of Wildlife Ecology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria.,Institute of Zoology, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Austria
| | - Franz Hoelzl
- Department of Interdisciplinary Life Sciences, Konrad Lorenz Institute of Ethology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria
| | - Steve Smith
- Department of Interdisciplinary Life Sciences, Konrad Lorenz Institute of Ethology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria
| | - Sebastian Vetter
- Department of Interdisciplinary Life Sciences, Research Institute of Wildlife Ecology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria
| | - Thomas Ruf
- Department of Interdisciplinary Life Sciences, Research Institute of Wildlife Ecology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria
| | - Julia Nowack
- Department of Interdisciplinary Life Sciences, Research Institute of Wildlife Ecology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria.,School of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, UK
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21
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Gruber HJ, Semeraro MD, Renner W, Herrmann M. Telomeres and Age-Related Diseases. Biomedicines 2021; 9:1335. [PMID: 34680452 PMCID: PMC8533433 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines9101335] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2021] [Revised: 09/20/2021] [Accepted: 09/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Telomeres are at the non-coding ends of linear chromosomes. Through a complex 3-dimensional structure, they protect the coding DNA and ensure appropriate separation of chromosomes. Aging is characterized by a progressive shortening of telomeres, which compromises their structure and function. Because of their protective function for genomic DNA, telomeres appear to play an important role in the development and progression of many age-related diseases, such as cardiovascular disease (CVD), malignancies, dementia, and osteoporosis. Despite substantial evidence that links telomere length with these conditions, the nature of these observations remains insufficiently understood. Therefore, future studies should address the question of causality. Furthermore, analytical methods should be further improved with the aim to provide informative and comparable results. This review summarize the actual knowledge of telomere biology and the possible implications of telomere dysfunction for the development and progression of age-related diseases. Furthermore, we provide an overview of analytical techniques for the measurement of telomere length and telomerase activity.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Wilfried Renner
- Clinical Institute of Medical and Chemical Laboratory Diagnostics, Medical University of Graz, 8036 Graz, Austria; (H.-J.G.); (M.D.S.); (M.H.)
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22
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Clarity C, Trowbridge J, Gerona R, Ona K, McMaster M, Bessonneau V, Rudel R, Buren H, Morello-Frosch R. Associations between polyfluoroalkyl substance and organophosphate flame retardant exposures and telomere length in a cohort of women firefighters and office workers in San Francisco. Environ Health 2021; 20:97. [PMID: 34454526 PMCID: PMC8403436 DOI: 10.1186/s12940-021-00778-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2020] [Accepted: 07/29/2021] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Environmental chemical exposures can affect telomere length, which in turn has been associated with adverse health outcomes including cancer. Firefighters are occupationally exposed to many hazardous chemicals and have higher rates of certain cancers. As a potential biomarker of effect, we assessed associations between chemical exposures and telomere length in women firefighters and office workers from San Francisco, CA. METHODS We measured serum concentrations of polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), urinary metabolites of flame retardants, including organophosphate flame retardants (OPFRs), and telomere length in peripheral blood leukocytes in women firefighters (N = 84) and office workers (N = 79) who participated in the 2014-15 Women Workers Biomonitoring Collaborative. Multiple linear regression models were used to assess associations between chemical exposures and telomere length. RESULTS Regression results revealed significant positive associations between perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and telomere length and perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) and telomere length among the whole cohort. Models stratified by occupation showed stronger and more significant associations among firefighters as compared to office workers. Among firefighters in models adjusted for age, we found positive associations between telomere length and log-transformed PFOA (β (95%CI) = 0.57(0.12, 1.02)), PFOS (0.44 (0.05, 0.83)), and perfluorodecanoic acid (PFDA) (0.43 (0.02, 0.84)). Modeling PFAS as categories of exposure showed significant associations between perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA) and telomere length among firefighters. Significant associations between OPFR metabolites and telomere length were seen for bis (1,3-dichloro-2-propyl) phosphate (BDCPP) and telomere length among office workers (0.21(0.03, 0.40)) and bis (2-chloroethyl) phosphate (BCEP) and telomere length among firefighters (- 0.14(- 0.28, - 0.01)). For OPFRs, the difference in the direction of effect by occupational group may be due to the disparate detection frequencies and concentrations of exposure between the two groups and/or potential unmeasured confounding. CONCLUSION Our findings suggest positive associations between PFAS and telomere length in women workers, with larger effects seen among firefighters as compared to office workers. The OPFR metabolites BDCPP and BCEP are also associated with telomere length in firefighters and office workers. Associations between chemical exposures and telomere length reported here and by others suggest mechanisms by which these chemicals may affect carcinogenesis and other adverse health outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cassidy Clarity
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy and Management University of California, 130 Mulford Hall, 94720, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Jessica Trowbridge
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy and Management University of California, 130 Mulford Hall, 94720, Berkeley, CA, USA
- School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Roy Gerona
- Department of Obstetrics, Clinical Toxicology and Environmental Biomonitoring Lab, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Katherine Ona
- Department of Cell and Tissue Biology, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Department of Obstetrics, Center for Reproductive Sciences, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Michael McMaster
- Department of Cell and Tissue Biology, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Department of Obstetrics, Center for Reproductive Sciences, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Vincent Bessonneau
- Silent Spring Institute, Newton, MA, USA
- Univ. Rennes, Inserm, EHESP, Irset (Institut de Recherche en Santé, Environnement et Travail) - UMR_S 1085, F-35000, Rennes, France
| | | | | | - Rachel Morello-Frosch
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy and Management University of California, 130 Mulford Hall, 94720, Berkeley, CA, USA.
- School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA.
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Ovarian Telomerase and Female Fertility. Biomedicines 2021; 9:biomedicines9070842. [PMID: 34356906 PMCID: PMC8301802 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines9070842] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2021] [Revised: 07/08/2021] [Accepted: 07/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Women's fertility is characterized both quantitatively and qualitatively mainly by the pool of ovarian follicles. Monthly, gonadotropins cause an intense multiplication of granulosa cells surrounding the oocyte. This step of follicular development requires a high proliferation ability for these cells. Telomere length plays a crucial role in the mitotic index of human cells. Hence, disrupting telomere homeostasis could directly affect women's fertility. Strongly expressed in ovaries, telomerase is the most effective factor to limit telomeric attrition and preserve ovarian reserve. Considering these facts, two situations of infertility could be correlated with the length of telomeres and ovarian telomerase activity: PolyCystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS), which is associated with a high density of small antral follicles, and Premature Ovarian Failure (POF), which is associated with a premature decrease in ovarian reserve. Several authors have studied this topic, expecting to find long telomeres and strong telomerase activity in PCOS and short telomeres and low telomerase activity in POF patients. Although the results of these studies are contradictory, telomere length and the ovarian telomerase impact in women's fertility disorders appear obvious. In this context, our research perspectives aimed to explore the stimulation of ovarian telomerase to limit the decrease in the follicular pool while avoiding an increase in cancer risk.
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Franke K, Bublak P, Hoyer D, Billiet T, Gaser C, Witte OW, Schwab M. In vivo biomarkers of structural and functional brain development and aging in humans. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2021; 117:142-164. [PMID: 33308708 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2017.11.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2017] [Revised: 11/01/2017] [Accepted: 11/03/2017] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Brain aging is a major determinant of aging. Along with the aging population, prevalence of neurodegenerative diseases is increasing, therewith placing economic and social burden on individuals and society. Individual rates of brain aging are shaped by genetics, epigenetics, and prenatal environmental. Biomarkers of biological brain aging are needed to predict individual trajectories of aging and the risk for age-associated neurological impairments for developing early preventive and interventional measures. We review current advances of in vivo biomarkers predicting individual brain age. Telomere length and epigenetic clock, two important biomarkers that are closely related to the mechanistic aging process, have only poor deterministic and predictive accuracy regarding individual brain aging due to their high intra- and interindividual variability. Phenotype-related biomarkers of global cognitive function and brain structure provide a much closer correlation to age at the individual level. During fetal and perinatal life, autonomic activity is a unique functional marker of brain development. The cognitive and structural biomarkers also boast high diagnostic specificity for determining individual risks for neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- K Franke
- Department of Neurology, Jena University Hospital, Jena, Germany.
| | - P Bublak
- Department of Neurology, Jena University Hospital, Jena, Germany
| | - D Hoyer
- Department of Neurology, Jena University Hospital, Jena, Germany
| | | | - C Gaser
- Department of Neurology, Jena University Hospital, Jena, Germany; Department of Psychiatry, Jena University Hospital, Jena, Germany
| | - O W Witte
- Department of Neurology, Jena University Hospital, Jena, Germany
| | - M Schwab
- Department of Neurology, Jena University Hospital, Jena, Germany
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Rackova L, Mach M, Brnoliakova Z. An update in toxicology of ageing. ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY AND PHARMACOLOGY 2021; 84:103611. [PMID: 33581363 DOI: 10.1016/j.etap.2021.103611] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2020] [Revised: 01/17/2021] [Accepted: 02/03/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
The field of ageing research has been rapidly advancing in recent decades and it had provided insight into the complexity of ageing phenomenon. However, as the organism-environment interaction appears to significantly affect the organismal pace of ageing, the systematic approach for gerontogenic risk assessment of environmental factors has yet to be established. This puts demand on development of effective biomarker of ageing, as a relevant tool to quantify effects of gerontogenic exposures, contingent on multidisciplinary research approach. Here we review the current knowledge regarding the main endogenous gerontogenic pathways involved in acceleration of ageing through environmental exposures. These include inflammatory and oxidative stress-triggered processes, dysregulation of maintenance of cellular anabolism and catabolism and loss of protein homeostasis. The most effective biomarkers showing specificity and relevancy to ageing phenotypes are summarized, as well. The crucial part of this review was dedicated to the comprehensive overview of environmental gerontogens including various types of radiation, certain types of pesticides, heavy metals, drugs and addictive substances, unhealthy dietary patterns, and sedentary life as well as psychosocial stress. The reported effects in vitro and in vivo of both recognized and potential gerontogens are described with respect to the up-to-date knowledge in geroscience. Finally, hormetic and ageing decelerating effects of environmental factors are briefly discussed, as well.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucia Rackova
- Institute of Experimental Pharmacology and Toxicology, Centre of Experimental Medicine, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dubravska cesta 9, 841 04 Bratislava, Slovakia.
| | - Mojmir Mach
- Institute of Experimental Pharmacology and Toxicology, Centre of Experimental Medicine, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dubravska cesta 9, 841 04 Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Zuzana Brnoliakova
- Institute of Experimental Pharmacology and Toxicology, Centre of Experimental Medicine, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dubravska cesta 9, 841 04 Bratislava, Slovakia
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26
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Seeker LA, Underwood SL, Wilbourn RV, Dorrens J, Froy H, Holland R, Ilska JJ, Psifidi A, Bagnall A, Whitelaw B, Coffey M, Banos G, Nussey DH. Telomere attrition rates are associated with weather conditions and predict productive lifespan in dairy cattle. Sci Rep 2021; 11:5589. [PMID: 33692400 PMCID: PMC7970942 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-84984-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2020] [Accepted: 02/18/2021] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Telomere length is predictive of adult health and survival across vertebrate species. However, we currently do not know whether such associations result from among-individual differences in telomere length determined genetically or by early-life environmental conditions, or from differences in the rate of telomere attrition over the course of life that might be affected by environmental conditions. Here, we measured relative leukocyte telomere length (RLTL) multiple times across the entire lifespan of dairy cattle in a research population that is closely monitored for health and milk production and where individuals are predominantly culled in response to health issues. Animals varied in their change in RLTL between subsequent measurements and RLTL shortened more during early life and following hotter summers which are known to cause heat stress in dairy cows. The average amount of telomere attrition calculated over multiple repeat samples of individuals predicted a shorter productive lifespan, suggesting a link between telomere loss and health. TL attrition was a better predictor of when an animal was culled than their average TL or the previously for this population reported significant TL at the age of 1 year. Our present results support the hypothesis that TL is a flexible trait that is affected by environmental factors and that telomere attrition is linked to animal health and survival traits. Change in telomere length may represent a useful biomarker in animal welfare studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luise A Seeker
- Animal & Veterinary Sciences, SRUC, Roslin Institute Building, Easter Bush, Midlothian, UK.
- Centre for Regenerative Medicine, Institute for Regeneration and Repair, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh BioQuarter, Edinburgh, UK.
| | - Sarah L Underwood
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Rachael V Wilbourn
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Jennifer Dorrens
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Hannah Froy
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
- Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics, NTNU Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Rebecca Holland
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Joanna J Ilska
- Animal & Veterinary Sciences, SRUC, Roslin Institute Building, Easter Bush, Midlothian, UK
- The Roslin Institute and Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush, Midlothian, UK
| | - Androniki Psifidi
- The Roslin Institute and Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush, Midlothian, UK
- Royal Veterinary College, University of London, Hatfield, UK
| | | | - Bruce Whitelaw
- The Roslin Institute and Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush, Midlothian, UK
| | - Mike Coffey
- Animal & Veterinary Sciences, SRUC, Roslin Institute Building, Easter Bush, Midlothian, UK
| | - Georgios Banos
- Animal & Veterinary Sciences, SRUC, Roslin Institute Building, Easter Bush, Midlothian, UK
- The Roslin Institute and Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush, Midlothian, UK
| | - Daniel H Nussey
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
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Vaiserman A, Krasnienkov D. Telomere Length as a Marker of Biological Age: State-of-the-Art, Open Issues, and Future Perspectives. Front Genet 2021; 11:630186. [PMID: 33552142 PMCID: PMC7859450 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2020.630186] [Citation(s) in RCA: 172] [Impact Index Per Article: 57.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2020] [Accepted: 12/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Telomere shortening is a well-known hallmark of both cellular senescence and organismal aging. An accelerated rate of telomere attrition is also a common feature of age-related diseases. Therefore, telomere length (TL) has been recognized for a long time as one of the best biomarkers of aging. Recent research findings, however, indicate that TL per se can only allow a rough estimate of aging rate and can hardly be regarded as a clinically important risk marker for age-related pathologies and mortality. Evidence is obtained that other indicators such as certain immune parameters, indices of epigenetic age, etc., could be stronger predictors of the health status and the risk of chronic disease. However, despite these issues and limitations, TL remains to be very informative marker in accessing the biological age when used along with other markers such as indices of homeostatic dysregulation, frailty index, epigenetic clock, etc. This review article is aimed at describing the current state of the art in the field and at discussing recent research findings and divergent viewpoints regarding the usefulness of leukocyte TL for estimating the human biological age.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Vaiserman
- Laboratory of Epigenetics, D.F. Chebotarev Institute of Gerontology, Kyiv, Ukraine
| | - Dmytro Krasnienkov
- Laboratory of Epigenetics, D.F. Chebotarev Institute of Gerontology, Kyiv, Ukraine
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Dynamics of leukocyte telomere length in adults aged 50 and older: a longitudinal population-based cohort study. GeroScience 2021; 43:645-654. [PMID: 33469834 PMCID: PMC8110630 DOI: 10.1007/s11357-020-00320-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2020] [Accepted: 12/21/2020] [Indexed: 10/22/2022] Open
Abstract
It is well established from previous cross-sectional studies that telomeres shorten with age. However, due to a considerable inter-individual variation in telomere length (TL), its relationship with biological aging is difficult to unpick. Longitudinal repeated assessments of TL changes within individuals should augment our understanding of TL dynamics in aging. This study disentangles within- and inter-individual effects of age on leukocyte telomere length (LTL) dynamics in a large population-based cohort of older adults. A total of 4053 subjects aged 50 and older from the WHO Study on global AGEing and adult health (SAGE) in Shanghai were studied. Relative LTL (T/S ratio) was measured at baseline (2009-2010) and follow-up (2017-2018) by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. We used linear random slope models to analyze LTL dynamics in relation to age and sex and within-subject centering method to distinguish within- versus between-subject effects. We observed LTL shortening in 66.32%, maintenance in 11.23%, and elongation in 22.45% of the study participants. LTL declined significantly with age both cross-sectionally and longitudinally. More importantly, the longitudinal decline in LTL was much greater than the cross-sectional decline (- 0.017 (p < 0.001) versus - 0.002 (p < 0.001) per year). Furthermore, women had a lower within-subject LTL shortening rate than men (- 0.014 versus - 0.020 per year, p < 0.001). The within-individual longitudinal decline in LTL was much greater than the inter-individual cross-sectional decline, indicating that chronological age might impose a greater impact on LTL shortening than other influencing factors combined. Moreover, women showed a lower within-individual LTL shortening rate than men.
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Selvaraju V, Phillips M, Fouty A, Babu JR, Geetha T. Telomere Length as a Biomarker for Race-Related Health Disparities. Genes (Basel) 2021; 12:78. [PMID: 33435482 PMCID: PMC7827404 DOI: 10.3390/genes12010078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2020] [Revised: 01/04/2021] [Accepted: 01/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Disparities between the races have been well documented in health and disease in the USA. Recent studies show that telomere length, a marker of aging, is associated with obesity and obesity-related diseases, such as heart disease and diabetes. The current study aimed to evaluate the connection between telomere length ratio, blood pressure, and childhood obesity. The telomere length ratio was measured in 127 children from both European American (EA) and African American (AA) children, aged 6-10 years old. AA children had a significantly high relative telomere to the single copy gene (T/S) ratio compared to EA children. There was no significant difference in the T/S ratio between normal weight (NW) and overweight/obese (OW/OB) groups of either race. Blood pressure was significantly elevated in AA children with respect to EA children. Hierarchical regression analysis adjusted for race, gender, and age expressed a significant relationship between the T/S ratio and diastolic pressure. Low T/S ratio participants showed a significant increase in systolic pressure, while a high T/S ratio group showed an increase in diastolic pressure and heart rate of AA children. In conclusion, our findings show that AA children have high T/S ratio compared to EA children. The high T/S ratio is negatively associated with diastolic pressure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vaithinathan Selvaraju
- Department of Nutrition, Dietetics, and Hospitality Management, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849, USA; (V.S.); (M.P.); (A.F.); (J.R.B.)
| | - Megan Phillips
- Department of Nutrition, Dietetics, and Hospitality Management, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849, USA; (V.S.); (M.P.); (A.F.); (J.R.B.)
| | - Anna Fouty
- Department of Nutrition, Dietetics, and Hospitality Management, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849, USA; (V.S.); (M.P.); (A.F.); (J.R.B.)
| | - Jeganathan Ramesh Babu
- Department of Nutrition, Dietetics, and Hospitality Management, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849, USA; (V.S.); (M.P.); (A.F.); (J.R.B.)
- Boshell Metabolic Diseases and Diabetes Program, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849, USA
| | - Thangiah Geetha
- Department of Nutrition, Dietetics, and Hospitality Management, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849, USA; (V.S.); (M.P.); (A.F.); (J.R.B.)
- Boshell Metabolic Diseases and Diabetes Program, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849, USA
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30
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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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31
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Lee EH, Han MH, Ha J, Park HH, Koh SH, Choi SH, Lee JH. Relationship between telomere shortening and age in Korean individuals with mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease compared to that in healthy controls. Aging (Albany NY) 2020; 13:2089-2100. [PMID: 33323554 PMCID: PMC7880372 DOI: 10.18632/aging.202206] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2020] [Accepted: 10/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/02/2022]
Abstract
Although telomere length (TL) is highly variable, a shorter TL indicate increased biological age. This multicenter study was conducted to identify the overall correlation between age and TL in Koreans and investigate the associations between age and TL in healthy individuals and patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and Alzheimer’s disease (AD). TL was measured in peripheral leukocyte DNA. MCI and AD were diagnosed based on clinical examinations and amyloid deposition on positron emission tomography. This study enrolled 437 individuals. Multivariable linear analysis showed an overall approximate TL decrease of 37 bp per 1-year increase in age in all individuals (B=-0.037; P=0.002). There was no significant difference in the mean TL between healthy individuals and individuals with AD. Multivariable linear regression analysis showed that the mean rate of telomere shortening was 60 bp per year in individuals with AD (B=-0.060; P=0.006). There was a negative association between age and TL in our study. Our study results showed more significant telomere shortening per year in women than that in men. In addition, individuals with AD had greater telomere shortening every year than healthy individuals and individuals with MCI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eun-Hye Lee
- Department of Neurology, Hanyang University Guri Hospital, Guri 11923, South Korea
| | - Myung-Hoon Han
- Department of Neurosurgery, Hanyang University Guri Hospital, Guri 11923, South Korea
| | - Jungsoon Ha
- Department of Neurology, Hanyang University Guri Hospital, Guri 11923, South Korea.,GemVax & Kael Co., Ltd, Seongnam 13461, South Korea
| | - Hyun-Hee Park
- Department of Neurology, Hanyang University Guri Hospital, Guri 11923, South Korea
| | - Seong-Ho Koh
- Department of Neurology, Hanyang University Guri Hospital, Guri 11923, South Korea.,Department of Translational Medicine, Hanyang University Graduate School of Biomedical Science and Engineering, Seoul 04763, South Korea
| | - Seong Hye Choi
- Department of Neurology, Inha University School of Medicine, Incheon 22332, South Korea
| | - Jae-Hong Lee
- Department of Neurology, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Asan Medical Center, Seoul 05505, South Korea
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Brown R, Hailu EM, Needham BL, Roux AD, Seeman TE, Lin J, Mujahid MS. Neighborhood social environment and changes in leukocyte telomere length: The Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA). Health Place 2020; 67:102488. [PMID: 33276262 DOI: 10.1016/j.healthplace.2020.102488] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2020] [Revised: 11/10/2020] [Accepted: 11/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
Given limited research on the impact of neighborhood environments on accelerated biological aging, we examined whether changes in neighborhood socioeconomic and social conditions were associated with change in leukocyte telomere length using 10 years of longitudinal data from the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (years 2000-2011; N = 1031; mean age = 61, SD = 9.4). Leukocyte telomere length change was corrected for regression to the mean and neighborhood was defined as census tract. Neighborhood socioeconomic indicators (factor-based score of income, education, occupation, and wealth of neighborhood) and neighborhood social environment indicators (aesthetic quality, social cohesion, safety) were obtained from the U.S Census/American Community Survey and via study questionnaire, respectively. Results of linear mixed-effects models showed that independent of individual sociodemographic characteristics, each unit of improvement in neighborhood socioeconomic status was associated with slower telomere length attrition over 10-years (β = 0.002; 95% Confidence Interval (CI): 0.0001, 0.004); whereas each unit of increase in safety (β = -0.043; 95% CI: -0.069, -0.016) and overall neighborhood social environment score (β = -0.005; 95% CI: -0.009, -0.0004) were associated with more pronounced telomere attrition, after additionally adjusting for neighborhood socioeconomic status. This study provides support for considerations of the broader social and socioeconomic contexts in relation to biological aging. Future research should explore potential psychosocial mechanisms underlying these associations using longitudinal study designs with repeated observations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rashida Brown
- Division of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of California Berkeley, 2121 Berkeley Way West #5302, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA
| | - Elleni M Hailu
- Division of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of California Berkeley, 2121 Berkeley Way West #5302, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA.
| | - Belinda L Needham
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, 1415 Washington Heights, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
| | - Ana Diez Roux
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Dornsife School of Public Health, Drexel University, 3215 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Teresa E Seeman
- Department of Geriatrics, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, 10833 Le Conte Ave, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
| | - Jue Lin
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of California San Francisco, 600 16th St, San Francisco, CA, 94158, USA
| | - Mahasin S Mujahid
- Division of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of California Berkeley, 2121 Berkeley Way West #5302, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA
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Pavanello S, Campisi M, Mastrangelo G, Hoxha M, Bollati V. The effects of everyday-life exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons on biological age indicators. Environ Health 2020; 19:128. [PMID: 33272294 PMCID: PMC7713168 DOI: 10.1186/s12940-020-00669-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2020] [Accepted: 10/16/2020] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Further knowledge on modifiable aging risk factors is required to mitigate the increasing burden of age-related diseases in a rapidly growing global demographic of elderly individuals. We explored the effect of everyday exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), which are fundamental constituents of air pollution, on cellular biological aging. This was determined via the analysis of leukocyte telomere length (LTL), mitochondrial DNA copy number (LmtDNAcn), and by the formation of anti-benzo[a]pyrene diolepoxide (B[a]PDE-DNA) adducts. METHODS The study population consisted of 585 individuals living in North-East Italy. PAH exposure (diet, indoor activities, outdoor activities, traffic, and residential exposure) and smoking behavior were assessed by questionnaire and anti-B[a]PDE-DNA by high-performance-liquid-chromatography. LTL, LmtDNAcn and genetic polymorphisms [glutathione S-transferase M1 and T1 (GSTM1; GSTT1)] were measured by polymerase chain reaction. Structural equation modelling analysis evaluated these complex relationships. RESULTS Anti-B[a]PDE-DNA enhanced with PAH exposure (p = 0.005) and active smoking (p = 0.0001), whereas decreased with detoxifying GSTM1 (p = 0.021) and in females (p = 0.0001). Subsequently, LTL and LmtDNAcn reduced with anti-B[a]PDE-DNA (p = 0.028 and p = 0.018), particularly in males (p = 0.006 and p = 0.0001). Only LTL shortened with age (p = 0.001) while elongated with active smoking (p = 0.0001). Besides this, the most significant determinants of PAH exposure that raised anti-B[a]PDE-DNA were indoor and diet (p = 0.0001), the least was outdoor (p = 0.003). CONCLUSION New findings stemming from our study suggest that certain preventable everyday life exposures to PAHs reduce LTL and LmtDNAcn. In particular, the clear association with indoor activities, diet, and gender opens new perspectives for tailored preventive measures in age-related diseases. CAPSULE Everyday life exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons reduces leukocyte telomere length and mitochondrial DNA copy number through anti-B[a]PDE-DNA adduct formation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sofia Pavanello
- Medicina del Lavoro, Dipartimento di Scienze Cardio- Toraco- Vascolari e Sanità Pubblica, Università di Padova, Padova, Italy
- Azienda Ospedaliera di Padova, Unità di Medicina del Lavoro, Padova, Italy
| | - Manuela Campisi
- Medicina del Lavoro, Dipartimento di Scienze Cardio- Toraco- Vascolari e Sanità Pubblica, Università di Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Mastrangelo
- Medicina del Lavoro, Dipartimento di Scienze Cardio- Toraco- Vascolari e Sanità Pubblica, Università di Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - Mirjam Hoxha
- EPIGET – Epidemiology, Epigenetics and Toxicology Lab, Dipartimento di Scienze Cliniche e di Comunità, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Valentina Bollati
- EPIGET – Epidemiology, Epigenetics and Toxicology Lab, Dipartimento di Scienze Cliniche e di Comunità, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
- Dipartimento di Medicina Preventiva, Fondazione IRCCS Ca’ Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milano, Italy
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Noppert GA, Feinstein L, Dowd JB, Stebbins RC, Zang E, Needham BL, Meier HCS, Simanek A, Aiello AE. Pathogen burden and leukocyte telomere length in the United States. Immun Ageing 2020; 17:36. [PMID: 33292353 PMCID: PMC7677839 DOI: 10.1186/s12979-020-00206-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2020] [Accepted: 11/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Prior studies in humans have suggested that telomere shortening may be accelerated by infection, but research on multiple pathogens and use of large population-based study samples has been limited. We estimated cross-sectional associations between seropositivity to five persistent pathogens (Herpes Simplex Virus Type-1 (HSV-1), Herpes Simplex Virus Type-2 (HSV-2), cytomegalovirus (CMV), Helicobacter pylori (H.pylori), and Hepatitis B) as well as total pathogen burden and leukocyte telomere length. Data were derived from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (1999-2000) for individuals 20-49 years of age, N = 1708. We analyzed the influence of each pathogen separately, a pathogen count score and a latent class model of pathogen burden on log telomere length using linear regression models, adjusted for covariates. RESULTS Individuals in a latent pathogen burden class characterized by high probabilities of infection with HSV-1, CMV, and H. pylori, had significantly decreased log telomere length (- 0.30 [95% CI: - 0.36, - 0.24]) compared to those in a latent class characterized by low probabilities of all five infections. There were limited significant associations using other pathogen measures. CONCLUSIONS These results suggest that infection with specific combinations of pathogens may be one mechanism contributing to accelerated cellular senescence with possible origins early in the life course.
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Affiliation(s)
- Grace A Noppert
- Social Environment and Health, Survey Research Center, Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
- Carolina Population Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 123 West Franklin St., Chapel Hill, NC, 27516, USA.
| | - Lydia Feinstein
- Department of Epidemiology, Gillings School of Global Public, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 123 West Franklin St., Chapel Hill, NC, 27516, USA
- Social & Scientific Systems, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Jennifer B Dowd
- Leverhulme Centre for Demographic Science, Department of Sociology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Rebecca C Stebbins
- Department of Epidemiology, Gillings School of Global Public, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 123 West Franklin St., Chapel Hill, NC, 27516, USA
| | - Emma Zang
- Department of Sociology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | | | - Helen C S Meier
- Joseph J. Zilber School of Public Health, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI, USA
| | - Amanda Simanek
- Joseph J. Zilber School of Public Health, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI, USA
| | - Allison E Aiello
- Carolina Population Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 123 West Franklin St., Chapel Hill, NC, 27516, USA.
- Department of Epidemiology, Gillings School of Global Public, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 123 West Franklin St., Chapel Hill, NC, 27516, USA.
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Clarity C, Trowbridge J, Gerona R, Ona K, McMaster M, Bessonneau V, Rudel R, Buren H, Morello-Frosch R. Associations between polyfluoroalkyl substance and organophosphate flame retardant exposures and telomere length in a cohort of women firefighters and office workers in San Francisco. MEDRXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR HEALTH SCIENCES 2020:2020.11.05.20226183. [PMID: 33173912 PMCID: PMC7654908 DOI: 10.1101/2020.11.05.20226183] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Environmental chemical exposures can affect telomere length, which in turn has been associated with adverse health outcomes including cancer. Firefighters are occupationally exposed to many hazardous chemicals and have higher rates of certain cancers. As a potential marker of effect, we assessed associations between chemical exposures and telomere length in women firefighters and office workers from San Francisco, CA. METHODS We measured serum levels of polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), urinary metabolites of flame retardants, including organophosphate flame retardants (OPFRs), and telomere length in peripheral blood leukocytes in women firefighters and office workers who participated in the 2014-15 Women Workers Biomonitoring Collaborative. Multiple linear regression models were used to assess associations between chemical exposures and telomere length. RESULTS Regression results revealed significant positive associations between perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and telomere length and perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) and telomere length among the whole cohort. Models stratified by occupation showed stronger and more significant associations among firefighters as compared to office workers. Among firefighters in models adjusted for age, we found positive associations between telomere length and log-transformed PFOA ( β (95%CI) = 0.57(0.12, 1.02)), PFOS (0.44 (0.05, 0.83)), and perfluorodecanoic acid (PFDA) (0.43 (0.02, 0.84)). Modeling PFAS as categories of exposure showed significant associations between perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA) and telomere length among firefighters. Significant associations between OPFR metabolites and telomere length were seen for bis(1,3-dichloro-2-propyl) phosphate (BDCPP) and telomere length among office workers (0.21(0.03, 0.40)) and bis(2-chloroethyl) phosphate (BCEP) and telomere length among firefighters (-0.14(-0.28, -0.01)). For OPFRs, the difference in the direction of effect by occupational group may be due to the disparate detection frequencies and levels of exposure between the two groups and/or potential unmeasured confounding. CONCLUSION Our findings suggest positive associations between PFAS and telomere length in women workers, with larger effects seen among firefighters as compared to office workers. The OPFR metabolites BDCPP and BCEP are also associated with telomere length in firefighters and office workers. Associations between chemical exposures and telomere length reported here and by others suggest mechanisms by which these chemicals may affect carcinogenesis and other adverse health outcomes.
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Garrido-Navas MC, Tippins F, Barwell J, Hoffman J, Codd V, Royle NJ. Telomere Instability in Lynch Syndrome Families Leads to Some Shorter Telomeres in MSH2+/- Carriers. Life (Basel) 2020; 10:life10110265. [PMID: 33142697 PMCID: PMC7692680 DOI: 10.3390/life10110265] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2020] [Revised: 10/27/2020] [Accepted: 10/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Lynch syndrome (LS) is an inherited predisposition to early onset of various cancers, caused by mutation in a DNA mismatch repair (MMR) gene. In heterozygous MMR+/− carriers, somatic mutation, loss or silencing of the wild type allele increases the mutation rate, facilitating the initiation of MMR-defective cancers. These cancers are characterized by instability at short tandem repeats (STRs) and in telomeric DNA. We have investigated telomere length in saliva DNA from LS and control families, using single telomere analysis at XpYp and 12q and by qPCR to measure total telomeric DNA. Single telomere analysis showed a trend for shorter XpYp telomeres in MSH2+/− carriers compared to MLH1+/− carriers or controls, but this was masked in the comparative analysis of total telomeric DNA. Comparison of age-adjusted telomere length within families showed that neither MSH2+/− or MLH1+/− children had consistently shorter or longer telomeres than their MMR+/− parent, indicating the absence of an inter-generational effect on telomere length. Unexpectedly however, wildtype children in families with MSH2 mutations, had significantly longer XpYp telomeres than their MMR+/− parent. Altogether our data suggest that MMR insufficiency, particularly in MSH2+/− carriers, increases telomere instability and somatic cell turnover during the lifetime of LS mutation carriers but has minimal consequences for telomere length in the germline.
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Affiliation(s)
- M. Carmen Garrido-Navas
- Department of Genetics and Genome Biology, University of Leicester, Leicester LE1 7RH, UK; (F.T.); (J.B.)
- Liquid Biopsies & Cancer Interception (LiqBiopCI) Group, Junta de Andalucía de Genómica Investigación Oncológica, GENYO–Centro Pfizer–Universidad de Granada, 18016 Granada, Spain
- Universidad Internacional de la Rioja, 137, 26006 Logroño, La Rioja, Spain
- Correspondence: (M.C.G.-N.); (N.J.R.)
| | - Frances Tippins
- Department of Genetics and Genome Biology, University of Leicester, Leicester LE1 7RH, UK; (F.T.); (J.B.)
| | - Julian Barwell
- Department of Genetics and Genome Biology, University of Leicester, Leicester LE1 7RH, UK; (F.T.); (J.B.)
| | - Jonathan Hoffman
- Clinical Genetics Unit, Birmingham Women’s Hospital, Birmingham B15 2TG, UK;
| | - Veryan Codd
- Department of Cardiovascular Sciences, University of Leicester, BHF Cardiovascular Research Centre, Glenfield Hospital, Leicester LE3 9QP, UK;
| | - Nicola J. Royle
- Department of Genetics and Genome Biology, University of Leicester, Leicester LE1 7RH, UK; (F.T.); (J.B.)
- Correspondence: (M.C.G.-N.); (N.J.R.)
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Boccardi V, Cari L, Nocentini G, Riccardi C, Cecchetti R, Ruggiero C, Arosio B, Paolisso G, Herbig U, Mecocci P. Telomeres Increasingly Develop Aberrant Structures in Aging Humans. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci 2020; 75:230-235. [PMID: 30388200 DOI: 10.1093/gerona/gly257] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2018] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Telomeres progressively shorten with age, and it has been proposed that critically short and dysfunctional telomeres contribute to aging and aging-associated diseases in humans. For many years it was thought that telomere erosion was strictly a consequence of the "end replication problem," or the inability of replicative polymerases to completely duplicate linear DNA ends. It is becoming increasingly evident, however, that telomere shortening of cultured human cells is also caused because of other replication defects in telomeric repeats, those that cause fragile telomeres and other aberrant telomeric structures that can be detected on metaphase chromosomes. Whether these replication defects contribute to telomere erosion also in human tissues is currently unknown. By analyzing peripheral blood mononuclear cells from a total of 35 healthy subjects ranging in age from 23 to 101 years, we demonstrated that telomeres increasingly display aberrant structures with advancing donor age. Although the percentages of fragile telomeres increased only until adulthood, the percentages of chromosomes displaying sister telomere loss and sister telomere chromatid fusions increased consistently throughout the entire human life span. Our data, therefore, suggest that telomeric replication defects other than the end replication problem contribute to aging-associated telomere erosion in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Virginia Boccardi
- Department of Medicine, Section of Gerontology and Geriatrics, Santa Maria della Misericordia Hospital
| | - Luigi Cari
- Department of Medicine, Section of Pharmacology, University of Perugia
| | | | - Carlo Riccardi
- Department of Medicine, Section of Pharmacology, University of Perugia
| | - Roberta Cecchetti
- Department of Medicine, Section of Gerontology and Geriatrics, Santa Maria della Misericordia Hospital
| | - Carmelinda Ruggiero
- Department of Medicine, Section of Gerontology and Geriatrics, Santa Maria della Misericordia Hospital
| | - Beatrice Arosio
- Geriatric Unit, Fondazione Ca' Granda, IRCCS Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan.,Department of Medical Sciences and Community Health, University of Milan
| | - Giuseppe Paolisso
- Department of Medical, Surgical, Neurologic, Metabolic and Aging Sciences, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli," Naples, Italy
| | - Utz Herbig
- Department of Microbiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, New Jersey Medical School-Cancer Center, Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences, Newark
| | - Patrizia Mecocci
- Department of Medicine, Section of Gerontology and Geriatrics, Santa Maria della Misericordia Hospital
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Herrmann W, Herrmann M. The Importance of Telomere Shortening for Atherosclerosis and Mortality. J Cardiovasc Dev Dis 2020; 7:jcdd7030029. [PMID: 32781553 PMCID: PMC7570376 DOI: 10.3390/jcdd7030029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2020] [Revised: 07/29/2020] [Accepted: 07/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Telomeres are the protective end caps of chromosomes and shorten with every cell division. Short telomeres are associated with older age and adverse lifestyle factors. Leucocyte telomere length (LTL) has been proposed as a biomarker of biological age. The shortening of LTL with age is the result of the end-replication problem, environmental, and lifestyle-related factors. Epidemiologic studies have shown that LTL predicts cardiovascular disease, all-cause mortality, and death from vascular causes. Age appears to be an important co-variate that explains a substantial fraction of this effect. Although it has been proposed that short telomeres promote atherosclerosis and impair the repair of vascular lesions, existing results are inconsistent. Oxidative stress and chronic inflammation can both accelerate telomere shortening. Multiple factors, including homocysteine (HCY), vitamin B6, and vitamin B12 modulate oxidative stress and inflammation through direct and indirect mechanisms. This review provides a compact overview of telomere physiology and the utility of LTL measurements in atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease. In addition, it summarizes existing knowledge regarding the impact of oxidative stress, inflammation, HCY, and B-vitamins on telomere function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wolfgang Herrmann
- Department of Clinical Chemistry, Medical School of the Saarland University, 66421 Homburg, Saar, Germany;
| | - Markus Herrmann
- Clinical Institute of Medical and Chemical Laboratory Diagnostics, Medical University of Graz, 8036 Graz, Austria
- Correspondence: or ; Tel.: +43-316-385-13145; Fax: +43-316-385-13430
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Wang C, Wolters PJ, Calfee CS, Liu S, Balmes JR, Zhao Z, Koyama T, Ware LB. Long-term ozone exposure is positively associated with telomere length in critically ill patients. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2020; 141:105780. [PMID: 32417614 PMCID: PMC7535086 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2020.105780] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2020] [Revised: 04/13/2020] [Accepted: 04/30/2020] [Indexed: 05/14/2023]
Abstract
RATIONALE Chronic air pollutant exposure has been associated with development of Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) in patients at risk, particularly from severe trauma. We recently reported that shorter peripheral blood leukocyte (PBL) telomere length (TL) was associated with worse outcomes and higher severity of ARDS in critically ill patients. Since most major air pollutants are potent oxidants that can induce cellular oxidative stress, and oxidative stress can accelerate telomere shortening, we hypothesized that higher levels of chronic air pollutant exposure would be associated with shorter telomere length in critically ill patients including patients with ARDS. METHODS PBL-TL was measured in genomic DNA collected on the morning of ICU day 2 in 772 critically ill patients enrolled in a prospective observational study. Exposures to air pollutants including ozone (warm-season only), particulate matter < 2.5 µm (PM2.5), particulate matter < 10 µm (PM10), CO, NO2 and SO2, were estimated by weighted average of daily levels from all monitors within 50 km of each patient's residential address for the 3 years prior to admission. Associations of each air pollutant exposure and PBL-TL were investigated by multivariable linear regression models adjusting for age, ethnicity, sex, smoking history, alcohol abuse, insurance status, median household income, history of malignancy and APACHE II. RESULTS Contrary to our hypothesis, TL increased across exposure quartiles in both ozone and PM2.5 analyses (p < 0.05). In a regression model controlling for potential confounders, long term ozone exposure was significantly associated with an increase in TL in the entire cohort (0.31 kb per 10 ppb), as well as in subgroups with sepsis, trauma and ARDS (all p < 0.05). In multivariable models, entire-year exposure to PM2.5, PM10, CO, NO2 and SO2 was not associated with TL after adjustment for potential confounders. In an analysis restricted to warm-season levels to assess the effect of seasonality, higher warm-season PM2.5 and CO exposures were independently associated with longer TL. CONCLUSIONS Long-term exposure to ozone is associated with longer peripheral blood TL in critically ill patients. Further studies are needed to investigate the potential underlying mechanisms for this unexpected positive association between telomere length and air pollution exposure in critical illness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chunxue Wang
- Division of Allergy, Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Paul J Wolters
- Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Carolyn S Calfee
- Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Shuo Liu
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, The Fourth Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, People's Republic of China
| | - John R Balmes
- Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Zhiguo Zhao
- Department of Biostatistics, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Tatsuki Koyama
- Department of Biostatistics, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Lorraine B Ware
- Division of Allergy, Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA; Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA.
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Zhou Y, Hambly BD, Simmons D, McLachlan CS. Sex-specific educational attainment is associated with telomere length in an Australian rural population. QJM 2020; 113:469-473. [PMID: 32073638 DOI: 10.1093/qjmed/hcaa031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2019] [Revised: 01/18/2020] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND There is limited understanding on whether and how socioeconomic status (SES), particularly educational attainment and household income, impacts on telomere length in an Australian rural context. Additionally, it is unknown whether access to health services via the Australian public or private health system influences telomere length. AIM This study investigates whether there is a relationship between telomere length and SES indicators (income, education) as well as health insurance status in a rural Australian population. METHODS Samples were drawn from the Australian Rural Victoria cross-sectional Crossroads Study. Leucocyte telomere length (LTL) was measured using a multiplex quantitative polymerase chain reaction method. RESULTS Among 1424 participants, we did not find a significant main effect association with LTL across education, income level and health insurance. An exploratory finding was sex may influence the relationship between educational attainment and LTL (P = 0.021). In males, but not females, higher education was associated with longer LTL by 0.033 [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.002-0.063, P = 0.035]; in those with low education attainment, male participants had shorter LTL by 0.058 (95% CI -0.086 to -0.029) than female participants (P < 0.0001). CONCLUSION Being male and having lower education attainment was associated with shorter telomere length in our rural population. Evidence from our study supports the importance of education on LTL in males in rural Australia. Our studies also support previous findings that LTL in later life may not be closely associated with indicators of SES.
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Affiliation(s)
- Y Zhou
- Xiamen Cardiovascular Hospital, Xiamen University, 2999 Jinshan Road, Huli District, Xiamen 361016, China
- The School of Economics, Xiamen University, Xiangan South Road, Xiangan District, Xiamen 361102, China
| | - B D Hambly
- Discipline of Pathology and Bosch Institute, University of Sydney, Charles Perkins Centre, John Hopkins Drive, NSW 2006, Australia
| | - D Simmons
- Department of Rural Health, University of Melbourne, Level 2 West, Medical Building (181) Shepparton, VIC 3010, Australia
- School of Medicine, Western Sydney University, Locked Bag 1797, Campbelltown, NSW 2751, Australia
| | - C S McLachlan
- Health Vertical, Torrens University, 5/235 Pyrmont St, Pyrmont, NSW 2009, Australia
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Gaydosh L, Mitchell C, Notterman D, Schneper L, Brooks-Gunn J, Wagner B, Koss K, McLanahan S. Demographic and developmental patterns in telomere length across adolescence. BIODEMOGRAPHY AND SOCIAL BIOLOGY 2020; 66:208-219. [PMID: 34597213 PMCID: PMC8702463 DOI: 10.1080/19485565.2021.1983758] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Telomere length is often used in studies of adults as a biomarker of cellular aging and an indicator of stress exposure. However, we know little about how telomeres change over time, particularly over the course of the important developmental period of adolescence. We use data on telomere length collected at two points in time spanning adolescence (Years 9 and 15) from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study to examine longitudinal patterns (n = 1,654) in telomere length. We find a quantitatively small but significant average lengthening in telomere length across adolescence and little evidence of associations between telomere length and pubertal development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren Gaydosh
- Department of Sociology and Population Research Center, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA
| | - Colter Mitchell
- Institute for Social Research and Department of Sociology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Daniel Notterman
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey, USA
| | - Lisa Schneper
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey, USA
| | - Jeanne Brooks-Gunn
- Teachers College and the College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, New York, USA
| | - Brandon Wagner
- Department of Sociology, Anthropology, and Social Work, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas, USA
- Department of Sociology and School of Public and International Affairs, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey, USA
| | - Kalsea Koss
- Human Development and Family Science, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA
| | - Sara McLanahan
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey, USA
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Semeraro MD, Smith C, Kaiser M, Levinger I, Duque G, Gruber HJ, Herrmann M. Physical activity, a modulator of aging through effects on telomere biology. Aging (Albany NY) 2020; 12:13803-13823. [PMID: 32575077 PMCID: PMC7377891 DOI: 10.18632/aging.103504] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2020] [Accepted: 06/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Aging is a complex process that is not well understood but involves finite changes at the genetic and epigenetic level. Physical activity is a well-documented modulator of the physiological process of aging. It has been suggested that the beneficial health effects of regular exercise are at least partly mediated through its effects on telomeres and associated regulatory pathways. Telomeres, the region of repetitive nucleotide sequences functioning as a "cap" at the chromosomal ends, play an important role to protect genomic DNA from degradation. Telomeres of dividing cells progressively shorten with age. Leucocyte telomere length (TL) has been associated with age-related diseases. Epidemiologic evidence indicates a strong relationship between physical activity and TL. In addition, TL has also been shown to predict all-cause and cardiovascular mortality. Experimental studies support a functional link between aerobic exercise and telomere preservation through activation of telomerase, an enzyme that adds nucleotides to the telomeric ends. However, unresolved questions regarding exercise modalities, pathomechanistic aspects and analytical issues limit the interpretability of available data. This review provides an overview about the current knowledge in the area of telomere biology, aging and physical activity. Finally, the capabilities and limitations of available analytical methods are addressed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Donatella Semeraro
- Clinical Institute of Medical and Chemical Laboratory Diagnostics, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria
| | - Cassandra Smith
- Institute for Health and Sport (IHES), Victoria University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- Australian Institute for Musculoskeletal Science (AIMSS), University of Melbourne and Western Health, St Albans, VIC, Australia
| | - Melanie Kaiser
- Clinical Institute of Medical and Chemical Laboratory Diagnostics, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria
| | - Itamar Levinger
- Institute for Health and Sport (IHES), Victoria University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- Australian Institute for Musculoskeletal Science (AIMSS), University of Melbourne and Western Health, St Albans, VIC, Australia
| | - Gustavo Duque
- Australian Institute for Musculoskeletal Science (AIMSS), University of Melbourne and Western Health, St Albans, VIC, Australia
- Department of Medicine-Western Health, Melbourne Medical School, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Hans-Juergen Gruber
- Clinical Institute of Medical and Chemical Laboratory Diagnostics, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria
| | - Markus Herrmann
- Clinical Institute of Medical and Chemical Laboratory Diagnostics, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria
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Zhang S, Li R, Yang Y, Chen Y, Yang S, Li J, Wu C, Kong T, Liu T, Cai J, Fu L, Zhao Y, Hui R, Zhang W. Longitudinal Association of Telomere Attrition with the Effects of Antihypertensive Treatment and Blood Pressure Lowering. Aging Dis 2020; 11:494-508. [PMID: 32489697 PMCID: PMC7220288 DOI: 10.14336/ad.2019.0721] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2019] [Accepted: 07/21/2019] [Indexed: 11/01/2022] Open
Abstract
Leukocytes telomere length has been associated with hypertension, but, whether longitudinal telomeres change could serve as a useful predictive tool in hypertension remains uncertain. This study aimed to examine the longitudinal trajectory of leukocytes telomere length in a population-based prospective study of 1,108 individuals with hypertension. Leukocytes telomere length were measured at baseline and again after a median 2.2 (range 1.5-2.4) years of follow-up. Age as an independent predictor was inversely associated with baseline telomeres and follow-up telomeres. Annual telomere attrition rate was calculated as (follow-up telomeres-baseline telomeres)/follow-up years, and participants were categorized into the shorten and the lengthen groups. Results showed that telomere lengthening was significantly correlated with decreased systolic blood pressure (SBP) (β=-3.28; P=0.02) and pulse pressure (PP) (β=-2.53; P=0.02), and the differences were respectively -3.3 mmHg (95%CI, -6.2 to -0.3; P=0.03) in ∆SBP and -2.4 mmHg (95%CI, -4.9 to -0.1; P=0.04) in ∆PP between two groups after adjustment for vascular risk factors and baseline blood pressures. When stratified by age and gender, the correlations were observed in women and patients ≤60 years. Furthermore, among patients using calcium channel blocker (CCB) and angiotensin receptor blocker (ARB), those with telomeres lengthening showed a significantly lower level of ∆SBP and ∆PP. There was no correlation between telomere attrition and incidence of cardiovascular events. Our data indicated that increased telomere length of leukocytes was associated with decreased SBP and PP, particularly for patients who received CCB and ARB, supporting that telomere attrition may provide new sight in clinical intervention for hypertension.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuyuan Zhang
- 1State Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Disease, FuWai Hospital, National Center for Cardiovascular Diseases, Peking Union Medical College & Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Rongxia Li
- 1State Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Disease, FuWai Hospital, National Center for Cardiovascular Diseases, Peking Union Medical College & Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yunyun Yang
- 1State Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Disease, FuWai Hospital, National Center for Cardiovascular Diseases, Peking Union Medical College & Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yu Chen
- 1State Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Disease, FuWai Hospital, National Center for Cardiovascular Diseases, Peking Union Medical College & Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Shujun Yang
- 1State Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Disease, FuWai Hospital, National Center for Cardiovascular Diseases, Peking Union Medical College & Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Jian Li
- 1State Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Disease, FuWai Hospital, National Center for Cardiovascular Diseases, Peking Union Medical College & Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Cunjin Wu
- 2 The Second Hospital of Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China
| | - Tao Kong
- 1State Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Disease, FuWai Hospital, National Center for Cardiovascular Diseases, Peking Union Medical College & Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Tianlong Liu
- 1State Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Disease, FuWai Hospital, National Center for Cardiovascular Diseases, Peking Union Medical College & Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Jun Cai
- 3 Hypertension Centre, FuWai Hospital, National Center for Cardiovascular Diseases, Peking Union Medical College & Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Li Fu
- 4Benxi Railway Hospital, Liaoning, China
| | - Yanan Zhao
- 1State Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Disease, FuWai Hospital, National Center for Cardiovascular Diseases, Peking Union Medical College & Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Rutai Hui
- 1State Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Disease, FuWai Hospital, National Center for Cardiovascular Diseases, Peking Union Medical College & Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Weili Zhang
- 1State Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Disease, FuWai Hospital, National Center for Cardiovascular Diseases, Peking Union Medical College & Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
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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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45
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de Baca TC, Prather AA, Lin J, Sternfeld B, Adler N, Epel ES, Puterman E. Chronic psychosocial and financial burden accelerates 5-year telomere shortening: findings from the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults Study. Mol Psychiatry 2020; 25:1141-1153. [PMID: 31455861 PMCID: PMC7044034 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-019-0482-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2018] [Revised: 05/09/2019] [Accepted: 05/21/2019] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
Leukocyte telomere length, a marker of immune system function, is sensitive to exposures such as psychosocial stressors and health-maintaining behaviors. Past research has determined that stress experienced in adulthood is associated with shorter telomere length, but is limited to mostly cross-sectional reports. We test whether repeated reports of chronic psychosocial and financial burden is associated with telomere length change over a 5-year period (years 15 and 20) from 969 participants in the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) Study, a longitudinal, population-based cohort, ages 18-30 at time of recruitment in 1985. We further examine whether multisystem resiliency, comprised of social connections, health-maintaining behaviors, and psychological resources, mitigates the effects of repeated burden on telomere attrition over 5 years. Our results indicate that adults with high chronic burden do not show decreased telomere length over the 5-year period. However, these effects do vary by level of resiliency, as regression results revealed a significant interaction between chronic burden and multisystem resiliency. For individuals with high repeated chronic burden and low multisystem resiliency (1 SD below the mean), there was a significant 5-year shortening in telomere length, whereas no significant relationships between chronic burden and attrition were evident for those at moderate and higher levels of resiliency. These effects apply similarly across the three components of resiliency. Results imply that interventions should focus on establishing strong social connections, psychological resources, and health-maintaining behaviors when attempting to ameliorate stress-related decline in telomere length among at-risk individuals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomás Cabeza de Baca
- Division of Cardiology, 400 Parnassus Ave., AC-16, Box 0369, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA, University of California, San Francisco
| | - Aric A. Prather
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Francisco
| | - Jue Lin
- Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of California, San Francisco
| | | | - Nancy Adler
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Francisco
| | - Elissa S. Epel
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Francisco
| | - Eli Puterman
- School of Kinesiology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, War Memorial Gymnasium, Room 210, 6081 University Boulevard, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z1
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46
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Liu J, Ge Y, Wu S, Ma D, Xu W, Zhang Y, Yang Y. Association between antidiabetic agents use and leukocyte telomere shortening rates in patients with type 2 diabetes. Aging (Albany NY) 2020; 11:741-755. [PMID: 30694216 PMCID: PMC6366988 DOI: 10.18632/aging.101781] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2018] [Accepted: 01/15/2019] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Telomere length and telomere shortening rate (TSR) are accepted indicators of aging in cross-sectional population studies. This study aimed to investigate the potential influence of common antidiabetic agents on telomere length and TSR in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Leukocyte telomere length was measured through terminal restriction fragment analysis, and TSR was calculated in 388 T2DM patients. Depending on whether or not they received antidiabetic medication, patients were first divided into a treatment group and a nontreatment group. Treated patients were further subdivided into an acarbose-free group (patients taking antidiabetic agents without acarbose) and an acarbose group (patients using acarbose for more than 3 months). Results showed that untreated patients had higher TSRs than patients on antidiabetic drugs. Interestingly, patients in the acarbose group had significantly higher TSRs than patients in the acarbose-free group. Compared to the nontreatment group, the acarbose group showed better glycemic control of HbA1c, but the TSR was also higher. Our results suggest that antidiabetic treatments without acarbose can slow aging. By contrast, acarbose may accelerate biological aging in patients with T2DM, independently of glycemic control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juanhong Liu
- Department of Endocrinology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Yuanlong Ge
- Key Laboratory of Gene Engineering of the Ministry of Education, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Shu Wu
- Key Laboratory of Gene Engineering of the Ministry of Education, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Delin Ma
- Department of Endocrinology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Weijie Xu
- Department of Endocrinology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Ye Zhang
- Department of Endocrinology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Yan Yang
- Department of Endocrinology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
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47
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Rej PH, Gravlee CC, Mulligan CJ. Shortened telomere length is associated with unfair treatment attributed to race in African Americans living in Tallahassee, Florida. Am J Hum Biol 2019; 32:e23375. [PMID: 31867825 DOI: 10.1002/ajhb.23375] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2019] [Revised: 12/03/2019] [Accepted: 12/04/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Experiences of interpersonal discrimination are pervasive stressors in the lives of African Americans. Increased discrimination stress may cause premature aging. Telomere length (TL) is a plastic genetic trait that is an emerging indicator of cellular health and aging. Short TL is a risk factor for the earlier onset of disease. TL shortens with age, a process that may be accelerated by psychosocial stress. Our study explores the relationship between TL and experiences of discrimination in the form of self-reported unfair treatment (UT). METHODS Using a qPCR-based method, we measured TL in DNA from saliva samples provided by 135 African American adults from Tallahassee, FL. We developed discrimination measures using a modified survey that explores nine social domains of self-reported unfair treatment experienced both directly and indirectly. We used multiple regression to examine associations between UT and TL. RESULTS We found that racial discrimination in the form of self-reported unfair treatment attributed to race (UT-Race-Self) is inversely associated with TL. CONCLUSIONS The significant association between increased UT-Race-Self and shorter telomeres supports the hypothesis that psychosocial stress stemming from racial discrimination may affect TL. The potential impact of discrimination on TL may contribute to premature biological aging and racial health inequalities seen in African Americans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter H Rej
- Department of Anthropology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington.,Department of Anthropology, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida.,Genetics Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida
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- Health Equity Alliance of Tallahassee Steering Committee, Tallahassee, Florida: James Bellamy, Qasimah Boston, Edward Holifield, Miaisha Mitchell, and Cynthia Seaborn
| | - Clarence C Gravlee
- Department of Anthropology, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida.,Genetics Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida
| | - Connie J Mulligan
- Department of Anthropology, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida.,Genetics Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida
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Shi Y, Zhang Y, Zhang L, Ma JL, Zhou T, Li ZX, Liu WD, Li WQ, Deng DJ, You WC, Pan KF. Telomere Length of Circulating Cell-Free DNA and Gastric Cancer in a Chinese Population at High-Risk. Front Oncol 2019; 9:1434. [PMID: 31921685 PMCID: PMC6928050 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2019.01434] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2019] [Accepted: 12/02/2019] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Telomeres have long been found to be involved in cancer development, while little was known about the dynamic changes of telomere length in carcinogenesis process. Methods: The present study longitudinally investigated telomere alterations of cell-free DNA (cfDNA) in 86 gastric cancer (GC) subjects recruited through a 16-year prospective cohort with 2–4 serums collected before each GC-diagnosis from baseline and three follow-up time-points (a total of 276 samples). As the control, 86 individual-matched cancer-free subjects were enrolled with 276 serums from the matched calendar year. Results: In the 73 pairs of baseline serums from GC and control subjects, shortened telomeres showed increased subsequent GC risk [odds ratio (OR) = 9.17, 95% CI: 2.72–31.25 for 1 unit shortening]. In each baseline gastric lesion category, higher risks of GC progression were also found with shortened cfDNA telomeres; ORs per 1 unit shortening were 6.99 (95% CI: 1.63–30.30) for mild gastric lesions, 6.06 (95% CI: 1.89–19.61) for intestinal metaplasia and 15.63 (95% CI: 1.91–125.00) for dysplasia. With all measurements from baseline and follow-up time-points, shortened telomeres also showed significant association with GC risk (OR = 7.37, 95% CI: 2.06–26.32 for 1 unit shortening). In temporal trend analysis, shortened telomeres were found in GC subjects compared to corresponding controls more than 3 years ahead of GC-diagnosis (most P < 0.05), while no significant difference was found between two groups within 3 years approaching to GC-diagnosis. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that telomere shortening may be associated with gastric carcinogenesis, which supports further etiological study and potential biomarker for risk stratification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Shi
- Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education/Beijing), Department of Cancer Epidemiology, Peking University Cancer Hospital and Institute, Beijing, China
| | - Yang Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education/Beijing), Department of Cancer Epidemiology, Peking University Cancer Hospital and Institute, Beijing, China
| | - Lian Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education/Beijing), Department of Cancer Epidemiology, Peking University Cancer Hospital and Institute, Beijing, China
| | - Jun-Ling Ma
- Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education/Beijing), Department of Cancer Epidemiology, Peking University Cancer Hospital and Institute, Beijing, China
| | - Tong Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education/Beijing), Department of Cancer Epidemiology, Peking University Cancer Hospital and Institute, Beijing, China
| | - Zhe-Xuan Li
- Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education/Beijing), Department of Cancer Epidemiology, Peking University Cancer Hospital and Institute, Beijing, China
| | | | - Wen-Qing Li
- Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education/Beijing), Department of Cancer Epidemiology, Peking University Cancer Hospital and Institute, Beijing, China
| | - Da-Jun Deng
- Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education/Beijing), Department of Etiology, Peking University Cancer Hospital and Institute, Beijing, China
| | - Wei-Cheng You
- Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education/Beijing), Department of Cancer Epidemiology, Peking University Cancer Hospital and Institute, Beijing, China
| | - Kai-Feng Pan
- Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education/Beijing), Department of Cancer Epidemiology, Peking University Cancer Hospital and Institute, Beijing, China
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Wang Y, Best A, Fernández-Torrón R, Alsaggaf R, Garcia-Puga M, Dagnall CL, Hicks B, Thompson M, Matheu Fernandez A, Zulaica Ijurco M, Greene MH, Lopez de Munain A, Gadalla SM. Leukocyte telomere length in patients with myotonic dystrophy type I: a pilot study. Ann Clin Transl Neurol 2019; 7:126-131. [PMID: 31808320 PMCID: PMC6952307 DOI: 10.1002/acn3.50954] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2019] [Revised: 10/31/2019] [Accepted: 10/31/2019] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Myotonic dystrophy type I (DM1) is an autosomal dominant disease of which clinical manifestations resemble premature aging. We evaluated the contribution of telomere length in pathogenesis in 361 DM1 patients (12 with serial measurements) and 223 unaffected relative controls using qPCR assay. While no differences in baseline leukocyte relative telomere length (RTL) was noted, the data suggested an accelerated RTL attrition in DM1 (discovery cohort: T/S change/year = −0.013 in DM1 vs. −0.005 in controls, P = 0.04); similar trend was noted in validation cohort. Further investigations are needed to examine the role of TL in the pathophysiology of DM1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Youjin Wang
- Clinical Genetics Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Ana Best
- Biostatistics Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Roberto Fernández-Torrón
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas, Institute Carlos III, Madrid, Spain.,Neuroscience Area, Institute Biodonostia, San Sebastian, Spain
| | - Rotana Alsaggaf
- Clinical Genetics Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | | | - Casey L Dagnall
- Cancer Genomics Research Laboratory, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland.,Cancer Genomics Research Laboratory, Leidos Biomedical Research, Inc., Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Frederick, Maryland
| | - Belynda Hicks
- Cancer Genomics Research Laboratory, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland.,Cancer Genomics Research Laboratory, Leidos Biomedical Research, Inc., Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Frederick, Maryland
| | - Mone't Thompson
- Clinical Genetics Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | | | - Miren Zulaica Ijurco
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas, Institute Carlos III, Madrid, Spain.,Neuroscience Area, Institute Biodonostia, San Sebastian, Spain
| | - Mark H Greene
- Clinical Genetics Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Adolfo Lopez de Munain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas, Institute Carlos III, Madrid, Spain.,Neuroscience Area, Institute Biodonostia, San Sebastian, Spain.,Department of Neurology, Hospital Universitario Donostia, San Sebastian, Spain.,Department of Neurosciences, Universidad del País Vasco UPV-EHU, San Sebastian, Spain
| | - Shahinaz M Gadalla
- Clinical Genetics Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
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50
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Denham J. Telomere regulation: lessons learnt from mice and men, potential opportunities in horses. Anim Genet 2019; 51:3-13. [PMID: 31637754 DOI: 10.1111/age.12870] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/26/2019] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Telomeres are genetically conserved nucleoprotein complexes located at the ends of chromosomes that preserve genomic stability. In large mammals, somatic cell telomeres shorten with age, owing to the end replication problem and lack of telomere-lengthening events (e.g. telomerase and ALT activity). Therefore, telomere length reflects cellular replicative reserve and mitotic potential. Environmental insults can accelerate telomere attrition in response to cell division and DNA damage. As such, telomere shortening is considered one of the major hallmarks of ageing. Much effort has been dedicated to understanding the environmental perturbations that accelerate telomere attrition and therapeutic strategies to preserve or extend telomeres. As telomere dynamics seem to reflect cumulative cellular stress, telomere length could serve as a biomarker of animal welfare. The assessment of telomere dynamics (i.e. rate of shortening) in conjunction with telomere-regulating genes and telomerase activity in racehorses could monitor long-term animal health, yet it could also provide some unique opportunities to address particular limitations with the use of other animal models in telomere research. Considering the ongoing efforts to optimise the health and welfare of equine athletes, the purpose of this review is to discuss the potential utility of assessing telomere length in Thoroughbred racehorses. A brief review of telomere biology in large and small mammals will be provided, followed by discussion on the biological implications of telomere length and environmental (e.g. lifestyle) factors that accelerate or attenuate telomere attrition. Finally, the utility of quantifying telomere dynamics in horses will be offered with directions for future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Denham
- School of Health and Biomedical Sciences, Bundoora West Campus, RMIT University, Room 53, Level 4, Building 202, Bundoora, VIC, 3083, Australia
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