Dataset Information
Sex difference in leukocyte telomere length is ablated in opposite-sex co-twins.
Ontology highlight
ABSTRACT: Background
In eutherian mammals and in humans, the female fetus may be masculinized while sharing the intra-uterine environment with a male fetus. Telomere length (TL), as expressed in leukocytes, is heritable and is longer in women than in men. The main determinant of leukocyte TL (LTL) is LTL at birth. However, LTL is modified by age-dependent attrition.Methods
We studied LTL dynamics (LTL and its attrition) in adult same-sex (monozygotic, n?=?268; dizygotic, n?=?308) twins and opposite-sex (n?=?144) twins. LTL was measured by Southern blots of the terminal restriction fragments.Results
We observed that in same-sex (both monozygotic and dizygotic) twins, as reported in singletons, LTL was longer in females than in males [estimate?±?standard error (SE):163?±?63?bp, P?ConclusionsThese findings are compatible with masculinization of the female fetus in opposite-sex twins. They suggest that the sex difference in LTL, seen in the general population, is largely determined in utero, perhaps by the intrauterine hormonal environment. Further studies in newborn twins are warranted to test this thesis.
SUBMITTER: Benetos A
PROVIDER: S-EPMC4276058 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Dec
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
Publications
Sex difference in leukocyte telomere length is ablated in opposite-sex co-twins.
International journal of epidemiology 20140723 6
<h4>Background</h4>In eutherian mammals and in humans, the female fetus may be masculinized while sharing the intra-uterine environment with a male fetus. Telomere length (TL), as expressed in leukocytes, is heritable and is longer in women than in men. The main determinant of leukocyte TL (LTL) is LTL at birth. However, LTL is modified by age-dependent attrition.<h4>Methods</h4>We studied LTL dynamics (LTL and its attrition) in adult same-sex (monozygotic, n = 268; dizygotic, n = 308) twins and ...[more]