Change in the telomere length distribution with age in the Japanese population

Abstract

Telomeres play a role in cellular aging and they may also contribute to the genetic basis of human aging and longevity. A gradual loss of the telomeric repeat sequences has been reported in adult tissue specimens. This study determined the percentage of telomere restriction fragment in various molecular-sized regions in addition to measuring the average telomere length. Mean telomere restriction fragment (TRF) length was determined by Southern blot analysis using a longer telomeric repeat probe with higher sensitivity. A significant decrease in longer telomere fragments and a quick increase in the shortest fragments were observed, especially in male subjects. There was a tendency that the age-adjusted telomere length was longer in females than that observed in males, while males lose the telomeric sequence faster than females. These data indicated that the percentage of longer telomeres fragments decreased, while the shortest fragments increased quickly with age. In addition, the longest telomere fragments decreased and the short fragments increased with a relatively stable frequency with age. There was also a significant difference in the longest telomere fragment percentage between males and female in their 40s and 50s, whereas no difference was observed in the mean TRF length. Interestingly, the changing rate of the longest and the shortest range group of TRF percentage associated with aging seemed quite different between before and after 50-year old with a gender-related contrast. This contrast implies a drastic change around the age of 50 of unknown factors that affect telomere attrition.

Telomere Length Measurement by Quantitative Real-time PCR: A Molecular Marker for Human Age Prediction

“…These results were consistent with the previous observations of Guan et al (2007), Hewakapuge et al (2008) and Kimura et al (2008) who confirmed that the length of telomeres decreased with age. Figura et al (2009) concluded that telomere shortening occurs as a consequence of proliferation along with each cell division, because of the endreplication problem of DNA-polymerase.…”

Telomere Length and Aging

“…Guan et al investigate this question among a wide range of aged people. They report decreased mean Telomere Length with age; a trend that was less steep among women (Guan et al, 2007). Friedrich et al expanded their study to more advanced ages with three different sources of telomeres from the same donor.…”

“…Telomere Length may play a role in the genetics of human longevity (Guan et al, 2007). The question is how and where?…”

Telomeric G-Tail Length and Hospitalization for Cardiovascular Events in Hemodialysis Patients

“…Clinical studies have shown that total telomere shortening is associated with increasing chronological age (6,7), progression of arteriosclerosis (8,9), and CKD (10)(11)(12). Patients with CKD have a markedly increased risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD) (13) and total telomere shortening is associated with progression of CVD (14).…”