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Zhang Z, Zhang J, Zhang K, Ge X, Zhai X. Robust evidence supports a causal link between higher birthweight and longer telomere length: a mendelian randomization study. Front Genet 2024; 15:1264028. [PMID: 38974386 PMCID: PMC11224456 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2024.1264028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2023] [Accepted: 05/17/2024] [Indexed: 07/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Observational studies have suggested a potential relationship between birthweight and telomere length. However, the causal link between these two parameters remains undefined. In this study, we use Mendelian Randomization (MR). This method employs genetic variants as instrumental variables, to explore the existence of causal associations and elucidate the causal relationship between birth weight and telomere length. Methods We used 35 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) as instrumental variables for birth weight. These SNPs were identified from a meta-analysis involving 153,781 individuals. Furthermore, we obtained summary statistics for telomere length from a study conducted on 472,174 United Kingdom Biobank participants. To evaluate the causal estimates, we applied the random effect inverse variance weighted method (IVW) and several other MR methods, such as MR-Egger, weighted median, and MR-PRESSO, to verify the reliability of our findings. Results Our analysis supports a significant causal relationship between genetically predicted birth weight and telomer3e length. The inverse variance weighted analysis results for birth weight (Beta = 0.048; 95%CI = 0.023 to 0.073; p < 0.001) corroborate this association. Conclusion Our study provides robust evidence supporting a causal link between higher birth weight and longer telomere length.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhuoya Zhang
- Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Jiale Zhang
- Institute of Basic Theory for Chinese Medicine, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Kaiqi Zhang
- Wangjing Hospital of China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaolei Ge
- Wangjing Hospital of China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xu Zhai
- Wangjing Hospital of China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
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Litt JS, Halfon N, Msall ME, Russ SA, Hintz SR. Ensuring Optimal Outcomes for Preterm Infants after NICU Discharge: A Life Course Health Development Approach to High-Risk Infant Follow-Up. CHILDREN (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2024; 11:146. [PMID: 38397258 PMCID: PMC10886801 DOI: 10.3390/children11020146] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2023] [Revised: 01/18/2024] [Accepted: 01/20/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024]
Abstract
Children born prematurely (<37 weeks' gestation) have an increased risk for chronic health problems and developmental challenges compared to their term-born peers. The threats to health and development posed by prematurity, the unintended effects of life-sustaining neonatal intensive care, the associated neonatal morbidities, and the profound stressors to families affect well-being during infancy, childhood, adolescence, and beyond. Specialized clinical programs provide medical and developmental follow-up care for preterm infants after hospital discharge. High-risk infant follow-up, like most post-discharge health services, has many shortcomings, including unclear goals, inadequate support for infants, parents, and families, fragmented service provisions, poor coordination among providers, and an artificially foreshortened time horizon. There are well-documented inequities in care access and delivery. We propose applying a life course health development framework to clinical follow-up for children born prematurely that is contextually appropriate, developmentally responsive, and equitably deployed. The concepts of health development, unfolding, complexity, timing, plasticity, thriving, and harmony can be mapped to key components of follow-up care delivery to address pressing health challenges. This new approach envisions a more effective version of clinical follow-up to support the best possible functional outcomes and the opportunity for every premature infant to thrive within their family and community environments over their life course.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan S. Litt
- Division of Newborn Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Department of Social and Behavioral Pediatrics, Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Neal Halfon
- Center for Healthier Children, Families, and Communities, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90024, USA; (N.H.); (S.A.R.)
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California, Los Angeles David Geffen School of Medicine, Los Angeles, CA 90024, USA
- Department of Health Policy and Management, UCLA Fielding School of Public Health, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
- Department of Public Policy, UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Michael E. Msall
- Department of Pediatrics, Sections of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics and Kennedy Research Center on Intellectual and Neurodevelopmental Disabilities, University of Chicago Medicine, Chicago, IL 60637, USA;
| | - Shirley Ann Russ
- Center for Healthier Children, Families, and Communities, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90024, USA; (N.H.); (S.A.R.)
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California, Los Angeles David Geffen School of Medicine, Los Angeles, CA 90024, USA
| | - Susan R. Hintz
- Division of Neonatal and Developmental Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, CA 94305, USA;
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Lis N, Lamnisos D, Bograkou-Tzanetakou A, Hadjimbei E, Tzanetakou IP. Preterm Birth and Its Association with Maternal Diet, and Placental and Neonatal Telomere Length. Nutrients 2023; 15:4975. [PMID: 38068836 PMCID: PMC10708229 DOI: 10.3390/nu15234975] [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: 11/06/2023] [Revised: 11/28/2023] [Accepted: 11/29/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Preterm birth (PTB), a multi-causal syndrome, is one of the global epidemics. Maternal nutrition, but also neonatal and placental telomere length (TL), are among the factors affecting PTB risk. However, the exact relationship between these factors and the PTB outcome, remains obscure. The aim of this review was to investigate the association between PTB, maternal nutrition, and placental-infant TL. Observational studies were sought with the keywords: maternal nutrition, placental TL, newborn, TL, and PTB. No studies were found that included all of the keywords simultaneously, and thus, the keywords were searched in dyads, to reach assumptive conclusions. The findings show that maternal nutrition affects PTB risk, through its influence on maternal TL. On the other hand, maternal TL independently affects PTB risk, and at the same time PTB is a major determinant of offspring TL regulation. The strength of the associations, and the extent of the influence from covariates, remains to be elucidated in future research. Furthermore, the question of whether maternal TL is simply a biomarker of maternal nutritional status and PTB risk, or a causative factor of PTB, to date, remains to be answered.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nikoletta Lis
- Department of Health Sciences, European University Cyprus, Nicosia 2404, Cyprus; (N.L.); (D.L.)
- Maternity Clinic, Cork University Maternity Hospital, T12 YE02 Cork, Ireland
| | - Demetris Lamnisos
- Department of Health Sciences, European University Cyprus, Nicosia 2404, Cyprus; (N.L.); (D.L.)
| | | | - Elena Hadjimbei
- Department of Life Sciences, European University Cyprus, Nicosia 2404, Cyprus;
| | - Irene P. Tzanetakou
- Department of Life Sciences, European University Cyprus, Nicosia 2404, Cyprus;
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Leake DW. Tracing Slow Phenoptosis to the Prenatal Stage in Social Vertebrates. BIOCHEMISTRY. BIOKHIMIIA 2022; 87:1512-1527. [PMID: 36717460 DOI: 10.1134/s0006297922120094] [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
Vladimir Skulachev's coining of the term "phenoptosis" 25 years ago (Skulachev, V. P., Biochemistry (Moscow), 62, 1997) highlighted the theoretical possibility that aging is a programmed process to speed the exit of individuals posing some danger to their social group. While rapid "acute phenoptosis" might occur at any age (e.g., to prevent spread of deadly infections), "slow phenoptosis" is generally considered to occur later in life in the form of chronic age-related disorders. However, recent research indicates that risks for such chronic disorders can be greatly raised by early life adversity, especially during the prenatal stage. Much of this research uses indicators of biological aging, the speeding or slowing of natural physiological deterioration in response to environmental inputs, leading to divergence from chronological age. Studies using biological aging indicators commonly find it is accelerated not only in older individuals with chronic disorders, but also in very young individuals with health problems. This review will explain how accelerated biological aging equates to slow phenoptosis. Its occurrence even in the prenatal stage is theoretically supported by W. D. Hamilton's proposal that offsprings detecting they have dangerous mutations should then automatically speed their demise, in order to improve their inclusive fitness by giving their parents the chance to produce other fitter siblings.
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Affiliation(s)
- David W Leake
- University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, HI 96822, USA.
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Niveta JPS, Kumar MA, Parvathi VD. Telomere attrition and inflammation: the chicken and the egg story. EGYPTIAN JOURNAL OF MEDICAL HUMAN GENETICS 2022. [DOI: 10.1186/s43042-022-00335-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
AbstractThe challenge to improve human life span has progressed with the advent of health care services and technologies. This improvement poses a new challenge of an associated wave of diseases and pathologies that have not been observed or experienced. This has led to rise in geriatric population who are currently facing health challenges that needs to be addressed by the research community. This review focuses primarily on two mechanisms that have contributed to aging and associated pathologies: telomere attrition and inflammatory insults. A strong interplay appears to exist between telomere attrition and inflammation, and this could be the basis of many pathologies associated with increasing age. This creates a scientific dilemma as to what comes first: telomere attrition or inflammation. This review will enthuse the reader to the underlying molecules and mechanisms associated with telomere attrition and inflammation and their contribution to aging.
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DeFreitas MJ, Katsoufis CP, Benny M, Young K, Kulandavelu S, Ahn H, Sfakianaki A, Abitbol CL. Educational Review: The Impact of Perinatal Oxidative Stress on the Developing Kidney. Front Pediatr 2022; 10:853722. [PMID: 35844742 PMCID: PMC9279889 DOI: 10.3389/fped.2022.853722] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2022] [Accepted: 06/13/2022] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Oxidative stress occurs when there is an imbalance between reactive oxygen species/reactive nitrogen species and antioxidant systems. The interplay between these complex processes is crucial for normal pregnancy and fetal development; however, when oxidative stress predominates, pregnancy related complications and adverse fetal programming such as preterm birth ensues. Understanding how oxidative stress negatively impacts outcomes for the maternal-fetal dyad has allowed for the exploration of antioxidant therapies to prevent and/or mitigate disease progression. In the developing kidney, the negative impact of oxidative stress has also been noted as it relates to the development of hypertension and kidney injury mostly in animal models. Clinical research addressing the implications of oxidative stress in the developing kidney is less developed than that of the neurodevelopmental and respiratory conditions of preterm infants and other vulnerable neonatal groups. Efforts to study the oxidative stress pathway along the continuum of the perinatal period using a team science approach can help to understand the multi-organ dysfunction that the maternal-fetal dyad sustains and guide the investigation of antioxidant therapies to ameliorate the global toxicity. This educational review will provide a comprehensive and multidisciplinary perspective on the impact of oxidative stress during the perinatal period in the development of maternal and fetal/neonatal complications, and implications on developmental programming of accelerated aging and cardiovascular and renal disease for a lifetime.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marissa J DeFreitas
- Division of Pediatric Nephrology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Miami, Miami, FL, United States.,Department of Pediatrics, Batchelor Children's Research Institute, University of Miami, Miami, FL, United States
| | - Chryso P Katsoufis
- Division of Pediatric Nephrology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Miami, Miami, FL, United States.,Department of Pediatrics, Batchelor Children's Research Institute, University of Miami, Miami, FL, United States
| | - Merline Benny
- Department of Pediatrics, Batchelor Children's Research Institute, University of Miami, Miami, FL, United States.,Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Miami, Miami, FL, United States
| | - Karen Young
- Department of Pediatrics, Batchelor Children's Research Institute, University of Miami, Miami, FL, United States.,Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Miami, Miami, FL, United States
| | - Shathiyah Kulandavelu
- Division of Pediatric Nephrology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Miami, Miami, FL, United States.,Interdisciplinary Stem Cell Institute, University of Miami, Miami, FL, United States
| | - Hyunyoung Ahn
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of Miami, Miami, FL, United States
| | - Anna Sfakianaki
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of Miami, Miami, FL, United States
| | - Carolyn L Abitbol
- Division of Pediatric Nephrology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Miami, Miami, FL, United States.,Department of Pediatrics, Batchelor Children's Research Institute, University of Miami, Miami, FL, United States
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