Analysis of the Association Between TERC and TERT Genetic Variation and Leukocyte Telomere Length and Human Lifespan-A Follow-Up Study.
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ABSTRACT: We investigated the possible influence of TERC and TERT genetic variation and leukocyte telomere length (LTL) on human lifespan. Four polymorphisms of TERT and three polymorphisms of TERC were examined in a sample of elderly subjects (70?100 years). After nine years of follow-up, mortality data were collected, and sub-samples of long-lived/not long-lived were defined. TERT VNTR MNS16A L/L genotype and TERT rs2853691 A/G or G/G genotypes were found to be associated with a significantly higher risk to die before the age of 90 years, and with a significantly lower age at death. The association between lifespan and LTL at baseline was analyzed in a subsample of 163 subjects. Age at baseline was inversely associated with LTL (p < 0.0001). Mean LTL was greater in the subjects still living than in those no longer living at follow-up (0.79 T/S ± 0.09 vs 0.63 T/S ± 0.08, p < 0.0001). Comparison of age classes showed that, among the 70?79-year-olds, the difference in mean LTL between those still living and those no longer living at follow-up was greater than among the 80?90-year-olds. Our data provide evidence that shorter LTL at baseline may predict a shorter lifespan, but the reliability of LTL as a lifespan biomarker seems to be limited to a specific age (70?79 years).
SUBMITTER: Scarabino D
PROVIDER: S-EPMC6409517 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Jan
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
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