Association Between Telomere Shortening and Ageing During Occupational Exposure

Sima Eshkoor,Sabariah Rahman,Patimah Ismail,Mohd Adon,Saidi Moin,Fatemeh Jahanshiri

doi:10.2478/v10011-012-0005-2

Abstract

Association Between Telomere Shortening and Ageing During Occupational ExposureTelomere length is considered as a biomarker of ageing, resulting in shortening during the process. The present investigation was an attempt to determine the relative telomere length in mechanical workshop workers. Telomere length shortening in cells during occupational exposure causes accelerated ageing. Genomic DNA was isolated from buccal epithelial cells collected from 240 individuals, comprising two groups of 120 exposed workers and 120 unexposed controls. Telomere length was measured by using real time PCR. Both telomere (T) and single copy gene (S) specific primers were used to compute the relative T/S ratio and expressed as the relative telomere length. Telomere length differed significantly between the workers and controls (p<0.05). The results showed an indirect and significant association (r=-0.356, p=0.001) between age and telomere length in the workers. This study showed that the difference in telomere length shortening was statistically significant (p<0.05) between the workers and controls. It was concluded that occupational exposure acts as a risk factor to enhance telomere length shortening and accelerate ageing.

Highlights

Ageing causes progressive reduction of tissue function in the body that results in the end of life
Summary: Telomere length is considered as a biomarker of ageing, resulting in shortening during the process
Telomere length was measured by using real time PCR

Summary

Introduction

Ageing causes progressive reduction of tissue function in the body that results in the end of life. 212 Ataollahi Eshkoor et al.: Telomere shortening, occupational exposure and ageing. Ageing is a biological process that differs among people [1]. Ageing is an accumulation of mutations in the somatic cells and results in tissue atrophy, cancers and the reduced function of organs [2]. Telomeres are special structures at the end of chromosomes, which help to distinguish a natural and broken chromosome [4]. Telomere is a TTAGGG repeat complex, located at the end of a chromosome in eukaryotic cells [5]. It provides a protective mechanism to preserve the chromosomal integrity in a cell [6]

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