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Longo M, Greco E, Listorti I, Varricchio MT, Litwicka K, Arrivi C, Mencacci C, Greco P. Telomerase activity, telomere length, and the euploidy rate of human embryos. Gynecol Endocrinol 2024; 40:2373742. [PMID: 38946430 DOI: 10.1080/09513590.2024.2373742] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2024] [Accepted: 06/24/2024] [Indexed: 07/02/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Telomeres maintain chromosome stability, while telomerase counteracts their progressive shortening. Telomere length varies between cell types, with leukocyte telomere length (LTL) decreasing with age. Reduced telomerase activity has been linked to reproductive issues in females, such as low pregnancy rates and premature ovarian failure, with recent studies indicating correlations between telomere length in granulosa cells and IVF outcomes. OBJECTIVES The study aims to explore the relationship between telomere length, telomerase activity, and euploid blastocyst rate in infertile women undergoing IVF/ICSI PGT-A cycles. METHODS This prospective study involves 108 patients undergoing controlled ovarian stimulation and PGT-A. Telomere length and telomerase activity were measured in peripheral mononuclear cells and granulosa cells (GC), respectively. RESULTS The telomere repeat copy number to single gene copy number ratio (T/S) results respectively 0.6 ± 0.8 in leukocytes and 0.7 ± 0.9 in GC. An inverse relationship was found between LTL and the patient's age (p < .01). A higher aneuploid rate was noticed in patients with short LTL, with no differences in ovarian reserve markers (p = .15), number of oocytes retrieved (p = .33), and number of MII (p = 0.42). No significant association was noticed between telomere length in GC and patients' age (p = 0.95), in ovarian reserve markers (p = 0.32), number of oocytes retrieved (p = .58), number of MII (p = .74) and aneuploidy rate (p = .65). CONCLUSION LTL shows a significant inverse correlation with patient age and higher aneuploidy rates. Telomere length in GCs does not correlate with patient age or reproductive outcomes, indicating differential telomere dynamics between leukocytes and granulosa cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Longo
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences of the Mother, Children and Adults, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
| | - Ermanno Greco
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Casa di Cura Privata Villa Mafalda, Rome, Italy
- Department of Obstetrician and Gynecology, Saint Camillus International University of Health and Medical Sciences (Unicamillus), Rome, Italy
| | - Ilaria Listorti
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Casa di Cura Privata Villa Mafalda, Rome, Italy
| | | | - Katerina Litwicka
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Casa di Cura Privata Villa Mafalda, Rome, Italy
| | - Cristiana Arrivi
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Casa di Cura Privata Villa Mafalda, Rome, Italy
| | - Cecilia Mencacci
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Casa di Cura Privata Villa Mafalda, Rome, Italy
| | - Pierfrancesco Greco
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Casa di Cura Privata Villa Mafalda, Rome, Italy
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Ye Z, Lang H, Xie Z, Duan S, Peng B, Chen X, Fang Y, Xin J. Associations of combined accelerated biological aging and genetic susceptibility with incident dementia: a prospective study in the UK Biobank. BMC Med 2024; 22:425. [PMID: 39350213 PMCID: PMC11443929 DOI: 10.1186/s12916-024-03640-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2024] [Accepted: 09/16/2024] [Indexed: 10/04/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Accelerated biological aging has been verified to be a critical risk factor for a number of age-related diseases, but its role in dementia remained unclear. Whether it modified the effects of genetic factors was also unknown. This study evaluated the associations between accelerated biological aging and dementia and the moderating role of accelerated biological aging in the genetic susceptibility to the disease. METHODS We included 200,731 participants in the UK biobank. Nine clinical blood biomarkers and chronological age were used to calculate Phenotypic age acceleration (PhenoAgeAccel), which is a novel indicator for accelerated biological aging. The associations of PhenoAgeAccel with dementia, both young-onset and late-onset dementia, were assessed by Cox proportional hazard models. Apolipoprotein E (APOE) alleles and polygenic risk scores (PRS) were used to evaluate the genetic risk of dementia. The interactions between genetic susceptibility and biological aging were tested on both multiplicative and additive scales. RESULTS These findings showed individuals who were in the highest quartile of PhenoAgeAccel had a higher risk with incidence of dementia compared to individuals in the lowest quartile of PhenoAgeAccel (HR: 1.145 (95% CI: 1.050, 1.249)). Individuals with biologically older had a higher risk of dementia than individuals with biologically younger (HR: 1.069 (95% CI: 1.004, 1.138)). Furthermore, compared to individuals with biologically younger and low APOE ε4-related genetic risk, individuals with biologically younger and high APOE ε4-related genetic risk (HR:3.048 (95% CI: 2.811, 3.305)) had a higher risk of dementia than individuals with biologically older and high APOE ε4-related genetic risk (HR: 2.765 (95% CI: 2.523, 3.029)). Meanwhile, referring to low dementia PRS and biologically younger, the risk of dementia increased by 72.7% (HR: 1.727 (95% CI: 1.538, 1.939) in the biologically younger and high PRS group and 58.7% (HR: 1.587 (95% CI: 1.404, 1.793) in the biologically older and high PRS group, respectively. The negative interactions between PhenoAgeAccel with APOE ε4 and PRS were also tested on the additive scale. CONCLUSIONS Accelerated biological aging could bring the extra risk of dementia but attenuate the effects of genetic risk on dementia. These findings provide insights for precise prevention and intervention of dementia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zirong Ye
- Key Laboratory of Health Technology Assessment of Fujian Province, School of Public Health, Xiamen University, Xiang'an Nan Road, Xiang'an District, Xiamen, Fujian, 361102, China
- National Institute for Data Science in Health and Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiang'an Nan Road, Xiang'an District, Xiamen, Fujian, 361102, China
| | - Haoxiang Lang
- Key Laboratory of Health Technology Assessment of Fujian Province, School of Public Health, Xiamen University, Xiang'an Nan Road, Xiang'an District, Xiamen, Fujian, 361102, China
- National Institute for Data Science in Health and Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiang'an Nan Road, Xiang'an District, Xiamen, Fujian, 361102, China
| | - Zishan Xie
- College of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, No. 63, Xiyuan Gong Road, Minhou County, Fuzhou, Fujian, 350000, China
| | - Siyu Duan
- Key Laboratory of Health Technology Assessment of Fujian Province, School of Public Health, Xiamen University, Xiang'an Nan Road, Xiang'an District, Xiamen, Fujian, 361102, China
- National Institute for Data Science in Health and Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiang'an Nan Road, Xiang'an District, Xiamen, Fujian, 361102, China
| | - Bihao Peng
- Department of Neurology, Fujian Medical University Union Hospital, Fujian Key Laboratory of Molecular Neurology and Institute of Neuroscience, Fujian Medical University, No.29, Xinquan Road, Gulou District, Fuzhou, Fujian Province, 350000, China
- Institute of Clinical Neurology, Fujian Medical University, No.29, Xinquan Road, Gulou District, Fuzhou, Fujian Province, 350000, China
| | - Xiaochun Chen
- Department of Neurology, Fujian Medical University Union Hospital, Fujian Key Laboratory of Molecular Neurology and Institute of Neuroscience, Fujian Medical University, No.29, Xinquan Road, Gulou District, Fuzhou, Fujian Province, 350000, China
- Institute of Clinical Neurology, Fujian Medical University, No.29, Xinquan Road, Gulou District, Fuzhou, Fujian Province, 350000, China
| | - Ya Fang
- Key Laboratory of Health Technology Assessment of Fujian Province, School of Public Health, Xiamen University, Xiang'an Nan Road, Xiang'an District, Xiamen, Fujian, 361102, China.
- National Institute for Data Science in Health and Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiang'an Nan Road, Xiang'an District, Xiamen, Fujian, 361102, China.
| | - Jiawei Xin
- Department of Neurology, Fujian Medical University Union Hospital, Fujian Key Laboratory of Molecular Neurology and Institute of Neuroscience, Fujian Medical University, No.29, Xinquan Road, Gulou District, Fuzhou, Fujian Province, 350000, China.
- Institute of Clinical Neurology, Fujian Medical University, No.29, Xinquan Road, Gulou District, Fuzhou, Fujian Province, 350000, China.
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Gao H, Nepovimova E, Adam V, Heger Z, Valko M, Wu Q, Kuca K. Age-associated changes in innate and adaptive immunity: role of the gut microbiota. Front Immunol 2024; 15:1421062. [PMID: 39351234 PMCID: PMC11439693 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1421062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2024] [Accepted: 08/26/2024] [Indexed: 10/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Aging is generally regarded as an irreversible process, and its intricate relationship with the immune system has garnered significant attention due to its profound implications for the health and well-being of the aging population. As people age, a multitude of alterations occur within the immune system, affecting both innate and adaptive immunity. In the realm of innate immunity, aging brings about changes in the number and function of various immune cells, including neutrophils, monocytes, and macrophages. Additionally, certain immune pathways, like the cGAS-STING, become activated. These alterations can potentially result in telomere damage, the disruption of cytokine signaling, and impaired recognition of pathogens. The adaptive immune system, too, undergoes a myriad of changes as age advances. These include shifts in the number, frequency, subtype, and function of T cells and B cells. Furthermore, the human gut microbiota undergoes dynamic changes as a part of the aging process. Notably, the interplay between immune changes and gut microbiota highlights the gut's role in modulating immune responses and maintaining immune homeostasis. The gut microbiota of centenarians exhibits characteristics akin to those found in young individuals, setting it apart from the microbiota observed in typical elderly individuals. This review delves into the current understanding of how aging impacts the immune system and suggests potential strategies for reversing aging through interventions in immune factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haoyu Gao
- College of Life Science, Yangtze University, Jingzhou, China
| | - Eugenie Nepovimova
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Hradec Králové, Hradec Králové, Czechia
| | - Vojtech Adam
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Mendel University in Brno, Brno, Czechia
| | - Zbynek Heger
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Mendel University in Brno, Brno, Czechia
| | - Marian Valko
- Faculty of Chemical and Food Technology, Slovak University of Technology, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Qinghua Wu
- College of Life Science, Yangtze University, Jingzhou, China
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Hradec Králové, Hradec Králové, Czechia
| | - Kamil Kuca
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Hradec Králové, Hradec Králové, Czechia
- Andalusian Research Institute in Data Science and Computational Intelligence (DaSCI), University of Granada, Granada, Spain
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Aali R, Asli Gharehbagh H, Gholampour A, Sorooshian A, Panahi Y. Children exposed to salt-dust emission from Urmia Lake have short telomere length: a case-control pilot study. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH RESEARCH 2024:1-8. [PMID: 39192622 DOI: 10.1080/09603123.2024.2394136] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2023] [Accepted: 08/15/2024] [Indexed: 08/29/2024]
Abstract
This study aimed to measure telomere length in healthy children living next to Urmia Lake, Iran, which is exposed to salt dust from a drying lakebed. In this case-control pilot study, we recruited 39 sex- and age-matched healthy children from two different geographic regions to study the relative telomere lengths using qPCR. We categorized the study samples into high-impact and low-impact areas based on wind direction, aerosol particle level, and distance from the lake. Our main results revealed that children living in high-impact areas have shorter telomeres than those living in low-impact areas. Furthermore, according to our statistical model, parental age significantly affected telomere length in children, but inversely. When the father's age impact was positive, the mother had a negative effect. Based on our results, to prevent Urmia Lake from dying out completely, national and international organizations should implement comprehensive visions and strategies for its restoration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rahim Aali
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering, Faculty of Health, Qom University of Medical Sciences, Qom, Iran
| | | | - Akbar Gholampour
- Health and Environment Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Public Health, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Armin Sorooshian
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, USA
| | - Yasin Panahi
- Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, School of Pharmacy, Ardabil University of Medical Sciences, Ardabil, Iran
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Lin F, Luo J, Zhu Y, Liang H, Li D, Han D, Chang Q, Pan P, Zhang Y. Association Between Adverse Early Life Factors and Telomere Length in Middle and Late Life. Innov Aging 2024; 8:igae070. [PMID: 39350941 PMCID: PMC11441326 DOI: 10.1093/geroni/igae070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2023] [Indexed: 10/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Background and Objectives Telomere length (TL) has been acknowledged as biomarker of biological aging. Numerous investigations have examined associations between individual early life factors and leukocyte TL; however, the findings were far from consistent. Research Design and Methods We evaluated the relationship between individual and combined early life factors and leukocytes TL in middle and late life using data from the UK Biobank. The early life factors (eg, maternal smoking, breastfeeding, birth weight, and comparative body size and height to peers at age 10) were measured. The regression coefficients (β) and 95% confidence interval (CI) were applied to assess the link of the early life factors and TL in adulthood. Flexible parametric survival models incorporated age to calculate the relationship between early life factors and life expectancy. Results Exposure to maternal smoking, lack of breastfeeding, low birth weight, and shorter height compared to peers at age 10 were identified to be associated with shorter TL in middle and older age according to the large population-based study with 197 504 participants. Individuals who experienced more than 3 adverse early life factors had the shortest TL in middle and late life (β = -0.053; 95% CI = -0.069 to -0.038; p < .0001), as well as an average of 0.54 years of life loss at the age of 45 and 0.49 years of life loss at the age of 60, compared to those who were not exposed to any early life risk factors. Discussion and Implications Early life factors including maternal smoking, non-breastfed, low birth weight, and shorter height compared to peers at age 10 were associated with shorter TL in later life. In addition, an increased number of the aforementioned factors was associated with a greater likelihood of shorter TL in adulthood, as well as a reduced life expectancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fengyu Lin
- Center of Respiratory Medicine, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
- National Key Clinical Specialty, Branch of National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Disease, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Jiefeng Luo
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
- International Collaborative Research Center for Medical Metabolomics, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Yiqun Zhu
- Center of Respiratory Medicine, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
- Hunan Engineering Research Center for Intelligent Diagnosis and Treatment of Respiratory Disease, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Huaying Liang
- Center of Respiratory Medicine, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Dianwu Li
- Center of Respiratory Medicine, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
- National Key Clinical Specialty, Branch of National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Disease, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Duoduo Han
- Center of Respiratory Medicine, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
- National Key Clinical Specialty, Branch of National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Disease, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Qinyu Chang
- Center of Respiratory Medicine, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
- National Key Clinical Specialty, Branch of National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Disease, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Pinhua Pan
- Center of Respiratory Medicine, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
- FuRong Laboratory, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Yan Zhang
- Center of Respiratory Medicine, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
- National Key Clinical Specialty, Branch of National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Disease, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
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Levstek T, Breznik N, Vujkovac B, Nowak A, Trebušak Podkrajšek K. Dynamics of Leukocyte Telomere Length in Patients with Fabry Disease. Biomedicines 2024; 12:1724. [PMID: 39200189 PMCID: PMC11351930 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines12081724] [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: 07/01/2024] [Revised: 07/26/2024] [Accepted: 08/01/2024] [Indexed: 09/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Fabry disease (FD) leads to significant morbidity and mortality, which may indicate accelerated ageing. However, it is still unclear whether there is a relationship between telomere length (TL), a marker of biological ageing, and disease outcome. We aimed to examine the relationship between leukocyte TL (LTL) dynamics and the presence of advanced disease stages and/or late complications of FD, including hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, nephropathy and stroke, both cross-sectionally and longitudinally. DNA was extracted from peripheral blood leukocytes and quantitative PCR was utilized to determine relative LTL in 99 Fabry patients. In the longitudinal analysis, we included 50 patients in whom at least three measurements were performed over a period of 5-10 years. The results showed a significant inverse correlation between LTL and age (ρ = -0.20, p = 0.05). No significant differences in LTL were found between females and males (p = 0.79) or between patients receiving disease-specific therapy and those without (p = 0.34). In a cross-sectional analysis, no association was found between the presence (p = 0.15) or number (p = 0.28) of advanced stages of the disease and/or late complications and LTL. Similarly, in a longitudinal analysis, no difference in LTL dynamics was found regarding the presence (p = 0.16) of advanced stage organ involvement and/or late complications or their number. These findings indicate that LTL dynamics in adulthood may not be a reliable indicator of disease outcomes in Fabry patients. Therefore, LTL may more accurately reflect the disease burden in early life, when TL is primarily determined.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tina Levstek
- Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ljubljana, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
- Clinical Institute for Special Laboratory Diagnostics, University Children’s Hospital, University Medical Centre Ljubljana, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Nika Breznik
- Clinical Institute for Special Laboratory Diagnostics, University Children’s Hospital, University Medical Centre Ljubljana, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Bojan Vujkovac
- Centre for Fabry Disease, General Hospital Slovenj Gradec, 2380 Slovenj Gradec, Slovenia
| | - Albina Nowak
- Department of Endocrinology and Clinical Nutrition, University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, 8091 Zurich, Switzerland
- Department of Internal Medicine, Psychiatry University Clinic Zurich, 8091 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Katarina Trebušak Podkrajšek
- Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ljubljana, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
- Clinical Institute for Special Laboratory Diagnostics, University Children’s Hospital, University Medical Centre Ljubljana, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
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Skåra KH, Lee Y, Jugessur A, Gjessing HK, Aviv A, Brumpton B, Naess Ø, Hernáez Á, Hanevik HI, Magnus P, Magnus MC. Telomere length in relation to fecundability and use of assisted reproductive technologies: the Norwegian Mother, Father, and Child Cohort Study. RESEARCH SQUARE 2024:rs.3.rs-4430021. [PMID: 38883734 PMCID: PMC11177952 DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-4430021/v1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/18/2024]
Abstract
In women, shorter telomeres have been reported to be associated with conditions such as endometriosis and polycystic ovary syndrome, whereas other studies have reported the opposite. In men, studies mostly report associations between shorter telomeres and sperm quality. To our knowledge, no studies have thus far investigated the associations between TL and fecundability or the use of ART. This study is based on the Norwegian Mother, Father, and Child Cohort (MoBa) Study and uses data from the Medical Birth Registry of Norway (MBRN). We included women (24,645 with genotype data and 1,054 with TL measurements) and men (18,339 with genotype data and 965 with TL measurements) participating between 1998 and 2008. We investigated the associations between leukocyte TL and fecundability, infertility, and the use of ART. We also repeated the analyses using instrumental variables for TL, including genetic risk scores for TL and genetically predicted TL. Approximately 11% of couples had experienced infertility and 4% had used ART. TL was not associated with fecundability among women (fecundability ratio [FR], 0.98; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.92-1.04) or men (FR, 0.99; CI, 0.93-1.06), nor with infertility among women (odds ratio [OR], 1.03; CI, 0.85-1.24) or men (OR, 1.05; CI, 0.87-1.28). We observed an increased likelihood of using ART with increasing TL among men (OR, 1.22; CI, 1.03-1.46), but not among women (OR, 1.10; CI, 0.92-1.31). No significant associations were observed using the instrumental variables. Our results indicate that TL is a poor biomarker of fecundability, infertility and use of ART in MoBa. Additional studies are required to replicate the association observed between TL and ART in men.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Ben Brumpton
- K.G. Jebsen Centre for Genetic Epidemiology, NTNU - Norwegian University of Science and Technology
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Pili MP, Cagliero L, Panichi V, Bordoni M, Pansarasa O, Cremaschi G, Tonga EB, Cappelletti F, Provenzi L. Exposure to pollution during the first thousand days and telomere length regulation: A literature review. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2024; 249:118323. [PMID: 38336161 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2024.118323] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2023] [Revised: 01/08/2024] [Accepted: 01/26/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024]
Abstract
Telomere length (TL) is a biomarker for cellular senescence and TL erosion is predictive of the risk for age-related diseases. Despite being genetically determined at birth, TL may be susceptible to modifications through epigenetic mechanisms. Pollutant agents are considered one of the major threats to both human and planetary health. Their ability to cross the placental barrier and induce oxidative stress in fetal cells is particularly concerning and it may be associated with early TL erosion. In consideration of the timely relevance of this topic, we conducted a literature review on the impact of prenatal exposure to pollutant agents on newborn TL. The search yielded a total of 1099 records, of which only 32 met the inclusion criteria for the review. These criteria included the participation of human subjects, a longitudinal design or collection of longitudinal data, reporting of original TL data, and a focus on exposure to pollutant agents. The majority of the studies reported a significant inverse association between prenatal exposure to pollutant agents and TL. Furthermore, the second trimester of pregnancy emerged as a special sensitive period for the occurrence of pollutant agent-driven TL modifications. Sex differences were inconsistently reported across studies. This review contributes to highlighting biochemical pathways for the threats of environmental pollution to human health. Future research is warranted to further highlight potential buffering mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miriam Paola Pili
- Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of Pavia, Strada Nuova 65, 27100, Pavia, Italy.
| | - Lucia Cagliero
- Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of Pavia, Strada Nuova 65, 27100, Pavia, Italy
| | - Virginia Panichi
- Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of Pavia, Strada Nuova 65, 27100, Pavia, Italy
| | - Matteo Bordoni
- Cellular Models and Neuroepigenetics Unit, IRCCS Mondino Foundation, via Mondino 2, 27100, Pavia, Italy
| | - Orietta Pansarasa
- Cellular Models and Neuroepigenetics Unit, IRCCS Mondino Foundation, via Mondino 2, 27100, Pavia, Italy
| | - Giacomo Cremaschi
- Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of Pavia, Strada Nuova 65, 27100, Pavia, Italy
| | - Elgin Bilge Tonga
- Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of Pavia, Strada Nuova 65, 27100, Pavia, Italy
| | | | - Livio Provenzi
- Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of Pavia, Strada Nuova 65, 27100, Pavia, Italy; Developmental Psychobiology Lab, IRCCS Mondino Foundation, via Mondino 2, 27100, Pavia, Italy
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Duseikaite M, Gedvilaite G, Mikuzis P, Andrulionyte J, Kriauciuniene L, Liutkeviciene R. Investigating the Relationship between Telomere-Related Gene Variants and Leukocyte Telomere Length in Optic Neuritis Patients. J Clin Med 2024; 13:2694. [PMID: 38731223 PMCID: PMC11084964 DOI: 10.3390/jcm13092694] [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: 04/07/2024] [Revised: 04/26/2024] [Accepted: 04/30/2024] [Indexed: 05/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Optic neuritis (ON) is a condition marked by optic nerve inflammation due to various potential triggers. Research indicates a link between telomeres and inflammation, as studies demonstrate that inflammation can lead to increased telomere shortening. Aim: We aimed to determine the associations of telomere-related telomeric repeat binding factor 1 (TERF1) rs1545827, rs10107605, and telomeric repeat binding factor 2 (TERF2) rs251796 polymorphisms and relative leukocyte telomere length (LTL) with the occurrence of ON. Methods: In this research, a total of 73 individuals diagnosed with optic neuritis (ON) were studied and the control group included 170 individuals without any health issues. The DNA samples were obtained from peripheral blood leukocytes, which were purified using the DNA salting-out technique. Real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assessed single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and relative leukocyte telomere lengths (LTL). The data obtained were processed and analyzed using the "IBM SPSS Statistics 29.0" program. Results: Our study revealed the following results: in the male group, TERF2 rs251796 (AA, AG, and TT) statistically significantly differed between the long and short telomere group, with frequencies of 65.7%, 22.9%, and 2.0% in long telomeres, compared to 35.1%, 56.8%, and 8.1% in the short telomere group (p = 0.013). The TERF2 rs251796 CT genotype, compared to CC, under the codominant genetic model, was associated with 4.7-fold decreased odds of telomere shortening (p = 0.005). Meanwhile, CT+TT genotypes, compared to CC under the dominant genetic model, were associated with 3.5-fold decreased odds of telomere shortening (p = 0.011). Also, the CT genotype, compared to CC+TT, under the overdominant genetic model, was associated with 4.4-fold decreased odds of telomere shortening (p = 0.004). Conclusions: The current evidence may suggest a protective role of TERF2 rs251796 in the occurrence of ON in men.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monika Duseikaite
- Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Institute of Neuroscience, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Eivenių Street 2, LT-50161 Kaunas, Lithuania; (G.G.); (L.K.); (R.L.)
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Sukilėlių Pr. 13, LT-50166 Kaunas, Lithuania
| | - Greta Gedvilaite
- Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Institute of Neuroscience, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Eivenių Street 2, LT-50161 Kaunas, Lithuania; (G.G.); (L.K.); (R.L.)
- Medical Faculty, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, LT-50161 Kaunas, Lithuania; (P.M.); (J.A.)
| | - Paulius Mikuzis
- Medical Faculty, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, LT-50161 Kaunas, Lithuania; (P.M.); (J.A.)
| | - Juste Andrulionyte
- Medical Faculty, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, LT-50161 Kaunas, Lithuania; (P.M.); (J.A.)
| | - Loresa Kriauciuniene
- Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Institute of Neuroscience, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Eivenių Street 2, LT-50161 Kaunas, Lithuania; (G.G.); (L.K.); (R.L.)
| | - Rasa Liutkeviciene
- Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Institute of Neuroscience, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Eivenių Street 2, LT-50161 Kaunas, Lithuania; (G.G.); (L.K.); (R.L.)
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10
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McQuillan MA, Verhulst S, Hansen MEB, Beggs W, Meskel DW, Belay G, Nyambo T, Mpoloka SW, Mokone GG, Fokunang C, Njamnshi AK, Chanock SJ, Aviv A, Tishkoff SA. Association between telomere length and Plasmodium falciparum malaria endemicity in sub-Saharan Africans. Am J Hum Genet 2024; 111:927-938. [PMID: 38701745 PMCID: PMC11080607 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajhg.2024.04.003] [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: 09/11/2023] [Revised: 03/19/2024] [Accepted: 04/03/2024] [Indexed: 05/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Leukocyte telomere length (LTL) varies significantly across human populations, with individuals of African ancestry having longer LTL than non-Africans. However, the genetic and environmental drivers of LTL variation in Africans remain largely unknown. We report here on the relationship between LTL, genetics, and a variety of environmental and climatic factors in ethnically diverse African adults (n = 1,818) originating from Botswana, Tanzania, Ethiopia, and Cameroon. We observe significant variation in LTL among populations, finding that the San hunter-gatherers from Botswana have the longest leukocyte telomeres and that the Fulani pastoralists from Cameroon have the shortest telomeres. Genetic factors explain ∼50% of LTL variation among individuals. Moreover, we observe a significant negative association between Plasmodium falciparum malaria endemicity and LTL while adjusting for age, sex, and genetics. Within Africa, adults from populations indigenous to areas with high malaria exposure have shorter LTL than those in populations indigenous to areas with low malaria exposure. Finally, we explore to what degree the genetic architecture underlying LTL in Africa covaries with malaria exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael A McQuillan
- Department of Genetics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Simon Verhulst
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Matthew E B Hansen
- Department of Genetics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - William Beggs
- Department of Genetics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Dawit Wolde Meskel
- Department of Microbial Cellular and Molecular Biology, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
| | - Gurja Belay
- Department of Microbial Cellular and Molecular Biology, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
| | - Thomas Nyambo
- Department of Biochemistry, Kampala International University in Tanzania (KIUT), Dares Salaam, Tanzania
| | - Sununguko Wata Mpoloka
- Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Botswana, Gaborone, Botswana
| | - Gaonyadiwe George Mokone
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Botswana, Gaborone, Botswana
| | - Charles Fokunang
- Department of Pharmacotoxicology and Pharmacokinetics, Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, The University of Yaoundé I, Yaoundé, Cameroon
| | - Alfred K Njamnshi
- Brain Research Africa Initiative (BRAIN), Neuroscience Lab, Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, The University of Yaoundé I, Department of Neurology, Central Hospital Yaoundé, Yaoundé, Cameroon
| | - Stephen J Chanock
- Division of Cancer Epidemiology & Genetics, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, US Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, MD, USA; Cancer Genomics Research Laboratory, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Frederick, MD, USA
| | - Abraham Aviv
- The Center of Human Development and Aging, New Jersey Medical School, Rutgers University, Newark, NJ 07103, USA
| | - Sarah A Tishkoff
- Department of Genetics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA; Department of Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA; Center for Global Genomics and Health Equity, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
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11
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Zhong M, Salberg S, Sampangi S, van der Walt A, Butzkueven H, Mychasiuk R, Jokubaitis V. Leukocyte telomere length in multiple sclerosis: relationship between disability severity and pregnancy history. Mult Scler Relat Disord 2024; 86:105607. [PMID: 38631073 DOI: 10.1016/j.msard.2024.105607] [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: 07/20/2023] [Revised: 04/02/2024] [Accepted: 04/07/2024] [Indexed: 04/19/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Aging-related processes contribute to neurodegeneration and disability in multiple sclerosis (MS). Biomarkers of biological aging such as leukocyte telomere length (LTL) could help personalise prognosis. Pregnancy has been shown to be protective against disability accumulation in women with MS, though it is unclear if this effect relates to aging mechanisms or LTL. OBJECTIVES This study aimed to cross-sectionally characterise LTL in a cohort of individuals with MS, and to correlate LTL with disability severity and pregnancy history. METHODS We extracted DNA from the whole blood of 501 people with MS in Melbourne, Australia. Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) score and demographic data, as well as pregnancy history for 197 females, were obtained at sample collection. Additional data were extracted from the MSBase Registry. LTL was determined in base pairs (bp) using real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS A relationship between EDSS score and shorter LTL was robust to multivariable adjustment for demographic and clinical factors including chronological age, with an adjusted LTL reduction per 1.0 increase in EDSS of 97.1 bp (95 % CI = 9.7-184.5 bp, p = 0.030). Adjusted mediation analysis found chronological age accounted for 33.6 % of the relationship between LTL and EDSS score (p = 0.018). In females with pregnancy data, history of pregnancy was associated with older age (median 49.7 vs 33.0 years, p < 0.001). There were no significant relationships between adjusted LTL and any history of pregnancy (LTL increase of 65.3 bp, 95 % CI = -471.0-601.5 bp, p = 0.81) or number of completed pregnancies (LTL increase of 14.6 bp per pregnancy, 95 % CI = -170.3-199.6 bp, p = 0.87). CONCLUSIONS The correlation between LTL and disability independent of chronological age and other factors points to a link between neurological reserve in MS and biological aging, and a potential research target for pathophysiological and therapeutic mechanisms. Although LTL did not significantly differ by pregnancy history, longitudinal analyses could help identify interactions with prospectively captured pregnancy effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Zhong
- Department of Neuroscience, Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia; Department of Neurology, The Alfred Hospital, Melbourne, Australia.
| | - Sabrina Salberg
- Department of Neuroscience, Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Sandeep Sampangi
- Department of Neuroscience, Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Anneke van der Walt
- Department of Neuroscience, Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia; Department of Neurology, The Alfred Hospital, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Helmut Butzkueven
- Department of Neuroscience, Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia; Department of Neurology, The Alfred Hospital, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Richelle Mychasiuk
- Department of Neuroscience, Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Vilija Jokubaitis
- Department of Neuroscience, Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia; Department of Neurology, The Alfred Hospital, Melbourne, Australia
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12
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Frydrychová RČ, Konopová B, Peska V, Brejcha M, Sábová M. Telomeres and telomerase: active but complex players in life-history decisions. Biogerontology 2024; 25:205-226. [PMID: 37610666 DOI: 10.1007/s10522-023-10060-z] [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: 07/27/2023] [Accepted: 08/01/2023] [Indexed: 08/24/2023]
Abstract
Studies on human telomeres have established that telomeres exert a significant influence on lifespan and health of organisms. However, recent research has indicated that the original idea that telomeres affect lifespan in a universal and central manner across all eukaryotic species is an oversimplification. Indeed, findings from a variety of animal species revealed that the role of telomere biology in aging is more subtle and intricate than previously recognized. Here, we show how telomere biology varies depending on the taxon. We also show how telomere biology corresponds to basic life history traits and affects the life table of a species and investments in growth, body size, reproduction, and lifespan; telomeres are hypothesized to shape evolutionary perspectives for species in an active but complex manner. Our evaluation is based on telomere biology data from many examples from throughout the animal kingdom that vary according to the degree of organismal complexity and life history strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Radmila Čapková Frydrychová
- Institute of Entomology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Branišovská 31, 370 05, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic.
- Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, Branišovská 1760, 370 05, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic.
| | - Barbora Konopová
- Institute of Entomology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Branišovská 31, 370 05, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
| | - Vratislav Peska
- Department of Cell Biology and Radiobiology, Institute of Biophysics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Královopolská 135, 612 00, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Miloslav Brejcha
- Institute of Entomology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Branišovská 31, 370 05, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
- Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, Branišovská 1760, 370 05, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
| | - Michala Sábová
- Institute of Entomology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Branišovská 31, 370 05, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
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Wai KM, Swe T, Su Hninn TS, Paing AM, Naing YL, Htay ZW, Ihara K. Prenatal exposure to environmental heavy metals and newborn telomere length: A systematic review and meta-analysis. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2024; 343:123192. [PMID: 38135140 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2023.123192] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2023] [Revised: 12/13/2023] [Accepted: 12/17/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023]
Abstract
Exposure to environmental heavy metals is associated with telomere length (TL) alteration. Available information regarding the effect of prenatal exposure to environmental pollutants on newborn TL is controversial. The aim of this study is to systematically review and conduct a meta-analysis of the existing epidemiological studies on the associations between prenatal metal exposure and newborn TL. A comprehensive literature search was performed using the online databases of PubMed, Web of Science, and ScienceDirect from their inception to December 1, 2023. Thirteen eligible studies were included from the overall initial identification of 3559 records. The effect size was expressed as standardized beta coefficients with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) by the restricted maximum-likelihood approach with a weighted random-effects model. Prenatal exposure to environmental heavy metals was associated with a shorter newborn TL (standardized beta = -0.04; 95% CI: -0.08, 0.00; p = 0.05). Subgroup analysis showed that prenatal exposure to cadmium was significantly, negatively associated with TL in newborns (standardized beta = -0.05; 95% CI: -0.10, -0.01; p = 0.021). Heavy metal exposure during the third trimester was significantly associated with a shorter TL in newborns (standardized beta = -0.05; 95% CI: -0.11, -0.01; p = 0.045). No significant association was found between the newborn's sex and exposure sample type. This study provides evidence for the negative effect of prenatal exposure to heavy metals on newborn TL. In particular, cadmium exposure and exposure during the third trimester of pregnancy are critical factors associated with heavy metal-induced TL shortening.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kyi Mar Wai
- Department of Social Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Hirosaki University, Japan; Department of Human Ecology, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Japan.
| | - Thinzar Swe
- Preclinical Department, University of Medicine (2), Myanmar
| | - Thae Su Su Hninn
- International Program in Hazardous Substance and Environmental Management, Chulalongkorn University, Thailand
| | | | - Yoon Lei Naing
- Department of Human Resource for Health, University of Medicine (1), Myanmar
| | - Zin Wai Htay
- Department of Global Health Policy, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Japan
| | - Kazushige Ihara
- Department of Social Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Hirosaki University, Japan
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14
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Moshfeghinia R, Torabi A, Mostafavi S, Rahbar S, Moradi MS, Sadeghi E, Mootz J, Vardanjani HM. Maternal psychological stress during pregnancy and newborn telomere length: a systematic review and meta-analysis. BMC Psychiatry 2023; 23:947. [PMID: 38102621 PMCID: PMC10724935 DOI: 10.1186/s12888-023-05387-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2023] [Accepted: 11/20/2023] [Indexed: 12/17/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Telomeres protect the ends of chromosomes, and shorter leukocyte telomeres are associated with major group diseases. Maternal psychological stress may be related to the shortening of telomeres in infants. This systematic review and meta-analysis set out to consolidate the varying effect sizes found in studies of maternal psychological stress and telomere length (TL) in newborns and identify moderators of the relationship between stress during pregnancy and newborn TL. METHODS Our systematic review was registered in Prospero. Six databases (PubMed, Scopus, Embase, PsycINFO, Web of Science, and CINAHL Complete) were searched for records in English from inception to February 10, 2023. Observational studies were included that measured the relationship of psychological stress of the mother during pregnancy on the TL of the newborn. The Newcastle-Ottawa quality assessment scale was used to assess the quality of the included studies. A random-effect model was selected. Statistical analysis performed by Stata software version 17. RESULTS Eight studies were included for qualitative and four for quantitative analysis. There was an inverse statistically significant relationship between maternal stress and newborn TL; A one score increase in maternal psychological stress resulted in a 0.04 decrease in the TL of the newborn (B = -0.04, 95% CI = [-0.08, 0.00], p = 0.05). Selectivity analysis showed that the pooled effect size was sensitive to one study; After removing this study, the pooled effect size remained significant (B = -0.06, 95% CI = [-0. 10, -0.02], p < 0.001). CONCLUSION Physiological and environmental factors can significantly affect the TL of newborns. Our results support a significant impact of maternal psychological stress on the TL of a newborn. This association demonstrates the significance of stress in influencing the telomere length, which can be a contributing factor in the infant's future. Therefore, recognizing this association is crucial for understanding and addressing potential health risks and necessitates the need for additional future studies to validate our findings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Reza Moshfeghinia
- Student Research Committee, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
- MD-MPH Department, School of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
- Research Center for Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Ali Torabi
- Student Research Committee, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
- MD-MPH Department, School of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Sara Mostafavi
- Student Research Committee, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
- MD-MPH Department, School of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Shiva Rahbar
- Islamic Azad University, Shiraz Branch, Shiraz, Iran
| | | | - Erfan Sadeghi
- Research Consultation Center (RCC), Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Jennifer Mootz
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York, NYC, USA.
| | - Hossein Molavi Vardanjani
- MD-MPH Department, School of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
- Research Center for Traditional Medicine and History of Medicine, School of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran, Shiraz, Iran.
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Hou X, Li R, Wang J, Wei D, Yang X, Liao W, Yuchi Y, Liu X, Huo W, Mao Z, Liu J, Wang C, Hou J. Gender-specific associations between mixture of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and telomere length. ENVIRONMENTAL GEOCHEMISTRY AND HEALTH 2023; 45:9583-9598. [PMID: 37773482 DOI: 10.1007/s10653-023-01752-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2023] [Accepted: 09/01/2023] [Indexed: 10/01/2023]
Abstract
Evidence shows the relationships of individual environmental PAHs by their urinary metabolites with relative telomere length (RTL), which may be affected by biological gender differences. Since plasma parent PAHs are not metabolized, it may reflect human exposure to PAHs more realistically in daily life. Thus, exploring joint associations between plasma parent PAHs and RTL is urgent, which may identify the major contributor to its adverse effect. In this study, 2577 participants were obtained from the Henan Rural Cohort. The level of PAHs in blood samples was detected by gas chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry. RTL in blood samples was detected by quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Generalized linear models or quantile g-computation were performed to evaluate the associations between the individual or a mixture of PAHs and RTL. Results from generalized linear models showed that each unit increment in BghiP value corresponded to a 0.098 (95%CI: 0.067, 0.129) increment in RTL for men; each unit increment in BaP, BghiP and Flu value corresponded to a 0.041 (95%CI: 0.014, 0.068), 0.081 (95%CI: 0.055, 0.107) and 0.016 (95%CI: 0.005, 0.027) increment in RTL for women. Results from quantile-g computation revealed that each one-quantile increment in the mixture of 10 PAHs corresponded to a 0.057 (95%CI: 0.021, 0.094) and 0.047 (95%CI: 0.003, 0.091) increment in RTL values of women and men, but these associations were mainly ascribed to three PAHs for women (BaP, Flu and BghiP) and men (BaP, BghiP and Pyr), respectively. Similar results were found in smoking men and cooking women without smoking. Our study found that exposure to 10 PAHs mixture was positively associated with RTL across gender, mainly attributed to Flu, BaP and BghiP, implicating that gender-specific associations may be ascribed to tobacco and cooking smoke pollution. The findings provided clues for effective measures to control PAHs pollutants-related aging disease.Clinical trial registration The Henan Rural Cohort Study has been registered at the Chinese Clinical Trial Register (Registration number: ChiCTR-OOC-15006699). Date of registration: 06 July 2015. http://www.chictr.org.cn/showproj.aspx?proj=11375 .
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoyu Hou
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, 100 Kexue Avenue, Zhengzhou, 450001, Henan, People's Republic of China
| | - Ruiying Li
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, 100 Kexue Avenue, Zhengzhou, 450001, Henan, People's Republic of China
| | - Juan Wang
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, 100 Kexue Avenue, Zhengzhou, 450001, Henan, People's Republic of China
| | - Dandan Wei
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, 100 Kexue Avenue, Zhengzhou, 450001, Henan, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiaohuan Yang
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, 100 Kexue Avenue, Zhengzhou, 450001, Henan, People's Republic of China
| | - Wei Liao
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, 100 Kexue Avenue, Zhengzhou, 450001, Henan, People's Republic of China
| | - Yinghao Yuchi
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, 100 Kexue Avenue, Zhengzhou, 450001, Henan, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiaotian Liu
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, 100 Kexue Avenue, Zhengzhou, 450001, Henan, People's Republic of China
| | - Wenqian Huo
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, 100 Kexue Avenue, Zhengzhou, 450001, Henan, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhenxing Mao
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, 100 Kexue Avenue, Zhengzhou, 450001, Henan, People's Republic of China
| | - Junlin Liu
- Wuhan Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Wuhan, Hubei, People's Republic of China
| | - Chongjian Wang
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, 100 Kexue Avenue, Zhengzhou, 450001, Henan, People's Republic of China
| | - Jian Hou
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, 100 Kexue Avenue, Zhengzhou, 450001, Henan, People's Republic of China.
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16
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Liu Q, Song L, Fan G, Wu M, Bi J, Xu L, Xiong C, Xia W, Cao Z, Xu S, Wang Y. Associations of self-reported sleep duration and sleep quality during pregnancy with newborn telomere length. Sleep Health 2023; 9:475-481. [PMID: 37230863 DOI: 10.1016/j.sleh.2023.03.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2022] [Revised: 03/01/2023] [Accepted: 03/05/2023] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Telomere length (TL) at birth is considered a potential biomarker for lifelong health. Although maternal sleep disturbance has been linked to a series of adverse pregnancy outcomes, evidence on the effect of maternal sleep on newborn TL remains scarce. Therefore, we aim to investigate the association of maternal sleep duration and sleep quality with newborn TL. METHODS A total of 742 mother-newborn pairs were recruited from Wuhan Children's Hospital between November 2013 and March 2015. Cord blood TL was measured using real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Maternal sleep duration and quality during late pregnancy were obtained via questionnaires. Multivariate linear regression models were used to estimate the effects of maternal sleep duration and sleep quality on newborn TL. RESULTS A total of 742 maternal-newborn pairs were included in the analyses. Mothers sleeping ≥10 hours had a 9.30% (95% CI: 2.09%, 15.99%) shorter newborn TL than those sleeping 7-<9 hours. However, the association in mothers with short sleep duration (<7 hours) did not reach statistical significance. Compared to mothers with good sleep quality, those with poor sleep quality had a 9.91% (95% CI: 4.06%, 15.40%) shorter newborn TL. We observed a joint effect of sleep duration and sleep quality on newborn telomere shortening. Women with sleep duration ≥10 hours and poor sleep quality were most likely to have newborns with short TL (percent change:-19.66%, 95% CI: -28.42, -9.84%). CONCLUSIONS Long sleep duration and poor sleep quality during late pregnancy were associated with shorter newborn TL.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qing Liu
- Department of Maternal and Child Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China; Key Laboratory of Environment and Health, Ministry of Education & Ministry of Environmental Protection, and State Key Laboratory of Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Lulu Song
- Department of Maternal and Child Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China; Key Laboratory of Environment and Health, Ministry of Education & Ministry of Environmental Protection, and State Key Laboratory of Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Gaojie Fan
- Department of Maternal and Child Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China; Key Laboratory of Environment and Health, Ministry of Education & Ministry of Environmental Protection, and State Key Laboratory of Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Mingyang Wu
- Department of Maternal and Child Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China; Key Laboratory of Environment and Health, Ministry of Education & Ministry of Environmental Protection, and State Key Laboratory of Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Jianing Bi
- Department of Maternal and Child Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China; Key Laboratory of Environment and Health, Ministry of Education & Ministry of Environmental Protection, and State Key Laboratory of Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Luli Xu
- Department of Maternal and Child Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China; Key Laboratory of Environment and Health, Ministry of Education & Ministry of Environmental Protection, and State Key Laboratory of Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Chao Xiong
- Wuhan Children's Hospital (Wuhan Maternal and Child Healthcare Hospital), Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Wei Xia
- Key Laboratory of Environment and Health, Ministry of Education & Ministry of Environmental Protection, and State Key Laboratory of Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Zhongqiang Cao
- Wuhan Children's Hospital (Wuhan Maternal and Child Healthcare Hospital), Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Shunqing Xu
- Key Laboratory of Environment and Health, Ministry of Education & Ministry of Environmental Protection, and State Key Laboratory of Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Youjie Wang
- Department of Maternal and Child Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China; Key Laboratory of Environment and Health, Ministry of Education & Ministry of Environmental Protection, and State Key Laboratory of Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China.
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Luo S, Wong ICK, Chui CSL, Zheng J, Huang Y, Schooling CM, Yeung SLA. Effects of putative metformin targets on phenotypic age and leukocyte telomere length: a mendelian randomisation study using data from the UK Biobank. THE LANCET. HEALTHY LONGEVITY 2023; 4:e337-e344. [PMID: 37421961 DOI: 10.1016/s2666-7568(23)00085-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2022] [Revised: 05/15/2023] [Accepted: 05/15/2023] [Indexed: 07/10/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Metformin, a first-line medication for type 2 diabetes, might also have a protective effect against ageing-related diseases, but so far little experimental evidence is available. We sought to assess the target-specific effect of metformin on biomarkers of ageing in the UK Biobank. METHODS In this drug target mendelian randomisation study, we assessed the target-specific effect of four putative targets of metformin (AMPK, ETFDH, GPD1, and PEN2), involving ten genes. Genetic variants with evidence of causation of gene expression, glycated haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), and colocalisation were used as instruments mimicking the target-specific effect of metformin via HbA1c lowering. The biomarkers of ageing considered were phenotypic age (PhenoAge) and leukocyte telomere length. To triangulate the evidence, we also assessed the effect of HbA1c on the outcomes using a polygenic mendelian randomisation design and assessed the effect of metformin use on these outcomes using a cross-sectional observational design. FINDINGS GPD1-induced HbA1c lowering was associated with younger PhenoAge (β -5·26, 95% CI -6·69 to -3·83) and longer leukocyte telomere length (β 0·28, 0·03 to 0·53), and AMPKγ2 (PRKAG2)-induced HbA1c lowering was associated with younger PhenoAge (β -4·88, -7·14 to -2·62) but not with longer leukocyte telomere length. Genetically predicted HbA1c lowering was associated with younger PhenoAge (β -0·96 per SD lowering of HbA1c, 95% CI -1·19 to -0·74) but not associated with leukocyte telomere length. In the propensity score matched analysis, metformin use was associated with younger PhenoAge (β -0·36, 95% CI -0·59 to -0·13) but not with leukocyte telomere length. INTERPRETATION This study provides genetic validation evidence that metformin might promote healthy ageing via targets GPD1 and AMPKγ2 (PRKAG2), and the effect could be in part due to its glycaemic property. Our findings support further clinical research into metformin and longevity. FUNDING Healthy Longevity Catalyst Award, National Academy of Medicine, and Seed Fund for Basic Research, The University of Hong Kong.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shan Luo
- School of Public Health, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China.
| | - Ian Chi Kei Wong
- Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacy, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China; Research Department of Practice and Policy, School of Pharmacy, University College London, London, UK
| | - Celine Sze Ling Chui
- School of Public Health, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China; School of Nursing, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China; Laboratory of Data Discovery for Health, Hong Kong Science and Technology Park, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Jie Zheng
- Department of Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases, Shanghai Institute of Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China; Shanghai National Clinical Research Center for Metabolic Diseases, Key Laboratory for Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases of the National Health Commission of the PR China, Shanghai Key Laboratory for Endocrine Tumor, State Key Laboratory of Medical Genomics, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China; Medical Research Council Integrative Epidemiology Unit, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Yuan Huang
- Hong Kong Quantum AI Lab, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Catherine Mary Schooling
- School of Public Health, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China; School of Public Health and Health Policy, City University of New York, New York, NY, USA
| | - Shiu Lun Au Yeung
- School of Public Health, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
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18
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Sulyok E, Farkas B, Bodis J. Pathomechanisms of Prenatally Programmed Adult Diseases. Antioxidants (Basel) 2023; 12:1354. [PMID: 37507894 PMCID: PMC10376205 DOI: 10.3390/antiox12071354] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2023] [Revised: 06/22/2023] [Accepted: 06/25/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Based on epidemiological observations Barker et al. put forward the hypothesis/concept that an adverse intrauterine environment (involving an insufficient nutrient supply, chronic hypoxia, stress, and toxic substances) is an important risk factor for the development of chronic diseases later in life. The fetus responds to the unfavorable environment with adaptive reactions, which ensure survival in the short run, but at the expense of initiating pathological processes leading to adult diseases. In this review, the major mechanisms (including telomere dysfunction, epigenetic modifications, and cardiovascular-renal-endocrine-metabolic reactions) will be outlined, with a particular emphasis on the role of oxidative stress in the fetal origin of adult diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Endre Sulyok
- National Laboratory on Human Reproduction, University of Pécs, 7624 Pécs, Hungary
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Doctoral School of Health Sciences, University of Pécs, 7624 Pécs, Hungary
- MTA-PTE Human Reproduction Scientific Research Group, 7624 Pécs, Hungary
| | - Balint Farkas
- National Laboratory on Human Reproduction, University of Pécs, 7624 Pécs, Hungary
- MTA-PTE Human Reproduction Scientific Research Group, 7624 Pécs, Hungary
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, School of Medicine, University of Pécs, 7624 Pécs, Hungary
| | - Jozsef Bodis
- National Laboratory on Human Reproduction, University of Pécs, 7624 Pécs, Hungary
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Doctoral School of Health Sciences, University of Pécs, 7624 Pécs, Hungary
- MTA-PTE Human Reproduction Scientific Research Group, 7624 Pécs, Hungary
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, School of Medicine, University of Pécs, 7624 Pécs, Hungary
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19
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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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20
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Meesters M, Van Eetvelde M, Martens DS, Nawrot TS, Dewulf M, Govaere J, Opsomer G. Prenatal environment impacts telomere length in newborn dairy heifers. Sci Rep 2023; 13:4672. [PMID: 36949104 PMCID: PMC10033676 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-31943-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2022] [Accepted: 03/20/2023] [Indexed: 03/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Telomere length is associated with longevity and survival in multiple species. In human population-based studies, multiple prenatal factors have been described to be associated with a newborn's telomere length. In the present study, we measured relative leukocyte telomere length in 210 Holstein Friesian heifers, within the first ten days of life. The dam's age, parity, and milk production parameters, as well as environmental factors during gestation were assessed for their potential effect on telomere length. We found that for both primi- and multiparous dams, the telomere length was 1.16% shorter for each day increase in the calf's age at sampling (P = 0.017). The dam's age at parturition (P = 0.045), and the median temperature-humidity index (THI) during the third trimester of gestation (P = 0.006) were also negatively associated with the calves' TL. Investigating multiparous dams separately, only the calf's age at sampling was significantly and negatively associated with the calves' TL (P = 0.025). Results of the present study support the hypothesis that in cattle, early life telomere length is influenced by prenatal factors. Furthermore, the results suggest that selecting heifers born in winter out of young dams might contribute to increased longevity in dairy cattle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maya Meesters
- Department of Internal Medicine, Reproduction and Population Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium.
| | - Mieke Van Eetvelde
- Department of Internal Medicine, Reproduction and Population Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium
| | - Dries S Martens
- Centre for Environmental Sciences, Hasselt University, Diepenbeek, Belgium
| | - Tim S Nawrot
- Centre for Environmental Sciences, Hasselt University, Diepenbeek, Belgium
- Research Unit Environment and Health, Department of Public Health & Primary Care, Leuven University, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Manon Dewulf
- Department of Internal Medicine, Reproduction and Population Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium
| | - Jan Govaere
- Department of Internal Medicine, Reproduction and Population Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium
| | - Geert Opsomer
- Department of Internal Medicine, Reproduction and Population Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium
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21
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Longitudinal telomere dynamics within natural lifespans of a wild bird. Sci Rep 2023; 13:4272. [PMID: 36922555 PMCID: PMC10017829 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-31435-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2022] [Accepted: 03/11/2023] [Indexed: 03/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Telomeres, the nucleotide sequences that protect the ends of eukaryotic chromosomes, shorten with each cell division and telomere loss may be influenced by environmental factors. Telomere length (TL) decreases with age in several species, but little is known about the sources of genetic and environmental variation in the change in TL (∆TL) in wild animals. In this study, we tracked changes in TL throughout the natural lifespan (from a few months to almost 9 years) of free-living house sparrows (Passer domesticus) in two different island populations. TL was measured in nestlings and subsequently up to four times during their lifetime. TL generally decreased with age (senescence), but we also observed instances of telomere lengthening within individuals. We found some evidence for selective disappearance of individuals with shorter telomeres through life. Early-life TL positively predicted later-life TL, but the within-individual repeatability in TL was low (9.2%). Using genetic pedigrees, we found a moderate heritability of ∆TL (h2 = 0.21), which was higher than the heritabilities of early-life TL (h2 = 0.14) and later-life TL measurements (h2 = 0.15). Cohort effects explained considerable proportions of variation in early-life TL (60%), later-life TL (53%), and ∆TL (37%), which suggests persistent impacts of the early-life environment on lifelong telomere dynamics. Individual changes in TL were independent of early-life TL. Finally, there was weak evidence for population differences in ∆TL that may be linked to ecological differences in habitat types. Combined, our results show that individual telomere biology is highly dynamic and influenced by both genetic and environmental variation in natural conditions.
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22
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Liu Y, Song L, Wu M, Bi J, Wang L, Liu Q, Xiong C, Cao Z, Xu S, Wang Y. Association between rare earth element exposure during pregnancy and newborn telomere length. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2023; 30:38751-38760. [PMID: 36586020 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-022-24958-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2022] [Accepted: 12/20/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Telomere length (TL) is considered a marker of biological aging and lifetime health, and some epidemiological studies report that the environmental exposures may influence TL at birth. We aimed to investigate the associations between prenatal rare earth elements (REE) exposure and newborn TL. A total of 587 mother-newborn pairs were recruited during 2013 to 2015 in Wuhan, China. Maternal urinary concentrations of REE collected during three trimesters were measured by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction was used to measure relative cord blood TL. The trimester-specific associations between prenatal REE exposure and cord blood TL were evaluated using multiple informant models. Weighted quantile sum regression was used to estimate the mixture effect of urinary REE on cord blood TL. After adjustment for potential confounders, per doubling of urinary REE (Dy, Yb, Pr, Nd, and Tm) concentrations (μg/g creatinine) during the second trimester was respectively associated with 1.94% (95% CI 0.19%, 3.72%), 2.10% (95% CI 0.31%, 3.92%), 2.11% (95% CI 0.35%, 3.89%), 2.08% (95% CI 0.01%, 4.20%), and 1.38% (95% CI 0.09%, 2.70%) increase in cord blood TL. Furthermore, exposure to the mixture of REE during the second trimester was also significantly associated with increased cord blood TL (percent change 1.20%, 95% CI 0.30%, 2.11%). However, these associations were not statistically significant in the first and third trimesters. This study provides new evidence on the potential effect of prenatal REE exposure on the initial (newborn) setting of offspring's telomere biology. Further epidemiological studies are warranted to confirm our findings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yunyun Liu
- Department of Maternal and Child Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Hangkong Road 13, Wuhan, 430030, Hubei, China
- Key Laboratory of Environment and Health, Ministry of Education & Ministry of Environmental Protection, State Key Laboratory of Environmental Health (Incubation), School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
- Department of Clinical and Public Health, School of Health and Rehabilitation, Jiangsu College of Nursing, Huai'an, Jiangsu, China
| | - Lulu Song
- Department of Maternal and Child Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Hangkong Road 13, Wuhan, 430030, Hubei, China
- Key Laboratory of Environment and Health, Ministry of Education & Ministry of Environmental Protection, State Key Laboratory of Environmental Health (Incubation), School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Mingyang Wu
- Department of Maternal and Child Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Hangkong Road 13, Wuhan, 430030, Hubei, China
- Key Laboratory of Environment and Health, Ministry of Education & Ministry of Environmental Protection, State Key Laboratory of Environmental Health (Incubation), School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Jianing Bi
- Department of Maternal and Child Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Hangkong Road 13, Wuhan, 430030, Hubei, China
- Key Laboratory of Environment and Health, Ministry of Education & Ministry of Environmental Protection, State Key Laboratory of Environmental Health (Incubation), School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Lulin Wang
- Department of Maternal and Child Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Hangkong Road 13, Wuhan, 430030, Hubei, China
- Key Laboratory of Environment and Health, Ministry of Education & Ministry of Environmental Protection, State Key Laboratory of Environmental Health (Incubation), School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Qing Liu
- Department of Maternal and Child Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Hangkong Road 13, Wuhan, 430030, Hubei, China
- Key Laboratory of Environment and Health, Ministry of Education & Ministry of Environmental Protection, State Key Laboratory of Environmental Health (Incubation), School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Chao Xiong
- Wuhan Children's Hospital (Wuhan Maternal and Child Healthcare Hospital), Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Zhongqiang Cao
- Wuhan Children's Hospital (Wuhan Maternal and Child Healthcare Hospital), Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Shunqing Xu
- Key Laboratory of Environment and Health, Ministry of Education & Ministry of Environmental Protection, State Key Laboratory of Environmental Health (Incubation), School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Youjie Wang
- Department of Maternal and Child Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Hangkong Road 13, Wuhan, 430030, Hubei, China.
- Key Laboratory of Environment and Health, Ministry of Education & Ministry of Environmental Protection, State Key Laboratory of Environmental Health (Incubation), School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China.
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23
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López-Armas GDC, Ramos-Márquez ME, Navarro-Meza M, Macías-Islas MÁ, Saldaña-Cruz AM, Zepeda-Moreno A, Siller-López F, Cruz-Ramos JA. Leukocyte Telomere Length Predicts Severe Disability in Relapsing-Remitting Multiple Sclerosis and Correlates with Mitochondrial DNA Copy Number. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24020916. [PMID: 36674427 PMCID: PMC9862686 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24020916] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2022] [Revised: 12/12/2022] [Accepted: 12/21/2022] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic autoimmune inflammatory disease that affects the nervous system. Peripheral blood leukocyte telomere length (LTL) and mitochondrial DNA copy number (mtDNA-CN) are potential biomarkers of neurological disability and neural damage. Our objective was to assess the LTL and mtDNA-CN in relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS). We included 10 healthy controls, 75 patients with RRMS, 50 of whom had an Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) from 0 to 3 (mild to moderate disability), and 25 had an EDSS of 3.5 to 7 (severe disability). We use the Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction (qPCR) technique to quantify absolute LTL and absolute mtDNA-CN. ANOVA test show differences between healthy control vs. severe disability RRMS and mild-moderate RRMS vs. severe disability RRMS (p = 0.0130). LTL and mtDNA-CN showed a linear correlation in mild-moderate disability RRMS (r = 0.378, p = 0.007). Furthermore, we analyzed LTL between RRMS groups with a ROC curve, and LTL can predict severe disability (AUC = 0.702, p = 0.0018, cut-off < 3.0875 Kb, sensitivity = 75%, specificity = 62%), whereas the prediction is improved with a logistic regression model including LTL plus age (AUC = 0.762, p = 0.0001, sensitivity = 79.17%, specificity = 80%). These results show that LTL is a biomarker of disability in RRMS and is correlated with mtDNA-CN in mild-moderate RRMS patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriela del Carmen López-Armas
- Laboratorio de Biomédica-Mecatrónica, Subdirección de Investigación y Extensión, Centro de Enseñanza Técnica Industrial Plantel Colomos, Guadalajara 44638, Mexico
| | - Martha Eloisa Ramos-Márquez
- Departamento de Biología Molecular y Genómica, Centro Universitario de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad de Guadalajara, Guadalajara 44340, Mexico
| | - Mónica Navarro-Meza
- Laboratorio C. de Neuronutrición y Memoria, Departamento de Promoción, Preservación y Desarrollo de la Salud, Centro Universitario del Sur, Universidad de Guadalajara, Ciudad Guzmán 49000, Mexico
| | - Miguel Ángel Macías-Islas
- Departamento de Neurociencias, Centro Universitario de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad de Guadalajara, Guadalajara 44340, Mexico
| | - Ana Miriam Saldaña-Cruz
- Departamento de Fisiología, Centro Universitario de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad de Guadalajara, Guadalajara 44340, Mexico
| | - Abraham Zepeda-Moreno
- Departamento de Clínicas de la Reproducción Humana, Centro Universitario de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad de Guadalajara, Guadalajara 44340, Mexico
| | - Fernando Siller-López
- Programa de Bacteriología, Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Católica de Manizales, Manizales 170002, Colombia
| | - José Alfonso Cruz-Ramos
- Departamento de Clínicas Médicas, Centro Universitario de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad de Guadalajara, Guadalajara 44340, Mexico
- Coordinación de Investigación, Instituto Jalisciense de Cancerología, Guadalajara 44280, Mexico
- Correspondence:
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24
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Tang P, He W, Shao Y, Liu B, Huang H, Liang J, Liao Q, Tang Y, Mo M, Zhou Y, Li H, Huang D, Liu S, Zeng X, Qiu X. Associations between prenatal multiple plasma metal exposure and newborn telomere length: Effect modification by maternal age and infant sex. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2022; 315:120451. [PMID: 36270567 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2022.120451] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2022] [Revised: 09/14/2022] [Accepted: 10/14/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Exposure to metals during pregnancy may affect maternal and infant health. However, studies on the combined effects of metals on the telomere length (TL) of newborns are limited. A prospective cohort study was conducted among 1313 mother-newborn pairs in the Guangxi Zhuang Birth Cohort. The concentrations of metals in maternal plasma during the first trimester were measured using inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry. We explored the associations between nine plasma metals and newborn TL using generalized linear models (GLMs), principal component analysis (PCA), quantile g-computation (qgcomp), and Bayesian kernel machine regression (BKMR). The GLMs revealed the inverse association between plasma arsenic (percent change, -5.56%; 95% CI: -7.69%, -3.38%) and barium concentrations (-9.84%; 95% CI: -13.81%, -5.68%) and newborn TL. Lead levels were related to significant decreases in newborn TL only in females. The PCA revealed a negative association between the PC3 and newborn TL (-4.52%; 95% CI: -6.34%, -2.68%). In the BKMR, the joint effect of metals was negatively associated with newborn TL. Qgcomp indicated that each one-tertile increase in metal mixture levels was associated with shorter newborn TL (-9.39%; 95% CI: -14.32%, -4.18%). The single and joint effects of multiple metals were more pronounced among pregnant women carrying female fetuses and among pregnant women <28 years of age. The finding suggests that prenatal exposure to arsenic, barium, antimony, and lead and mixed metals may shorten newborn TLs. The relationship between metal exposures and newborn TL may exhibit heterogeneities according to infant sex and maternal age.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peng Tang
- Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, School of Public Health, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, 530021, Guangxi, China
| | - Wanting He
- Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, School of Public Health, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, 530021, Guangxi, China
| | - Yantao Shao
- The Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, 530031, Guangxi, China
| | - Bihu Liu
- Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, School of Public Health, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, 530021, Guangxi, China
| | - Huishen Huang
- Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, School of Public Health, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, 530021, Guangxi, China
| | - Jun Liang
- Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, School of Public Health, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, 530021, Guangxi, China
| | - Qian Liao
- Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, School of Public Health, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, 530021, Guangxi, China
| | - Ying Tang
- Department of Sanitary Chemistry, School of Public Health, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, 530021, Guangxi, China
| | - Meile Mo
- Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, School of Public Health, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, 530021, Guangxi, China
| | - Yong Zhou
- School of Public Health, Xiangnan University, Chenzhou, 423000, China
| | - Han Li
- Department of Sanitary Chemistry, School of Public Health, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, 530021, Guangxi, China
| | - Dongping Huang
- Department of Sanitary Chemistry, School of Public Health, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, 530021, Guangxi, China
| | - Shun Liu
- Department of Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health, School of Public Health, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, 530021, Guangxi, China
| | - Xiaoyun Zeng
- Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, School of Public Health, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, 530021, Guangxi, China
| | - Xiaoqiang Qiu
- Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, School of Public Health, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, 530021, Guangxi, China.
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25
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Martinez D, Lavebratt C, Millischer V, de Jesus R. de Paula V, Pires T, Michelon L, Camilo C, Esteban N, Pereira A, Schalling M, Vallada H. Shorter telomere length and suicidal ideation in familial bipolar disorder. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0275999. [PMID: 36469522 PMCID: PMC9721487 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0275999] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2022] [Accepted: 09/27/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Bipolar Disorder (BD) has recently been related to a process of accelerated aging, with shortened leukocyte telomere length (LTL) in this population. It has also been observed that the suicide rate in BD patients is higher than in the general population, and more recently the telomere length variation has been described as shorter in suicide completers compared with control subjects. Objectives The aim of the present study was to investigate if there is an association between LTL and BD in families where two or more members have BD including clinical symptomatology variables, along with suicide behavior. Methods Telomere length and single copy gene ratio (T/S ratio) was measured using quantitative polymerase chain reaction in a sample of 143 relatives from 22 families, of which 60 had BD. The statistical analysis was performed with a polygenic mixed model. Results LTL was associated with suicidal ideation (p = 0.02) as that there is an interaction between suicidal ideation and course of the disorder (p = 0.02). The estimated heritability for LTL in these families was 0.68. In addition, covariates that relate to severity of disease, i.e. suicidal ideation and course of the disorder, showed an association with shorter LTL in BD patients. No difference in LTL between BD patients and healthy relatives was observed. Conclusion LTL are shorter in subjects with familial BD suggesting that stress related sub-phenotypes possibly accelerate the process of cellular aging and correlate with disease severity and suicidal ideation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniela Martinez
- Departamento & Instituto de Psiquiatria, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil
- Center for Molecular Medicine, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
- Laboratório de Genética e Cardiologia Molecular, Instituto do Coração, Faculdade de Medicina FMUSP, Universidade de Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Catharina Lavebratt
- Center for Molecular Medicine, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Surgery, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Vincent Millischer
- Center for Molecular Medicine, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Surgery, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Vanessa de Jesus R. de Paula
- Departamento & Instituto de Psiquiatria, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Thiago Pires
- Laboratório de Genética e Cardiologia Molecular, Instituto do Coração, Faculdade de Medicina FMUSP, Universidade de Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Leandro Michelon
- Departamento & Instituto de Psiquiatria, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Caroline Camilo
- Departamento & Instituto de Psiquiatria, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Nubia Esteban
- Laboratório de Genética e Cardiologia Molecular, Instituto do Coração, Faculdade de Medicina FMUSP, Universidade de Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Alexandre Pereira
- Laboratório de Genética e Cardiologia Molecular, Instituto do Coração, Faculdade de Medicina FMUSP, Universidade de Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Martin Schalling
- Departamento & Instituto de Psiquiatria, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil
- Center for Molecular Medicine, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Surgery, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Homero Vallada
- Departamento & Instituto de Psiquiatria, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil
- Center for Molecular Medicine, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Surgery, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
- * E-mail:
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26
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Vedder O, Moiron M, Bichet C, Bauch C, Verhulst S, Becker PH, Bouwhuis S. Telomere length is heritable and genetically correlated with lifespan in a wild bird. Mol Ecol 2022; 31:6297-6307. [PMID: 33460462 DOI: 10.1111/mec.15807] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2020] [Revised: 12/18/2020] [Accepted: 01/08/2021] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
Telomeres are protective caps at the end of eukaryotic chromosomes that shorten with age and in response to stressful or resource-demanding conditions. Their length predicts individual health and lifespan across a wide range of animals, but whether the observed positive association between telomere length and lifespan is environmentally induced, or set at conception due to a shared genetic basis, has not been tested in wild animals. We applied quantitative genetic "animal models" to longitudinal telomere measurements collected over a 10-year period from individuals of a wild seabird (common tern; Sterna hirundo) with known pedigree. We found no variation in telomere shortening with age among individuals at the phenotypic and genetic level, and only a small permanent environmental effect on adult telomere length. Instead, we found telomere length to be highly heritable and strongly positively genetically correlated with lifespan. Such heritable differences between individuals that are set at conception may present a hitherto underappreciated component of variation in somatic state.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oscar Vedder
- Institute of Avian Research, Wilhelmshaven, Germany.,Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Maria Moiron
- Institute of Avian Research, Wilhelmshaven, Germany.,CEFE, Univ Montpellier, CNRS, EPHE, IRD, Univ Paul Valéry Montpellier 3, Montpellier, France
| | | | - Christina Bauch
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Simon Verhulst
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands
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27
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Libertini G, Corbi G, Shubernetskaya O, Ferrara N. Is Human Aging a Form of Phenoptosis? BIOCHEMISTRY. BIOKHIMIIA 2022; 87:1446-1464. [PMID: 36717439 DOI: 10.1134/s0006297922120033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
A much debated question is whether aging is the cumulative consequence of degenerative factors insufficiently opposed by natural selection, or, on the contrary, an ordered process, genetically determined and regulated, modeled by natural selection, and for which the definition of phenoptotic phenomenon would be entirely appropriate. In this review, theoretical arguments and empirical data about the two hypotheses are exposed, with more evidence in support of the thesis of aging as a form of phenoptosis. However, as the thesis of aging as an adaptive and programmed phenomenon necessarily requires the existence of specific mechanisms that determine to age, such as the subtelomere-telomere theory proposed for this purpose, the evidence supporting the mechanisms described by this theory is reported. In particular, it is highlighted that the recent interpretation of the role of TERRA sequences in the context of subtelomere-telomere theory is a fundamental point in supporting the hypothesized mechanisms. Furthermore, some characteristics of the mechanisms proposed by the theory, such as epigenetic modifications in aging, gradual cell senescence, cell senescence, limits in cell duplications, and fixed size of the telomeric heterochromatin hood, are exposed in their compatibility with both the thesis of aging as phenoptotic phenomenon and the opposite thesis. In short, aging as a form of phenoptosis appears a scientifically sound hypothesis while the opposite thesis should clarify the meaning of various phenomena that appear to invalidate it.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giacinto Libertini
- Italian Society for Evolutionary Biology (SIBE), Asti, 14100, Italy. .,Department of Translational Medical Sciences, Federico II University of Naples, Naples, 80131, Italy
| | - Graziamaria Corbi
- Department of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Molise, Campobasso, 86100, Italy. .,Italian Society of Gerontology and Geriatrics (SIGG), Firenze, 50129, Italy
| | - Olga Shubernetskaya
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Moscow, 117997, Russia.
| | - Nicola Ferrara
- Department of Translational Medical Sciences, Federico II University of Naples, Naples, 80131, Italy. .,Istituti Clinici Scientifici Maugeri SPA - Società Benefit, IRCCS, Telese Terme, BN, 82037, Italy
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28
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Bauch C, Boonekamp JJ, Korsten P, Mulder E, Verhulst S. High heritability of telomere length and low heritability of telomere shortening in wild birds. Mol Ecol 2022; 31:6308-6323. [PMID: 34532917 PMCID: PMC9787985 DOI: 10.1111/mec.16183] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2020] [Revised: 08/06/2021] [Accepted: 09/08/2021] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
Telomere length and telomere shortening predict survival in many organisms. This raises the question of the contribution of genetic and environmental effects to variation in these traits, which is still poorly known, particularly for telomere shortening. We used experimental (cross-fostering) and statistical (quantitative genetic "animal models") means to disentangle and estimate genetic and environmental contributions to telomere length variation in pedigreed free-living jackdaws (Corvus monedula). Telomere length was measured twice in nestlings, at ages 4 (n = 715) and 29 days (n = 474), using telomere restriction fragment (TRF) analysis, adapted to exclude interstitial telomeric sequences. Telomere length shortened significantly over the nestling period (10.4 ± 0.3 bp day-1 ) and was highly phenotypically (rP = 0.95 ± 0.01) and genetically (rG > 0.99 ± 0.01) correlated within individuals. Additive genetic effects explained a major part of telomere length variation among individuals, with its heritability estimated at h2 = 0.74 on average. We note that TRF-based studies reported higher heritabilities than qPCR-based studies, and we discuss possible explanations. Parent-offspring regressions yielded similar heritability estimates for mothers and fathers when accounting for changes in paternal telomere length over life. Year effects explained a small but significant part of telomere length variation. Heritable variation for telomere shortening was low (h2 = 0.09 ± 0.11). The difference in heritability between telomere length (high) and telomere shortening (low) agrees with evolutionary theory, in that telomere shortening has stronger fitness consequences in this population. Despite the high heritability of telomere length, its evolvability, which scales the additive genetic variance by mean telomere length, was on average 0.48%. Hence, evolutionary change of telomere length due to selection is likely to be slow.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christina Bauch
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life SciencesUniversity of GroningenGroningenThe Netherlands
| | - Jelle J. Boonekamp
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life SciencesUniversity of GroningenGroningenThe Netherlands,Present address:
Institute of Biodiversity Animal Health & Comparative MedicineCollege of Medical, Veterinary and Life SciencesUniversity of GlasgowGlasgowUK
| | - Peter Korsten
- Department of Animal BehaviourBielefeld UniversityBielefeldGermany
| | - Ellis Mulder
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life SciencesUniversity of GroningenGroningenThe Netherlands
| | - Simon Verhulst
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life SciencesUniversity of GroningenGroningenThe Netherlands
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29
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He D, Meng P, Li C, Jia Y, Wen Y, Pan C, Zhang Z, Zhang J, Zhang H, Chen Y, Zhao Y, Qin X, Cai Q, Wei W, Shi S, Chu X, Zhang N, Zhang F. Association between telomere length and insomnia: A mendelian randomization and colocalization study. Sleep Med 2022; 100:304-310. [PMID: 36182724 DOI: 10.1016/j.sleep.2022.09.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2022] [Revised: 08/09/2022] [Accepted: 09/06/2022] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Previous studies have suggested a potential association between sleep and telomere length (TL), but its genetic basis remains unclear. In this study, we aimed to explore the genetic correlation and potential causal association between TL and insomnia. METHODS The genome-wide association study (GWAS) datasets of TL and insomnia-related traits were used, including insomnia, snoring, daytime dozing and napping. Based on the polygenic risk scores (PRS) of TL, linear regression and linkage disequilibrium score (LDSC) regression were used to preliminarily explore the association between TL and insomnia parameters in the UK Biobank cohort. Then, we investigated the causal association between TL and insomnia by mendelian randomization (MR) analysis and colocalization analysis. RESULTS In the UK Biobank cohort, the association between TL and insomnia was observed in the female samples (t = 2.968, P = 3.00 × 10-3). LDSC detected a genetic correlation between short TL and insomnia (Rg = -9.27 × 10-2, P = 8.00 × 10-4). We found no evidence supporting significant causal association between insomnia and TL in IVW method (b = -5.95 × 10-3, P = 0.57), with horizontal pleiotropy and heterogeneity tests indicating the validity of our MR study. Finally, rs12638862 was classified as colocalized by COLOC (PP4 = 0.99), and TERC may be involved in regulating the association between insomnia and TL. CONCLUSIONS Our study found no evidence for causal association between insomnia and TL in individuals of European ancestry. We detected a candidate gene associated with both insomnia and TL, providing novel clues for understanding the roles of this association.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dan He
- Key Laboratory of Trace Elements and Endemic Diseases, National Health and Family Planning Commission, School of Public Health, Health Science Center, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
| | - Peilin Meng
- Key Laboratory of Trace Elements and Endemic Diseases, National Health and Family Planning Commission, School of Public Health, Health Science Center, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
| | - Chun'e Li
- Key Laboratory of Trace Elements and Endemic Diseases, National Health and Family Planning Commission, School of Public Health, Health Science Center, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
| | - Yumeng Jia
- Key Laboratory of Trace Elements and Endemic Diseases, National Health and Family Planning Commission, School of Public Health, Health Science Center, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
| | - Yan Wen
- Key Laboratory of Trace Elements and Endemic Diseases, National Health and Family Planning Commission, School of Public Health, Health Science Center, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
| | - Chuyu Pan
- Key Laboratory of Trace Elements and Endemic Diseases, National Health and Family Planning Commission, School of Public Health, Health Science Center, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
| | - Zhen Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Trace Elements and Endemic Diseases, National Health and Family Planning Commission, School of Public Health, Health Science Center, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
| | - Jingxi Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Trace Elements and Endemic Diseases, National Health and Family Planning Commission, School of Public Health, Health Science Center, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
| | - Huijie Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Trace Elements and Endemic Diseases, National Health and Family Planning Commission, School of Public Health, Health Science Center, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
| | - Yujing Chen
- Key Laboratory of Trace Elements and Endemic Diseases, National Health and Family Planning Commission, School of Public Health, Health Science Center, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
| | - Yijing Zhao
- Key Laboratory of Trace Elements and Endemic Diseases, National Health and Family Planning Commission, School of Public Health, Health Science Center, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
| | - Xiaoyue Qin
- Key Laboratory of Trace Elements and Endemic Diseases, National Health and Family Planning Commission, School of Public Health, Health Science Center, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
| | - Qingqing Cai
- Key Laboratory of Trace Elements and Endemic Diseases, National Health and Family Planning Commission, School of Public Health, Health Science Center, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
| | - Wenming Wei
- Key Laboratory of Trace Elements and Endemic Diseases, National Health and Family Planning Commission, School of Public Health, Health Science Center, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
| | - Sirong Shi
- Key Laboratory of Trace Elements and Endemic Diseases, National Health and Family Planning Commission, School of Public Health, Health Science Center, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
| | - Xiaoge Chu
- Key Laboratory of Trace Elements and Endemic Diseases, National Health and Family Planning Commission, School of Public Health, Health Science Center, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
| | - Na Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Trace Elements and Endemic Diseases, National Health and Family Planning Commission, School of Public Health, Health Science Center, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
| | - Feng Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Trace Elements and Endemic Diseases, National Health and Family Planning Commission, School of Public Health, Health Science Center, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China.
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30
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Bolhuis E, Belsky J, Frankenhuis WE, Shalev I, Hastings WJ, Tollenaar MS, O’Donnell KJ, McGill MG, Pokhvisneva I, Lin DT, MacIsaac JL, Kobor MS, de Weerth C, Beijers R. Attachment insecurity and the biological embedding of reproductive strategies: Investigating the role of cellular aging. Biol Psychol 2022; 175:108446. [DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsycho.2022.108446] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2021] [Revised: 10/15/2022] [Accepted: 10/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
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31
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Castro-Diehl C, Smith JA, Zhao W, Wang X, Mukherjee B, Seeman T, Needham BL. Prediction of telomere length and telomere attrition using a genetic risk score: The multi-ethnic study of atherosclerosis (MESA). FRONTIERS IN AGING 2022; 3:1021051. [PMID: 36304436 PMCID: PMC9592760 DOI: 10.3389/fragi.2022.1021051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2022] [Accepted: 09/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Background: Short telomere length (TL) and telomere attrition (TA) have been associated with age-related diseases. Objective: We assessed whether a genetic risk score for short TL (GRS-TL) combining seven TL-associated genetic variants identified in a European-ancestry genome-wide association study (GWAS) was associated with TL and TA over 10 years. Methods: Relative TL (T/S ratio) was measured by the quantitative polymerase chain reaction method for a sample of white, African American, and Hispanic participants, who attended Exam 1 and/or 5 of the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA). Our final sample included 1,227 participants for the TL analysis and 1,138 for the TA analysis. Participants were 45-84 years at Exam 1. We used a linear mixed effects model and adjusted for age, sex, and population structure. Models were stratified by race/ethnicity. Results: In the TL analysis, higher GRS-TL significantly predicted shorter TL (estimates = -0.18 [S.E. = 0.08], p = 0.02 for white; -0.18 [0.07], p < 0.01 for African American; and -0.13 [0.05], p = 0.02 for Hispanic) in fully adjusted models. In the TA analysis, no association between GRS-TL and TA over 10 years was found. Conclusion: Although GRS-TL was developed in European-ancestry populations, it was significantly associated with TL (but not TA) in all three race/ethnic groups examined.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cecilia Castro-Diehl
- Section of Preventive Medicine and Epidemiology, Department of Medicine, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, United States,*Correspondence: Cecilia Castro-Diehl,
| | - Jennifer A. Smith
- Department of Epidemiology and Center for Social Epidemiology and Population Health, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States,Survey Research Center, Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
| | - Wei Zhao
- Department of Epidemiology and Center for Social Epidemiology and Population Health, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
| | - Xu Wang
- Department of Biostatistics, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Bhramar Mukherjee
- Department of Biostatistics, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
| | - Teresa Seeman
- Department of Medicine, Division of Geriatrics, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Belinda L. Needham
- Department of Epidemiology and Center for Social Epidemiology and Population Health, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
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32
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Aviv A. The bullwhip effect, T-cell telomeres, and SARS-CoV-2. THE LANCET. HEALTHY LONGEVITY 2022; 3:e715-e721. [PMID: 36202131 PMCID: PMC9529217 DOI: 10.1016/s2666-7568(22)00190-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2022] [Revised: 08/02/2022] [Accepted: 08/04/2022] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Both myeloid cells, which contribute to innate immunity, and lymphoid cells, which dominate adaptive immunity, partake in defending against SARS-CoV-2. In response to the virus, the otherwise slow haematopoietic production supply chain quickly unleashes its preconfigured myeloid element, which largely resists a bullwhip-like effect. By contrast, the lymphoid element risks a bullwhip-like effect when it produces T cells and B cells that are specifically designed to clear the virus. As T-cell production is telomere-length dependent and telomeres shorten with age, older adults are at higher risk of a T-cell shortfall when contracting SARS-CoV-2 than are younger adults. A poorly calibrated adaptive immune response, stemming from a bullwhip-like effect, compounded by a T-cell deficit, might thus contribute to the propensity of people with inherently short T-cell telomeres to develop severe COVID-19. The immune systems of these individuals might also generate an inadequate T-cell response to anti-SARS-CoV-2 vaccination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abraham Aviv
- Center of Human Development and Aging, New Jersey Medical School, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Newark, NJ, USA.
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33
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Valera-Gran D, Prieto-Botella D, Hurtado-Pomares M, Baladia E, Petermann-Rocha F, Sánchez-Pérez A, Navarrete-Muñoz EM. The Impact of Foods, Nutrients, or Dietary Patterns on Telomere Length in Childhood and Adolescence: A Systematic Review. Nutrients 2022; 14:nu14193885. [PMID: 36235538 PMCID: PMC9570627 DOI: 10.3390/nu14193885] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2022] [Revised: 09/15/2022] [Accepted: 09/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Environmental factors such as diet can affect telomere length (TL) dynamics. However, the role that children’s and adolescents’ diets play in maintaining TL is not well understood. Thus, we conducted a systematic review to examine the association between the intake of nutrients, foods, food groups, and/or dietary patterns and TL in childhood and adolescence. Following the PRISMA guidelines, we searched MEDLINE via PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane databases and additional registers and methods. The five selected studies were cross-sectional and conducted in children and adolescents aged 2 to 18 years. The main results suggest that a higher consumption of fish, nuts and seeds, fruits and vegetables, green leafy and cruciferous vegetables, olives, legumes, polyunsaturated fatty acids, and an antioxidant-rich diet might positively affect TL. On the contrary, a higher intake of dairy products, simple sugar, sugar-sweetened beverages, cereals, especially white bread, and a diet high in glycaemic load were factors associated with TL shortening. To our knowledge, this is the first systematic review examining the impact of dietary intake factors on TL in childhood and adolescence. Although limited, these results are consistent with previous studies in different adult populations. Further research is needed to ascertain potential nutritional determinants of TL in childhood and adolescence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Desirée Valera-Gran
- Grupo de Investigación en Terapia Ocupacional (InTeO), Department of Surgery and Pathology, Miguel Hernández University, 03550 Alicante, Spain
- Correspondence: (D.V.-G.); (A.S.-P.); Tel.: +34-965-233-705 (D.V.-G.)
| | - Daniel Prieto-Botella
- Grupo de Investigación en Terapia Ocupacional (InTeO), Department of Surgery and Pathology, Miguel Hernández University, 03550 Alicante, Spain
| | - Miriam Hurtado-Pomares
- Grupo de Investigación en Terapia Ocupacional (InTeO), Department of Surgery and Pathology, Miguel Hernández University, 03550 Alicante, Spain
| | - Eduard Baladia
- Centro de Análisis de la Evidencia Científica, Academia Española de Nutrición y Dietética, 08007 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Fanny Petermann-Rocha
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Diego Portales, Santiago 8370109, Chile
| | - Alicia Sánchez-Pérez
- Grupo de Investigación en Terapia Ocupacional (InTeO), Department of Surgery and Pathology, Miguel Hernández University, 03550 Alicante, Spain
- Alicante Institute for Health and Biomedical Research (ISABIAL-FISABIO Foundation), 03010 Alicante, Spain
- Correspondence: (D.V.-G.); (A.S.-P.); Tel.: +34-965-233-705 (D.V.-G.)
| | - Eva-María Navarrete-Muñoz
- Grupo de Investigación en Terapia Ocupacional (InTeO), Department of Surgery and Pathology, Miguel Hernández University, 03550 Alicante, Spain
- Alicante Institute for Health and Biomedical Research (ISABIAL-FISABIO Foundation), 03010 Alicante, Spain
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34
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Jung J, McCartney DL, Wagner J, Rosoff DB, Schwandt M, Sun H, Wiers CE, de Carvalho LM, Volkow ND, Walker RM, Campbell A, Porteous DJ, McIntosh AM, Marioni RE, Horvath S, Evans KL, Lohoff FW. Alcohol use disorder is associated with DNA methylation-based shortening of telomere length and regulated by TESPA1: implications for aging. Mol Psychiatry 2022; 27:3875-3884. [PMID: 35705636 PMCID: PMC9708583 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-022-01624-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2021] [Revised: 04/27/2022] [Accepted: 05/11/2022] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Chronic heavy alcohol consumption is associated with increased mortality and morbidity and often leads to premature aging; however, the mechanisms of alcohol-associated cellular aging are not well understood. In this study, we used DNA methylation derived telomere length (DNAmTL) as a novel approach to investigate the role of alcohol use on the aging process. DNAmTL was estimated by 140 cytosine phosphate guanines (CpG) sites in 372 individuals with alcohol use disorder (AUD) and 243 healthy controls (HC) and assessed using various endophenotypes and clinical biomarkers. Validation in an independent sample of DNAmTL on alcohol consumption was performed (N = 4219). Exploratory genome-wide association studies (GWAS) on DNAmTL were also performed to identify genetic variants contributing to DNAmTL shortening. Top GWAS findings were analyzed using in-silico expression quantitative trait loci analyses and related to structural MRI hippocampus volumes of individuals with AUD. DNAmTL was 0.11-kilobases shorter per year in AUD compared to HC after adjustment for age, sex, race, and blood cell composition (p = 4.0 × 10-12). This association was partially attenuated but remained significant after additionally adjusting for BMI, and smoking status (0.06 kilobases shorter per year, p = 0.002). DNAmTL shortening was strongly associated with chronic heavy alcohol use (ps < 0.001), elevated gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT), and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) (ps < 0.004). Comparison of DNAmTL with PCR-based methods of assessing TL revealed positive correlations (R = 0.3, p = 2.2 × 10-5), highlighting the accuracy of DNAmTL as a biomarker. The GWAS meta-analysis identified a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP), rs4374022 and 18 imputed ones in Thymocyte Expressed, Positive Selection Associated 1(TESPA1), at the genome-wide level (p = 3.75 × 10-8). The allele C of rs4374022 was associated with DNAmTL shortening, lower hippocampus volume (p < 0.01), and decreased mRNA expression in hippocampus tissue (p = 0.04). Our study demonstrates DNAmTL-related aging acceleration in AUD and suggests a functional role for TESPA1 in regulating DNAmTL length, possibly via the immune system with subsequent biological effects on brain regions negatively affected by alcohol and implicated in aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeesun Jung
- Section on Clinical Genomics and Experimental Therapeutics, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Daniel L McCartney
- Centre for Genomic and Experimental Medicine, Institute of Genetics and Cancer, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Josephin Wagner
- Section on Clinical Genomics and Experimental Therapeutics, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Daniel B Rosoff
- Section on Clinical Genomics and Experimental Therapeutics, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Melanie Schwandt
- Office of the Clinical Director, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Hui Sun
- Office of the Clinical Director, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Corinde E Wiers
- Laboratory of Neuroimaging, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Luana Martins de Carvalho
- Laboratory of Neuroimaging, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Nora D Volkow
- Laboratory of Neuroimaging, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Rosie M Walker
- Centre for Genomic and Experimental Medicine, Institute of Genetics and Cancer, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Archie Campbell
- Centre for Genomic and Experimental Medicine, Institute of Genetics and Cancer, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - David J Porteous
- Centre for Genomic and Experimental Medicine, Institute of Genetics and Cancer, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Andrew M McIntosh
- Centre for Genomic and Experimental Medicine, Institute of Genetics and Cancer, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Riccardo E Marioni
- Centre for Genomic and Experimental Medicine, Institute of Genetics and Cancer, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Steve Horvath
- Department of Biostatistics, Fielding School of Public Health, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Department of Human Genetics, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Kathryn L Evans
- Centre for Genomic and Experimental Medicine, Institute of Genetics and Cancer, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Falk W Lohoff
- Section on Clinical Genomics and Experimental Therapeutics, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.
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Isaevska E, Fiano V, Asta F, Stafoggia M, Moirano G, Popovic M, Pizzi C, Trevisan M, De Marco L, Polidoro S, Gagliardi L, Rusconi F, Brescianini S, Nisticò L, Stazi MA, Ronfani L, Porta D, Richiardi L. Prenatal exposure to PM 10 and changes in DNA methylation and telomere length in cord blood. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2022; 209:112717. [PMID: 35063426 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2022.112717] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2021] [Revised: 12/06/2021] [Accepted: 01/08/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Air pollution exposure in pregnancy can cause molecular level alterations that might influence later disease susceptibility. OBJECTIVES We investigated DNA methylation (DNAm) and telomere length (TL) in the cord blood in relation to gestational PM10 exposure and explored potential gestational windows of susceptibility. METHODS Cord blood epigenome-wide DNAm (N = 384) and TL (N = 500) were measured in children of the Italian birth cohort Piccolipiù, using the Infinium Methylation EPIC BeadChip and qPCR, respectively. PM10 daily exposure levels, based on maternal residential address, were estimated for different gestational periods using models based on satellite data. Epigenome-wide analysis to identify differentially methylated probes (DMPs) and regions (DMRs) was conducted, followed by a pathway analysis and replication analysis in an second Piccolipiù dataset. Distributed lag models (DLMs) using weekly exposures were used to study the association of PM10 exposure across pregnancy with telomere length, as well as with the DMPs that showed robust associations. RESULTS Gestational PM10 exposure was associated with the DNA methylation of more than 250 unique DMPs, most of them identified in early gestation, and 1 DMR. Out of 151 DMPs available in the replication dataset, ten DMPs showed robust associations: eight were associated with exposure during early gestation and 2 with exposure during the whole pregnancy. These exposure windows were supported by the DLM analysis. The PM10 exposure between 15th and 20th gestational week seem to be associated with shorter telomeres at birth, while exposure between 24th and 29th was associated with longer telomeres. DISCUSSION The early pregnancy period is a potential critical window during which PM10 exposure can influence cord blood DNA methylation. The results from the TL analysis were consistent with previous findings and merit further exploration in future studies. The study underlines the importance of considering gestational windows outside of the predefined trimesters that may not always overlap with biologically relevant windows of exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena Isaevska
- Department of Medical Sciences, University of Turin, CPO-Piemonte, Turin, Italy.
| | - Valentina Fiano
- Department of Medical Sciences, University of Turin, CPO-Piemonte, Turin, Italy.
| | - Federica Asta
- Department of Epidemiology, Lazio Regional Health Service, ASL Roma 1, Rome, Italy.
| | - Massimo Stafoggia
- Department of Epidemiology, Lazio Regional Health Service, ASL Roma 1, Rome, Italy.
| | - Giovenale Moirano
- Department of Medical Sciences, University of Turin, CPO-Piemonte, Turin, Italy.
| | - Maja Popovic
- Department of Medical Sciences, University of Turin, CPO-Piemonte, Turin, Italy.
| | - Costanza Pizzi
- Department of Medical Sciences, University of Turin, CPO-Piemonte, Turin, Italy.
| | - Morena Trevisan
- Department of Medical Sciences, University of Turin, CPO-Piemonte, Turin, Italy.
| | - Laura De Marco
- Department of Medical Sciences, University of Turin, CPO-Piemonte, Turin, Italy.
| | - Silvia Polidoro
- Italian Institute for Genomic Medicine (IIGM), Candiolo, Italy; 5MRC-PHE Centre for Environment and Health, School of Public Health, Imperial College, London, UK.
| | - Luigi Gagliardi
- Division of Neonatology and Pediatrics, Ospedale Versilia, Viareggio, AUSL Toscana Nord Ovest, Pisa, Italy.
| | - Franca Rusconi
- Unit of Epidemiology, Meyer Children's University Hospital, Florence, Italy; Department of Mother and Child Health, Azienda USL Toscana Nord Ovest, Pisa, Italy.
| | - Sonia Brescianini
- Center for Behavioral Sciences and Mental Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy.
| | - Lorenza Nisticò
- Center for Behavioral Sciences and Mental Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy.
| | - Maria Antonietta Stazi
- Center for Behavioral Sciences and Mental Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy.
| | - Luca Ronfani
- Clinical Epidemiology and Public Health Research Unit, Institute for Maternal and Child Health - IRCCS "Burlo Garofolo", Trieste, Italy.
| | - Daniela Porta
- Department of Epidemiology, Lazio Regional Health Service, ASL Roma 1, Rome, Italy.
| | - Lorenzo Richiardi
- Department of Medical Sciences, University of Turin, CPO-Piemonte, Turin, Italy.
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Anderson JJ, Susser E, Arbeev KG, Yashin AI, Levy D, Verhulst S, Aviv A. Telomere-length dependent T-cell clonal expansion: A model linking ageing to COVID-19 T-cell lymphopenia and mortality. EBioMedicine 2022; 78:103978. [PMID: 35367774 PMCID: PMC8970968 DOI: 10.1016/j.ebiom.2022.103978] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2021] [Revised: 03/15/2022] [Accepted: 03/16/2022] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Severe COVID-19 T-cell lymphopenia is more common among older adults and entails poor prognosis. Offsetting the decline in T-cell count during COVID-19 demands fast and massive T-cell clonal expansion, which is telomere length (TL)-dependent. METHODS We developed a model of TL-dependent T-cell clonal expansion capacity with age and virtually examined the relation of T-cell clonal expansion with COVID-19 mortality in the general population. FINDINGS The model shows that an individual with average hematopoietic cell TL (HCTL) at age twenty years maintains maximal T-cell clonal expansion capacity until the 6th decade of life when this capacity rapidly declines by more than 90% over the next ten years. The collapse in the T-cell clonal expansion capacity coincides with the steep increase in COVID-19 mortality with age. INTERPRETATION Short HCTL might increase vulnerability of many older adults, and some younger individuals with inherently short HCTL, to COVID-19 T-cell lymphopenia and severe disease. FUNDING A full list of funding bodies that contributed to this study can be found in the Acknowledgements section.
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Affiliation(s)
- James J. Anderson
- School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA,Corresponding author.
| | - Ezra Susser
- Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA,New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Konstantin G. Arbeev
- Biodemography of Aging Research Unit, Social Science Research Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC 27705, USA
| | - Anatoliy I. Yashin
- Biodemography of Aging Research Unit, Social Science Research Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC 27705, USA
| | - Daniel Levy
- Population Sciences Branch, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 27705, USA,The Framingham Heart Study, Framingham, MA 01702, USA
| | - Simon Verhulst
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Groningen, the Netherland
| | - Abraham Aviv
- The Center of Human Development and Aging, New Jersey Medical School, Rutgers University, Newark, NJ 07103, USA
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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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Mahmoodpoor A, Sanaie S, Roudbari F, Sabzevari T, Sohrabifar N, Kazeminasab S. Understanding the role of telomere attrition and epigenetic signatures in COVID-19 severity. Gene 2022; 811:146069. [PMID: 34848322 PMCID: PMC8634871 DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2021.146069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2021] [Revised: 10/12/2021] [Accepted: 11/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Within the past several decades, the emergence and spread of infectious diseases with pandemic potential have endangered human lives. Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak represents an unprecedented threat for all health systems worldwide. The clinical spectrum of COVID-19 is highly heterogeneous, ranging from asymptomatic and mild upper respiratory tract illness to severe interstitial pneumonia with respiratory failure and even death. Highly age-dependent patterns of immune response potentially explain the higher rates of the severe forms of COVID-19 in elderly patients. However, genetic and epigenetic architecture can influence multiple biological processes during the lifespan, therefore as far as our knowledge shows, vulnerability to viral infection concerning telomere length and epigenetic signature is not a new idea. This review aims is to summarize the current understanding of the role of telomere length and epigenetic mechanisms on the severity of COVID-19. The current knowledge highlights the significant association between the shorter telomere length and the higher risk of developing severe COVID-19. Differential DNA methylation patterns and miRNA expression profiles imply that these hallmarks can play a pivotal role in COVID- 19 pathogenesis. Understanding the causes of inter-individual variations in COVID-19 outcomes could provide clues to the development of the personalized therapeutic intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ata Mahmoodpoor
- Immunology Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Sarvin Sanaie
- Neurosciences Research center, Aging Research Institute, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | | | - Tara Sabzevari
- Student Research Committee, 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; Research Vice-Chancellor, Faculty of Medicine, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
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Stout-Oswald SA, Glynn LM, Bisoffi M, Demers CH, Davis EP. Prenatal exposure to maternal psychological distress and telomere length in childhood. Dev Psychobiol 2022; 64:e22238. [PMID: 35050506 DOI: 10.1002/dev.22238] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2021] [Revised: 10/07/2021] [Accepted: 11/07/2021] [Indexed: 09/02/2023]
Abstract
Telomere length (TL) is a biological marker of cellular aging, and shorter TL in adulthood is associated with increased morbidity and mortality risk. It is likely that these differences in TL are established long before adulthood, and there is growing evidence that TL can reflect prenatal experiences. Although maternal prenatal distress predicts newborn TL, it is unknown whether the relation between prenatal exposure to maternal distress and child TL persists through childhood. The purpose of the current longitudinal, prospective study is to examine the relation between prenatal exposure to maternal distress (perceived stress, depressive symptoms, pregnancy-related anxiety) and TL in childhood. Participants included 102 children (54 girls) and their mothers. Mothers' distress was assessed five times during pregnancy, at 12 weeks postpartum, and at the time of child telomere measurement between 6 and 16 years of age. Maternal distress during pregnancy predicted shorter offspring TL in childhood, even after accounting for postnatal exposure to maternal distress and other covariates. These findings indicate that maternal mental health predicts offspring TL biology later in childhood than previously observed. This study bolsters claims that telomere biology is subject to fetal programming and highlights the importance of supporting maternal mental health during pregnancy.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Laura M Glynn
- Department of Psychology, Chapman University, Orange, California, USA
| | - Marco Bisoffi
- Department of Psychology, Chapman University, Orange, California, USA
- Schmid College of Science and Technology, Chapman University, Orange, California, USA
- School of Pharmacy, Chapman University, Orange, California, USA
| | - Catherine H Demers
- Department of Psychology, University of Denver, Denver, Colorado, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado, USA
| | - Elysia Poggi Davis
- Department of Psychology, University of Denver, Denver, Colorado, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California, USA
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40
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Libertini G, Shubernetskaya O, Corbi G, Ferrara N. Is Evidence Supporting the Subtelomere-Telomere Theory of Aging? BIOCHEMISTRY. BIOKHIMIIA 2021; 86:1526-1539. [PMID: 34937532 DOI: 10.1134/s0006297921120026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
The telomere theory tries to explain cellular mechanisms of aging as mainly caused by telomere shortening at each duplication. The subtelomere-telomere theory overcomes various shortcomings of telomere theory by highlighting the essential role of subtelomeric DNA in aging mechanisms. The present work illustrates and deepens the correspondence between assumptions and implications of subtelomere-telomere theory and experimental results. In particular, it is investigated the evidence regarding the relationships between aging and (i) epigenetic modifications; (ii) oxidation and inflammation; (iii) telomere protection; (iv) telomeric heterochromatin hood; (v) gradual cell senescence; (vi) cell senescence; and (vii) organism decline with telomere shortening. The evidence appears broadly in accordance or at least compatible with the description and implications of the subtelomere-telomere theory. In short, phenomena of cellular aging, by which the senescence of the whole organism is determined in various ways, appear substantially dependent on epigenetic modifications regulated by the subtelomere-telomere-telomeric hood-telomerase system. These phenomena appear to be not random, inevitable, and irreversible but rather induced and regulated by genetically determined mechanisms, and modifiable and reversible by appropriate methods. All this supports the thesis that aging is a genetically programmed and regulated phenoptotic phenomenon and is against the opposite thesis of aging as caused by random and inevitable degenerative factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giacinto Libertini
- Member of the Italian Society for Evolutionary Biology (SIBE), Asti, 14100, Italy. .,Department of Translational Medical Sciences, Federico II University of Naples, Naples, 80131, Italy
| | - Olga Shubernetskaya
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Moscow, 117997, Russia.
| | - Graziamaria Corbi
- Department of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Molise, Campobasso, 86100, Italy. .,Italian Society of Gerontology and Geriatrics (SIGG), Firenze, 50129, Italy
| | - Nicola Ferrara
- Department of Translational Medical Sciences, Federico II University of Naples, Naples, 80131, Italy. .,Istituti Clinici Scientifici Maugeri SPA - Società Benefit, IRCCS, Telese Terme, BN, 82037, Italy
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Hecker M, Bühring J, Fitzner B, Rommer PS, Zettl UK. Genetic, Environmental and Lifestyle Determinants of Accelerated Telomere Attrition as Contributors to Risk and Severity of Multiple Sclerosis. Biomolecules 2021; 11:1510. [PMID: 34680143 PMCID: PMC8533505 DOI: 10.3390/biom11101510] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2021] [Revised: 10/01/2021] [Accepted: 10/08/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Telomeres are protective structures at the ends of linear chromosomes. Shortened telomere lengths (TL) are an indicator of premature biological aging and have been associated with a wide spectrum of disorders, including multiple sclerosis (MS). MS is a chronic inflammatory, demyelinating and neurodegenerative disease of the central nervous system. The exact cause of MS is still unclear. Here, we provide an overview of genetic, environmental and lifestyle factors that have been described to influence TL and to contribute to susceptibility to MS and possibly disease severity. We show that several early-life factors are linked to both reduced TL and higher risk of MS, e.g., adolescent obesity, lack of physical activity, smoking and vitamin D deficiency. This suggests that the mechanisms underlying the disease are connected to cellular aging and senescence promoted by increased inflammation and oxidative stress. Additional prospective research is needed to clearly define the extent to which lifestyle changes can slow down disease progression and prevent accelerated telomere loss in individual patients. It is also important to further elucidate the interactions between shared determinants of TL and MS. In future, cell type-specific studies and advanced TL measurement methods could help to better understand how telomeres may be causally involved in disease processes and to uncover novel opportunities for improved biomarkers and therapeutic interventions in MS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Hecker
- Division of Neuroimmunology, Department of Neurology, Rostock University Medical Center, Gehlsheimer Str. 20, 18147 Rostock, Germany; (J.B.); (B.F.); (P.S.R.); (U.K.Z.)
| | - Jan Bühring
- Division of Neuroimmunology, Department of Neurology, Rostock University Medical Center, Gehlsheimer Str. 20, 18147 Rostock, Germany; (J.B.); (B.F.); (P.S.R.); (U.K.Z.)
| | - Brit Fitzner
- Division of Neuroimmunology, Department of Neurology, Rostock University Medical Center, Gehlsheimer Str. 20, 18147 Rostock, Germany; (J.B.); (B.F.); (P.S.R.); (U.K.Z.)
| | - Paulus Stefan Rommer
- Division of Neuroimmunology, Department of Neurology, Rostock University Medical Center, Gehlsheimer Str. 20, 18147 Rostock, Germany; (J.B.); (B.F.); (P.S.R.); (U.K.Z.)
- Department of Neurology, Medical University of Vienna, Währinger Gürtel 18–20, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Uwe Klaus Zettl
- Division of Neuroimmunology, Department of Neurology, Rostock University Medical Center, Gehlsheimer Str. 20, 18147 Rostock, Germany; (J.B.); (B.F.); (P.S.R.); (U.K.Z.)
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Influence of Maternal Infection and Pregnancy Complications on Cord Blood Telomere Length. OXIDATIVE MEDICINE AND CELLULAR LONGEVITY 2021; 2021:3339456. [PMID: 34616503 PMCID: PMC8487834 DOI: 10.1155/2021/3339456] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2021] [Accepted: 08/31/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Background Exposure to suboptimal intrauterine environment might induce structural and functional changes that can affect neonatal health. Telomere length as an important indicator of cellular health has been associated with increased risk for disease development. Objectives This study was aimed to examine the independent and combined effects of maternal, obstetric, and foetal factors on cord blood telomere length (TL). Methods Pregnant women at the gestational age of 20th to 24th week who attended the antenatal clinic of a major local hospital in Hong Kong were recruited. Participants were asked to complete a questionnaire on demographics, health-related quality of life, and history of risk behaviors. Medical history including pregnancy complications and neonatal outcomes was obtained from electronic medical records of both mother and neonate. Umbilical cord blood was collected at delivery for TL determination. Results A total of 753 pregnant women (average age: 32.18 ± 4.51 years) were recruited. The prevalence of maternal infection, anaemia, and hypertension during pregnancy was 30.8%, 30.0%, and 6.0%, respectively. The adjusted regression model displayed that maternal infection was negatively associated with cord blood TL (β = -0.18, p = 0.026). This association became even stronger in the presence of antenatal anaemia, hypertension, delivery complications, or neonatal jaundice (β = -0.25 to -0.45). Conclusions This study consolidates evidence on the impact of adverse intrauterine environment at the cellular level. Maternal infection was significantly associated with shorter cord blood TL in a unique manner such that its presence may critically determine the susceptibility of telomere to other factors.
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Benetos A, Lai TP, Toupance S, Labat C, Verhulst S, Gautier S, Ungeheuer MN, Perret-Guillaume C, Levy D, Susser E, Aviv A. The Nexus Between Telomere Length and Lymphocyte Count in Seniors Hospitalized With COVID-19. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci 2021; 76:e97-e101. [PMID: 33528568 PMCID: PMC7929343 DOI: 10.1093/gerona/glab026] [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: 10/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Profound T-cell lymphopenia is the hallmark of severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). T-cell proliferation is telomere length (TL) dependent and telomeres shorten with age. Older COVID-19 patients, we hypothesize, are, therefore, at a higher risk of having TL-dependent lymphopenia. We measured TL by the novel Telomere Shortest Length Assay (TeSLA), and by Southern blotting (SB) of the terminal restriction fragments in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of 17 COVID-19 and 21 non-COVID-19 patients, aged 87 ± 8 (mean ± SD) and 87 ± 9 years, respectively. TeSLA tallies and measures single telomeres, including short telomeres undetected by SB. Such telomeres are relevant to TL-mediated biological processes, including cell viability and senescence. TeSLA yields 2 key metrics: the proportions of telomeres with different lengths (expressed in %) and their mean (TeSLA mTL), (expressed in kb). Lymphocyte count (109/L) was 0.91 ± 0.42 in COVID-19 patients and 1.50 ± 0.50 in non-COVID-19 patients (p < .001). In COVID-19 patients, but not in non-COVID-19 patients, lymphocyte count was inversely correlated with the proportion of telomeres shorter than 2 kb (p = .005) and positively correlated with TeSLA mTL (p = .03). Lymphocyte count was not significantly correlated with SB mTL in either COVID-19 or non-COVID-19 patients. We propose that compromised TL-dependent T-cell proliferative response, driven by short telomere in the TL distribution, contributes to COVID-19 lymphopenia among old adults. We infer that infection with SARS-CoV-2 uncovers the limits of the TL reserves of older persons. Clinical Trials Registration Number: NCT04325646.
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Affiliation(s)
- Athanase Benetos
- Université de Lorraine, Inserm, DCAC, Nancy, France
- Université de Lorraine, CHRU-Nancy, Pôle “Maladies du Vieillissement, Gérontologie et Soins Palliatifs,”France
| | - Tsung-Po Lai
- Center of Human Development and Aging, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, The State University of New Jersey, Newark, USA
| | | | - Carlos Labat
- Université de Lorraine, Inserm, DCAC, Nancy, France
| | - Simon Verhulst
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Sylvie Gautier
- Université de Lorraine, CHRU-Nancy, Pôle “Maladies du Vieillissement, Gérontologie et Soins Palliatifs,”France
| | - Marie-Noelle Ungeheuer
- Institut Pasteur, Clinical Investigation and Access to Bioresources Department, Paris, France
| | - Christine Perret-Guillaume
- Université de Lorraine, CHRU-Nancy, Pôle “Maladies du Vieillissement, Gérontologie et Soins Palliatifs,”France
| | - Daniel Levy
- National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute’s Framingham Heart Study, Massachusetts, USA
- Population Research Branch, Division of Intramural Research, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Ezra Susser
- Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, New York, USA
- New York State Psychiatric Institute, USA
| | - Abraham Aviv
- Center of Human Development and Aging, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, The State University of New Jersey, Newark, USA
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Anderson JJ, Susser E, Arbeev KG, Yashin AI, Levy D, Verhulst S, Aviv A. Short Telomeres and a T-Cell Shortfall in COVID-19: The Aging Effect. MEDRXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR HEALTH SCIENCES 2021. [PMID: 34268523 PMCID: PMC8282112 DOI: 10.1101/2021.05.19.21257474] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
The slow pace of global vaccination and the rapid emergence of SARS-CoV-2 variants suggest recurrent waves of COVID-19 in coming years. Therefore, understanding why deaths from COVID-19 are highly concentrated among older adults is essential for global health. Severe COVID-19 T-cell lymphopenia is more common among older adults, and it entails poor prognosis. Much about the primary etiology of this form of lymphopenia remains unknown, but regardless of its causes, offsetting the decline in T-cell count during SARS-CoV-2 infection demands fast and massive T-cell clonal expansion, which is telomere length (TL)-dependent. We have built a model that captures the effect of age-dependent TL shortening in hematopoietic cells and its effect on T-cell clonal expansion capacity. The model shows that an individual with average hematopoietic cell TL (HCTL) at age twenty years maintains maximal T-cell clonal expansion capacity until the 6th decade of life when this capacity plummets by more than 90% over the next ten years. The collapse coincides with the steep increase in COVID-19 mortality with age. HCTL metrics may thus explain the vulnerability of older adults to COVID-19. That said, the wide inter-individual variation in HCTL across the general population means that some younger adults with inherently short HCTL might be at risk of severe COVID-19 lymphopenia and mortality from the disease.
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Cowell W, Tang D, Yu J, Guo J, Wang S, Baccarelli AA, Perera F, Herbstman JB. Telomere dynamics across the early life course: Findings from a longitudinal study in children. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2021; 129:105270. [PMID: 34020264 PMCID: PMC8217283 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2021.105270] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2020] [Revised: 05/04/2021] [Accepted: 05/06/2021] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Telomeres are protective caps on chromosome ends that shorten with each cell division. Telomere length (TL) predicts the onset of cellular senescence and correlates with longevity and age-related disease risk. Previous research suggests that adults display fixed ranking and tracking of TL by age 20 years, supporting the importance of TL at birth and attrition during childhood. However, longitudinal research examining telomere dynamics during early life is sparse. Here, we used monochrome multiplex quantitative polymerase chain reaction to measure relative TL in leukocytes isolated from cord blood and child blood collected at ages 3, 5, 7, and 9 years among 224 minority children enrolled in a New York City-based birth cohort. We also measured maternal TL at delivery in a subset of 197 participants with a biobanked blood sample. TL decreased most rapidly in the first years of life (birth to 3 years), followed by a period of maintenance into the pre-puberty period. Mothers with longer telomeres gave birth to newborns with longer telomeres that remained longer across childhood, suggesting that the fixed ranking and tracking of TL observed among adults may extend to early childhood or even the prenatal period with a potential transgenerational basis. We did not find significant sex differences in the pattern of child TL change across development. These findings emphasize the need to understand factors and mechanisms that determine TL during early childhood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Whitney Cowell
- Columbia Center for Children's Environmental Health, Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA; Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA; Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10128, USA.
| | - Deliang Tang
- Columbia Center for Children's Environmental Health, Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA; Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Jie Yu
- Columbia Center for Children's Environmental Health, Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA; Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Jia Guo
- Columbia Center for Children's Environmental Health, Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA; Department of Biostatistics, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Shuang Wang
- Columbia Center for Children's Environmental Health, Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA; Department of Biostatistics, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Andrea A Baccarelli
- Columbia Center for Children's Environmental Health, Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA; Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Frederica Perera
- Columbia Center for Children's Environmental Health, Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA; Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Julie B Herbstman
- Columbia Center for Children's Environmental Health, Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA; Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA
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Telomere Shortening and Fusions: A Link to Aneuploidy in Early Human Embryo Development. Obstet Gynecol Surv 2021; 76:429-436. [PMID: 34324695 DOI: 10.1097/ogx.0000000000000907] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Importance It is known that oocytes undergo aging that is caused by exposure to an aged ovarian microenvironment. Telomere length in mouse and bovine oocytes declines with age, and age-associated telomere shortening in oocytes is considered a sign of poor development competency. Women with advanced age undergoing assisted reproductive technologies have poor outcomes because of increasing aneuploidy rates with age. Research has shown that aneuploidy is associated with DNA damage, reactive oxygen species, and telomere dysfunction. Objective In this review, we focus on the possible relationship between telomere dysfunction and aneuploidy in human early embryo development and several reproductive and perinatal outcomes, discussing the mechanism of aneuploidy caused by telomere shortening and fusion in human embryos. Evidence Acquisition We reviewed the current literature evidence concerning telomere dysfunction and aneuploidy in early human embryo development. Results Shorter telomeres in oocytes, leukocytes, and granulosa cells, related to aging in women, were associated with recurrent miscarriage, trisomy 21, ovarian insufficiency, and decreasing chance of in vitro fertilization success. Telomere length and telomerase activity in embryos have been related to the common genomic instability at the cleavage stage of human development. Complications of assisted reproductive technology pregnancies, such as miscarriage, birth defects, preterm births, and intrauterine growth restriction, also might result from telomere shortening as observed in oocytes, polar body, granulosa cells, and embryos. Conclusions and Relevance Telomere length clearly plays an important role in the development of the embryo and fetus, and the abnormal shortening of telomeres is likely involved in embryo loss during early human development. However, telomere fusion studies have yet to be performed in early human development.
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Heidinger BJ, Kucera AC, Kittilson JD, Westneat DF. Longer telomeres during early life predict higher lifetime reproductive success in females but not males. Proc Biol Sci 2021; 288:20210560. [PMID: 34034512 PMCID: PMC8150037 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2021.0560] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2021] [Accepted: 05/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The mechanisms that contribute to variation in lifetime reproductive success are not well understood. One possibility is that telomeres, conserved DNA sequences at chromosome ends that often shorten with age and stress exposures, may reflect differences in vital processes or influence fitness. Telomere length often predicts longevity, but longevity is only one component of fitness and little is known about how lifetime reproductive success is related to telomere dynamics in wild populations. We examined the relationships between telomere length beginning in early life, telomere loss into adulthood and lifetime reproductive success in free-living house sparrows (Passer domesticus). We found that females, but not males, with longer telomeres during early life had higher lifetime reproductive success, owing to associations with longevity and not reproduction per year or attempt. Telomeres decreased with age in both sexes, but telomere loss was not associated with lifetime reproductive success. In this species, telomeres may reflect differences in quality or condition rather than the pace of life, but only in females. Sexually discordant selection on telomeres is expected to influence the stability and maintenance of within population variation in telomere dynamics and suggests that any role telomeres play in mediating life-history trade-offs may be sex specific.
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Affiliation(s)
- Britt J. Heidinger
- Department of Biological Sciences, North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND, USA
| | - Aurelia C. Kucera
- Department of Biological Sciences, North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND, USA
| | - Jeff D. Kittilson
- Department of Biological Sciences, North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND, USA
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Minimal changes in telomere length after a 12-week dietary intervention with almonds in mid-age to older, overweight and obese Australians: results of a randomised clinical trial. Br J Nutr 2021; 127:872-884. [PMID: 33971995 DOI: 10.1017/s0007114521001549] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Diet is a modifiable risk factor for chronic disease and a potential modulator of telomere length (TL). The study aim was to investigate associations between diet quality and TL in Australian adults after a 12-week dietary intervention with an almond-enriched diet (AED). Participants (overweight/obese, 50-80 years) were randomised to an AED (n 62) or isoenergetic nut-free diet (NFD, n 62) for 12 weeks. Diet quality was assessed using a Dietary Guideline Index (DGI), applied to weighed food records, that consists of ten components reflecting adequacy, variety and quality of core food components and discretionary choices within the diet. TL was measured by quantitative PCR in samples of lymphocytes, neutrophils, and whole blood. There were no significant associations between DGI scores and TL at baseline. Diet quality improved with AED and decreased with NFD after 12 weeks (change from baseline AED + 9·8 %, NFD - 14·3 %; P < 0·001). TL increased in neutrophils (+9·6 bp, P = 0·009) and decreased in whole blood, to a trivial extent (-12·1 bp, P = 0·001), and was unchanged in lymphocytes. Changes did not differ between intervention groups. There were no significant relationships between changes in diet quality scores and changes in lymphocyte, neutrophil or whole blood TL. The inclusion of almonds in the diet improved diet quality scores but had no impact on TL mid-age to older Australian adults. Future studies should investigate the impact of more substantial dietary changes over longer periods of time.
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49
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Chang X, Gurung RL, Wang L, Jin A, Li Z, Wang R, Beckman KB, Adams-Haduch J, Meah WY, Sim KS, Lim WK, Davila S, Tan P, Teo JX, Yeo KK, M Y, Liu S, Lim SC, Liu J, van Dam RM, Friedlander Y, Koh WP, Yuan JM, Khor CC, Heng CK, Dorajoo R. Low frequency variants associated with leukocyte telomere length in the Singapore Chinese population. Commun Biol 2021; 4:519. [PMID: 33941849 PMCID: PMC8093266 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-021-02056-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2020] [Accepted: 03/26/2021] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
The role of low frequency variants associated with telomere length homeostasis in chronic diseases and mortalities is relatively understudied in the East-Asian population. Here we evaluated low frequency variants, including 1,915,154 Asian specific variants, for leukocyte telomere length (LTL) associations among 25,533 Singapore Chinese samples. Three East Asian specific variants in/near POT1, TERF1 and STN1 genes are associated with LTL (Meta-analysis P 2.49×10-14-6.94×10-10). Rs79314063, a missense variant (p.Asp410His) at POT1, shows effect 5.3 fold higher and independent of a previous common index SNP. TERF1 (rs79617270) and STN1 (rs139620151) are linked to LTL-associated common index SNPs at these loci. Rs79617270 is associated with cancer mortality [HR95%CI = 1.544 (1.173, 2.032), PAdj = 0.018] and 4.76% of the association between the rs79617270 and colon cancer is mediated through LTL. Overall, genetically determined LTL is particularly associated with lung adenocarcinoma [HR95%CI = 1.123 (1.051, 1.201), Padj = 0.007]. Ethnicity-specific low frequency variants may affect LTL homeostasis and associate with certain cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuling Chang
- Department of Paediatrics, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
- Khoo Teck Puat-National University Children's Medical Institute, National University Health System, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Resham L Gurung
- Clinical Research Unit, Khoo Teck Puat Hospital, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Ling Wang
- Genome Institute of Singapore, Agency for Science, Technology, and Research, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Aizhen Jin
- Health Services and Systems Research, Duke-NUS Medical School Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Zheng Li
- Genome Institute of Singapore, Agency for Science, Technology, and Research, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Renwei Wang
- Division of Cancer Control and Population Sciences, UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Kenneth B Beckman
- University of Minnesota Genomics Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Jennifer Adams-Haduch
- Division of Cancer Control and Population Sciences, UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Wee Yang Meah
- Genome Institute of Singapore, Agency for Science, Technology, and Research, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Kar Seng Sim
- Genome Institute of Singapore, Agency for Science, Technology, and Research, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Weng Khong Lim
- SingHealth Duke-NUS Institute of Precision Medicine, Singapore, Singapore
- Cancer & Stem Cell Biology Program, Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore, Singapore
- SingHealth Duke-NUS Genomic Medicine Centre, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Sonia Davila
- SingHealth Duke-NUS Institute of Precision Medicine, Singapore, Singapore
- Cardiovascular and Metabolic Disorders Program, Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Patrick Tan
- Genome Institute of Singapore, Agency for Science, Technology, and Research, Singapore, Singapore
- SingHealth Duke-NUS Institute of Precision Medicine, Singapore, Singapore
- Cancer & Stem Cell Biology Program, Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore, Singapore
- Cancer Science Institute of Singapore, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Jing Xian Teo
- SingHealth Duke-NUS Institute of Precision Medicine, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Khung Keong Yeo
- SingHealth Duke-NUS Institute of Precision Medicine, Singapore, Singapore
- Department of Cardiology, National Heart Centre Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Yiamunaa M
- Clinical Research Unit, Khoo Teck Puat Hospital, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Sylvia Liu
- Clinical Research Unit, Khoo Teck Puat Hospital, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Su Chi Lim
- Clinical Research Unit, Khoo Teck Puat Hospital, Singapore, Singapore
- Diabetes Centre, Admiralty Medical Centre, Singapore, Singapore
- Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Jianjun Liu
- Genome Institute of Singapore, Agency for Science, Technology, and Research, Singapore, Singapore
- Department of Medicine, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Rob M van Dam
- Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
- Department of Medicine, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Yechiel Friedlander
- School of Public Health and Community Medicine, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Woon-Puay Koh
- Health Services and Systems Research, Duke-NUS Medical School Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
- Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Jian-Min Yuan
- Division of Cancer Control and Population Sciences, UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Department of Epidemiology, Graduate School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Chiea Chuen Khor
- Genome Institute of Singapore, Agency for Science, Technology, and Research, Singapore, Singapore
- Singapore Eye Research Institute, Singapore National Eye Centre, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Chew-Kiat Heng
- Department of Paediatrics, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore.
- Khoo Teck Puat-National University Children's Medical Institute, National University Health System, Singapore, Singapore.
| | - Rajkumar Dorajoo
- Genome Institute of Singapore, Agency for Science, Technology, and Research, Singapore, Singapore.
- Health Services and Systems Research, Duke-NUS Medical School Singapore, Singapore, Singapore.
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50
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Wei B, Shao Y, Liang J, Tang P, Mo M, Liu B, Huang H, Tan HJJ, Huang D, Liu S, Qiu X. Maternal overweight but not paternal overweight before pregnancy is associated with shorter newborn telomere length: evidence from Guangxi Zhuang birth cohort in China. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth 2021; 21:283. [PMID: 33836691 PMCID: PMC8033662 DOI: 10.1186/s12884-021-03757-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2020] [Accepted: 03/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Telomere length (TL) is variable at birth and is inversely associated with body mass index (BMI) in adulthood. A growing number of evidences suggested that a higher maternal pre-pregnancy BMI results in adverse offspring health outcomes, especially shorter newborn TL. However, a newborn’s genetic endowment is equally derived from both parents, the association between parental pre-pregnancy BMI and newborn TL has been rarely discussed. We aimed to determine the association between parental pre-pregnancy BMI and newborn TL. Methods A total of 1082 parent-newborn pairs were recruited from the Guangxi Zhuang Birth Cohort (GZBC). TL in cord blood was measured using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) and expressed as the ratio of telomere copy number to single-copy gene number (T/S). A series of linear regressions were performed to assess the associations between parental pre-pregnancy BMI and newborn TL. Results Mothers who were overweight before pregnancy had significantly shorter cord blood telomere length in their newborns than those who were normal weight before pregnancy [percentage change: − 7.96% (95% CI: − 14.49 to − 0.69%; P = 0.032)]. Further analysis of the combined effects of parental weight status on newborn TL showed that TL was significantly shortened among newborns whose mothers were overweight and fathers were of healthy weight when compared with those whose mothers and fathers were both of normal weight [percentage change: − 8.38% (95% CI: − 15.47 to − 0.92%; P = 0.028)]. Subgroup analysis indicated these effects were more pronounced among male newborns and those whose paternal age < 31 years or maternal age ≥ 28 years at delivery. Conclusions Maternal pre-pregnancy overweight, but not paternal pre-pregnancy overweight is associated with shorter newborn TL. Weight control in reproductive women and effective healthy weight management before pregnancy may be of particular benefit for improving longevity and life quality of offspring. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12884-021-03757-x.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bincai Wei
- Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, School of Public Health, Guangxi Medical University, No. 22 Shuangyong Road, Nanning, 530021, Guangxi, China
| | - Yantao Shao
- Department of Student Work, The First Clinical Medical College of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, 530021, Guangxi, China
| | - Jun Liang
- Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, School of Public Health, Guangxi Medical University, No. 22 Shuangyong Road, Nanning, 530021, Guangxi, China
| | - Peng Tang
- Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, School of Public Health, Guangxi Medical University, No. 22 Shuangyong Road, Nanning, 530021, Guangxi, China
| | - Meile Mo
- Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, School of Public Health, Guangxi Medical University, No. 22 Shuangyong Road, Nanning, 530021, Guangxi, China
| | - Bihu Liu
- Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, School of Public Health, Guangxi Medical University, No. 22 Shuangyong Road, Nanning, 530021, Guangxi, China
| | - Huishen Huang
- Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, School of Public Health, Guangxi Medical University, No. 22 Shuangyong Road, Nanning, 530021, Guangxi, China
| | - Hui Juan Jennifer Tan
- Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, 10 Medical Dr, Singapore, 117597, Singapore
| | - Dongping Huang
- Department of Sanitary Chemistry, School of Public Health, Guangxi Medical University, No. 22 Shuangyong Road, Nanning, 530021, Guangxi, China.
| | - Shun Liu
- Department of Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health, School of Public Health, Guangxi Medical University, No. 22 Shuangyong Road, Nanning, 530021, Guangxi, China.
| | - Xiaoqiang Qiu
- Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, School of Public Health, Guangxi Medical University, No. 22 Shuangyong Road, Nanning, 530021, Guangxi, China.
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