Newborn telomere length predicts later life telomere length: Tracking telomere length from birth to child- and adulthood.
Early life aging
Newborn telomere length
Telomere dynamics
Telomere tracking
Journal
EBioMedicine
ISSN: 2352-3964
Titre abrégé: EBioMedicine
Pays: Netherlands
ID NLM: 101647039
Informations de publication
Date de publication:
Jan 2021
Jan 2021
Historique:
received:
14
10
2020
revised:
24
11
2020
accepted:
25
11
2020
pubmed:
11
1
2021
medline:
6
10
2021
entrez:
10
1
2021
Statut:
ppublish
Résumé
Telomere length (TL) is considered a biological marker of aging and may indicate age-related disease susceptibility. Adults and children show a fixed ranking and tracking of TL over time. However, the contribution of an individual's initial birth TL to their later life TL is unknown. We evaluated change and tracking of TL from birth to child- and adulthood. Telomere length at birth was measured using qPCR in two independent prospective birth cohorts. After a median follow-up period of 4 years in ENVIRONAGE (n = 273) we assessed leukocyte telomere length (LTL) and after 23 years in EFPTS (n = 164) buccal TL was assessed. Correlations and multivariable regression models were applied to study telomere tracking and determinants of TL change from birth onwards. In children, LTL at the age of 4 correlates with TL at the start of life both in cord blood (r = 0.71, P < 0.0001;) and placenta (r = 0.60, P < 0.0001) and was -11.2% and -33.1% shorter, respectively. In adulthood, buccal TL at the age of 23 correlates with placental TL (r = 0.46, P < 0.0001) and was -35.9% shorter. TL attrition was higher in individuals with longer birth TL. However, based on TL ranking, individuals do not tend to change dramatically from TL rank after 4 or 23 years of follow-up. Finally, longer maternal TL associates with lower telomere attrition in the next generation. The high prediction of newborn TL for later life TL, and stable TL ranking from birth onwards underscores the importance of understanding the initial setting of newborn TL and its significance for later life. European Research Council (ERC-StG310898) and Flemish Scientific Fund (12X9620N).
Sections du résumé
BACKGROUND
BACKGROUND
Telomere length (TL) is considered a biological marker of aging and may indicate age-related disease susceptibility. Adults and children show a fixed ranking and tracking of TL over time. However, the contribution of an individual's initial birth TL to their later life TL is unknown. We evaluated change and tracking of TL from birth to child- and adulthood.
METHODS
METHODS
Telomere length at birth was measured using qPCR in two independent prospective birth cohorts. After a median follow-up period of 4 years in ENVIRONAGE (n = 273) we assessed leukocyte telomere length (LTL) and after 23 years in EFPTS (n = 164) buccal TL was assessed. Correlations and multivariable regression models were applied to study telomere tracking and determinants of TL change from birth onwards.
FINDINGS
RESULTS
In children, LTL at the age of 4 correlates with TL at the start of life both in cord blood (r = 0.71, P < 0.0001;) and placenta (r = 0.60, P < 0.0001) and was -11.2% and -33.1% shorter, respectively. In adulthood, buccal TL at the age of 23 correlates with placental TL (r = 0.46, P < 0.0001) and was -35.9% shorter. TL attrition was higher in individuals with longer birth TL. However, based on TL ranking, individuals do not tend to change dramatically from TL rank after 4 or 23 years of follow-up. Finally, longer maternal TL associates with lower telomere attrition in the next generation.
INTERPRETATION
CONCLUSIONS
The high prediction of newborn TL for later life TL, and stable TL ranking from birth onwards underscores the importance of understanding the initial setting of newborn TL and its significance for later life.
FUNDING
BACKGROUND
European Research Council (ERC-StG310898) and Flemish Scientific Fund (12X9620N).
Identifiants
pubmed: 33422989
pii: S2352-3964(20)30540-5
doi: 10.1016/j.ebiom.2020.103164
pmc: PMC7808927
pii:
doi:
Types de publication
Journal Article
Langues
eng
Sous-ensembles de citation
IM
Pagination
103164Informations de copyright
Copyright © 2020 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Déclaration de conflit d'intérêts
Declaration of Interests We declare no competing interests.