Dataset Information

Is telomere length socially patterned? Evidence from the West of Scotland Twenty-07 Study.

ABSTRACT: Lower socioeconomic status (SES) is strongly associated with an increased risk of morbidity and premature mortality, but it is not known if the same is true for telomere length, a marker often used to assess biological ageing. The West of Scotland Twenty-07 Study was used to investigate this and consists of three cohorts aged approximately 35 (N?=?775), 55 (N?=?866) and 75 years (N?=?544) at the time of telomere length measurement. Four sets of measurements of SES were investigated: those collected contemporaneously with telomere length assessment, educational markers, SES in childhood and SES over the preceding twenty years. We found mixed evidence for an association between SES and telomere length. In 35-year-olds, many of the education and childhood SES measures were associated with telomere length, i.e. those in poorer circumstances had shorter telomeres, as was intergenerational social mobility, but not accumulated disadvantage. A crude estimate showed that, at the same chronological age, social renters, for example, were nine years (biologically) older than home owners. No consistent associations were apparent in those aged 55 or 75. There is evidence of an association between SES and telomere length, but only in younger adults and most strongly using education and childhood SES measures. These results may reflect that childhood is a sensitive period for telomere attrition. The cohort differences are possibly the result of survival bias suppressing the SES-telomere association; cohort effects with regard different experiences of SES; or telomere possibly being a less effective marker of biological ageing at older ages.

SUBMITTER: Robertson T

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3402400 | biostudies-literature | 2012

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Is telomere length socially patterned? Evidence from the West of Scotland Twenty-07 Study.

Robertson Tony T Batty G David GD Der Geoff G Green Michael J MJ McGlynn Liane M LM McIntyre Alan A Shiels Paul G PG Benzeval Michaela M

PloS one 20120723 7

Lower socioeconomic status (SES) is strongly associated with an increased risk of morbidity and premature mortality, but it is not known if the same is true for telomere length, a marker often used to assess biological ageing. The West of Scotland Twenty-07 Study was used to investigate this and consists of three cohorts aged approximately 35 (N = 775), 55 (N = 866) and 75 years (N = 544) at the time of telomere length measurement. Four sets of measurements of SES were investigated: those collec ...[more]

PMID: 22844525

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Project description:IntroductionTelomeres, are composed of tandem repeat sequences located at the ends of chromosomes and are required to maintain genomic stability. Telomeres can become shorter due to cell division and specific lifestyle factors. Critically shortened telomeres are linked to cellular dysfunction, senescence and aging. A number of studies have used low resolution techniques to assess telomere length in the placenta. In this study, we applied Single Telomere Length Analysis (STELA) which provides high-resolution chromosome specific telomere length profiles to ask whether we could obtain more detailed information on the length of individual telomeres in the placenta.MethodsTerm placentas (37-42 weeks) were collected from women delivering at University Hospital of Wales or Royal Gwent Hospital within 2 h of delivery. Multiple telomere-length distributions were determined using STELA. Intraplacental variation of telomere length was analysed (N = 5). Telomere length distributions were compared between labouring (N = 10) and non-labouring (N = 11) participants. Finally, telomere length was compared between female (N = 17) and male (N = 20) placenta.ResultsThere were no significant influences of sampling site, mode of delivery or foetal sex on the telomere-length distributions obtained. The mean telomere length was 7.7 kb ranging from 5.0 kb to 11.7 kb across all samples (N = 42) and longer compared with other human tissues at birth. STELA also revealed considerable telomere length heterogeneity within samples.ConclusionsWe have shown that STELA can be used to study telomere length homeostasis in the placenta regardless of sampling site, mode of delivery and foetal sex. Moreover, as each amplicon is derived from a single telomeric molecule, from a single cell, STELA can reveal the full detail of telomere-length distributions, including telomeres within the length ranges observed in senescent cells. STELA thus provides a new tool to interrogate the relationship between telomere length and pregnancy complications linked to placental dysfunction.

Dataset Information

Is telomere length socially patterned? Evidence from the West of Scotland Twenty-07 Study.

Publications

Is telomere length socially patterned? Evidence from the West of Scotland Twenty-07 Study.

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