Abstract
BackgroundTelomeres are non-coding sequences at the end of eukaryote chromosomes, which in complex with associated proteins serve to protect subtelomeric DNA. Telomeres shorten with each cell division, are regarded as a biomarker for aging and have also been suggested to play a role in atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease (CVD). The aim of the present study was to explore the associations between leukocyte telomere length and serum polyunsaturated fatty acids, diet, cardiovascular risk factors and features of myocardial infarction (MI) in elderly patients.MethodsThe material is based upon the first 299 included patients in the OMEMI trial, where patients aged 70–82 years of age are randomized to receive omega-3 supplements or corn oil (placebo) after MI. Patients were included 2–8 weeks after the index MI. DNA was extracted from whole blood, and leukocyte telomere length (LTL) was analyzed by qPCR and reported as a number relative to a reference gene. Serum long chain polyunsaturated fatty acid (LCPUFA) content was analyzed by gas chromatography. Diet was evaluated with the validated SmartDiet food frequency questionnaire. Medical records, patient interviews and clinical examination provided previous medical history and anthropometric data. Non-parametric statistical tests were used.ResultsMedian (25, 75 percentile) LTL was 0.55 (0.42, 0.72). Patients had a median age of 75 years, 70.2% were male and 45.2% used omega-3 supplements. There was a weak, but significant correlation between LTL and linoleic acid (r = 0.139, p = 0.017), but not with other LCPUFAs. There was a trend towards longer telomeres with a healthier diet, but this did not reach statistical significance (p = 0.073). No associations were found between LTL and CVD risk factors or features of MI.ConclusionsIn our population of elderly with a recent myocardial infarction LTL was associated with linoleic acid concentrations, but not with other LCPUFAs. Patients with a healthy diet tended to have longer telomeres. The limited associations may be due to age and the narrow age-span in our population. Further studies, designed to detect longitudinal changes should be performed to explore the role of telomeres in cardiovascular aging.Trial registrationClinical trials no. NCT01841944, registration date April 29, 2013.
Highlights
Telomeres are non-coding sequences at the end of eukaryote chromosomes, which in complex with associated proteins serve to protect subtelomeric DNA
Age is the most important risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD) and the prevalence of age-related diseases is increasing with the general ageing of the population [1]
Leukocyte telomere length (LTL) and their attrition rate have been associated with different markers of atherosclerosis in some studies [6, 13,14,15], while others have demonstrated more ambiguous results [16, 17]
Summary
Telomeres are non-coding sequences at the end of eukaryote chromosomes, which in complex with associated proteins serve to protect subtelomeric DNA. Telomeres shorten with each cell division, are regarded as a biomarker for aging and have been suggested to play a role in atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease (CVD). There has been great interest in the importance of telomeres and their shortening [5, 6] both as related to the ageing process and their role in CVD. Telomeres are repeating hexameric segments (TTAG GG) of DNA and associated proteins, and form the ends of chromosomes of eukaryotic cells. They play an important role in stabilizing the chromosome and protect the ends against degradation or end-to-end fusion during DNA damage and repair. A relationship between telomere length and myocardial infarction (MI) has been reported [18, 19]
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