Abstract
Telomeres are a crucial factor in the preservation of genomic integrity, and an elevated risk for diseases such as cancer and cardiovascular events is related to shortened telomeres. However, telomere deterioration could be caused by factors such as chronic oxidative stress and inflammation, which are promoted by an imbalance among reactive oxygen species (ROS) and antioxidants. In this cross-sectional study, we investigated the relationship between telomeres and oxidative stress. The serum leucocyte telomer length (LTL), serum total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and the total serum lipid panel of 180 healthy athletic volunteers (90 males, 90 females) were measured Additionally, a questionnaire about sports behaviour and the type of training was completed. We observed a positive significant relation between serum LTL and TAC in the male group (cc = 3.4/p = 0.001) but not in females. There was no statistically significant correlation between age and physical activity and LTL in both groups. This is the first cross sectional study demonstrating an association between total serum TAC and LTL in healthy males, but interestingly, not in the females. Nevertheless, these results should be interpreted as preliminary, and further studies in independent cohorts are needed to investigate the sex-specific effects of oxidative stress on telomere length and telomerase activity.
Highlights
Telomeres consist of tandem repeats of the hexanucleotide TTAGGG sequence and an associated complex consisting of six proteins for their own protection
To the best of our knowledge, this is the first cross-sectional study which indicates an association of total serum total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and leukocyte telomere length (LTL) in a healthy young to middle-aged male cohort
Another factor for why this result could not be observed in the female group may lie in the sex difference of cellular response to oxidative stress
Summary
Telomeres consist of tandem repeats of the hexanucleotide TTAGGG sequence and an associated complex consisting of six proteins for their own protection. They are positioned at the edges of chromosomal DNA [1] and as part of the heterochromatin they are essential for chromosomal stability and cellular integrity [2,3,4]. A critical telomere length leads to chromosomal instability, cell senescence and apoptosis in normal as well as pre-malignant cells. These factors promote age-related degenerative diseases and cancer. Leukocyte telomere length (LTL) has been suggested as a biomarker of biological age, and shorter telomere length (TL) is linked to a higher risk for several diseases, such as cancer and cardiovascular diseases [4]
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