Abstract
Little is known about the associations of inflammation and depression with telomere length. Using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 1999–2002, the current study assessed the effects of inflammation and depression on telomere length in 1141 young adults in the USA. Depression status was assessed from the World Health Organization Composite International Diagnostic Interview and inflammation status was measured based on C-reactive protein (CRP) concentrations. Information on telomere length was obtained using the quantitative polymerase chain reaction method to measure telomere length relative to standard reference DNA (T/S ratio). Unadjusted and adjusted linear and logistic regression models were used to assess the relationship between the tertiles of CRP concentration and the telomere length stratified by the status of depression such as major depression or depressed affect vs. no depression. The adjusted models were controlled for age, family poverty income ratio, race/ethnicity, marital status, physical activity, body mass index, and alcohol drinking status. A significant and decreasing linear trend in telomere length was found as CRP levels increased in men, regardless of the depression status, and women with major depression or depressed affect (p values < 0.05). Among men without depression, those with an elevated CRP level had increased odds of having a shortened telomere length compared to men with low CRP levels after controlling for covariates (adjusted odds ratio 1.77, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.09–2.90). In women, there was no association between CRP and telomere length, regardless of the depression status. In conclusion, there was a significant and inverse association between inflammation and telomere length according to the depression status in men but not in women. The present findings may be of clinical significance for the monitoring of inflammation levels and depression status as determinants of telomere length.
Highlights
Telomeres are DNA-protein complexes composed of base pairs of TTAGGG repeats at the end of linear chromosomal DNA [1], which protect the DNA from damage [2]
Data were obtained from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 1999–2002 because telomere length data were only available for these specific years
A significant and decreasing trend in telomere length was observed in men both with and without depression as the C-reactive protein (CRP) concentration moved from tertile 1 to tertile 3 (p values < 0.05)
Summary
Telomeres are DNA-protein complexes composed of base pairs of TTAGGG repeats at the end of linear chromosomal DNA [1], which protect the DNA from damage [2]. A large-scale population-based study demonstrated no association between telomere length and depression, whereas a relatively small sample-based study reported an inverse relationship between telomere length and depression. These inconsistent findings may be due to the presence of chronic inflammation, which influences both depression and telomere length. Chronic inflammation has been suggested to influence overall cell turnover and is associated with a shorter telomere length [23] as well as an increased risk for depression [24]. In the present study, we hypothesized that there are different combined effects of inflammation and depression status on telomere length in young adults in the USA. The aim of this study was to investigate the interrelationships among inflammation, depression, and telomere length using a nationally representative sample of adults in the USA
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
