Sex-related differences in length and erosion dynamics of human telomeres favor females

Möller, Peter; Mayer, Susanne; Mattfeldt, Torsten; Müller, Kathrin; Wiegand, Peter; Brüderlein, Silke

doi:10.18632/aging.100068

Cited by 32 publications

(22 citation statements)

References 39 publications

(47 reference statements)

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“…The fact that female gender protects telomeres has been reported in numerous adult studies [33], [34] and recently in adolescents [35] but no such gender-based difference was previously seen in newborns [36]. A protective effect of estrogen on telomerase expression and activity in women, as well as increased inflammation and oxidative stress in males have been suggested as possible biological explanations for this gender-related difference [37].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 96%

Leukocyte Telomere Length in HIV-Infected and HIV-Exposed Uninfected Children: Shorter Telomeres with Uncontrolled HIV Viremia

et al. 2012

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Objectives Nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs) used in HIV antiretroviral therapy can inhibit human telomerase reverse transcriptase. We therefore investigated whether in utero or childhood exposure to NRTIs affects leukocyte telomere length (LTL), a marker of cellular aging. Methods In this cross-sectional CARMA cohort study, we investigated factors associated with LTL in HIV -1-infected (HIV + ) children (n = 94), HIV-1-exposed uninfected (HEU) children who were exposed to antiretroviral therapy (ART) perinatally (n = 177), and HIV-unexposed uninfected (HIV − ) control children (n = 104) aged 0–19 years. Univariate followed by multivariate linear regression models were used to examine relationships of explanatory variables with LTL for: a) all subjects, b) HIV + /HEU children only, and c) HIV + children only. Results After adjusting for age and gender, there was no difference in LTL between the 3 groups, when considering children of all ages together. In multivariate models, older age and male gender were associated with shorter LTL. For the HIV + group alone, having a detectable HIV viral load was also strongly associated with shorter LTL (p = 0.007). Conclusions In this large study, group rates of LTL attrition were similar for HIV + , HEU and HIV − children. No associations between children’s LTL and their perinatal ART exposure or HIV status were seen in linear regression models. However, the association between having a detectable HIV viral load and shorter LTL suggests that uncontrolled HIV viremia rather than duration of ART exposure may be associated with acceleration of blood telomere attrition.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 96%

Leukocyte Telomere Length in HIV-Infected and HIV-Exposed Uninfected Children: Shorter Telomeres with Uncontrolled HIV Viremia

et al. 2012

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“…This may be because the estrogenic control of telomerase activation is not the sole mechanism females have for lengthening telomeres. Mö ller et al (2009) uncovered the evidence for female utilization of leukocyte telomere lengthening by recombinant sister chromatid exchange. We now need to investigate whether this mechanism is under the control of sex hormones and whether being the 'risk adverse' sex could have lead to the evolution of sex-specific alterative pathways of telomere maintenance in mammals.…”

Section: Sex Differences In Telomere Additionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Sex differences in telomeres and lifespan

2011

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SummaryMales and females often age at different rates resulting in longevity 'gender gaps', where one sex outlives the other. Why the sexes have different lifespans is an age-old question, still fiercely debated today. One cellular process related to lifespan, which is known to differ according to sex, is the rate at which the protective telomere chromosome caps are lost. In humans, men have shorter lifespans and greater telomere shortening. This has led to speculation in the medical literature that sex-specific telomere shortening is one cause of sex-specific mortality. However, telomere shortening may be a cause for and ⁄ or a consequence of the processes that govern survival, and to infer general principles from single-taxon studies may be misleading. Here, we review recent work on telomeres in a variety of animal taxa, including those with reverse sexual lifespan dimorphism (i.e., where males live longer), to establish whether sex-specific survival is generally associated with sex differences in telomere dynamics. By doing this, we attempt to tease apart the potential underlying causes for sex differences in telomere lengths in humans and highlight targets for future research across all taxa.

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“…A number of studies have found that women have longer telomeres than men during adulthood (Benetos et al 2001; Cawthon et al 2003; Jeanclos et al 2000; Nawrot et al 2004; Slagboom, Droog, and Boomsma 1994; Mayer et al 2006; Moller et al 2009; Diez Roux et al 2009), and a recent review of the literature on telomere epidemiology concluded that the association between gender and LTL has been observed consistently across studies (Sanders and Newman 2013). Explanations for gender differences in LTL have focused primarily on biological factors.…”

Section: Gender Differences In Telomere Lengthmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Test of Biological and Behavioral Explanations for Gender Differences in Telomere Length: The Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis

Needham

Roux

Bird

et al. 2014

Biodemography and Social Biology

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The purpose of this study was to examine biological and behavioral explanations for gender differences in leukocyte telomere length (LTL), a biomarker of cell aging that has been hypothesized to contribute to women’s greater longevity. Data are from a subsample (n = 851) of the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis, a population-based study of women and men aged 45 to 84. Mediation models were used to examine study hypotheses. We found that women had longer LTL than men, but the gender difference was smaller at older ages. Gender differences in smoking and processed meat consumption partially mediated gender differences in telomere length, whereas gender differences in estradiol, total testosterone, oxidative stress, and body mass index did not. Neither behavioral nor biological factors explained why the gender difference in LTL was smaller at older ages. Longitudinal studies are needed to assess gender differences in the rate of change in LTL over time; to identify the biological, behavioral, and psychosocial factors that contribute to these differences throughout the life course; and to determine whether gender differences in LTL explain the gender gap in longevity.

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Sex-related differences in length and erosion dynamics of human telomeres favor females

Cited by 32 publications

References 39 publications

Leukocyte Telomere Length in HIV-Infected and HIV-Exposed Uninfected Children: Shorter Telomeres with Uncontrolled HIV Viremia

Leukocyte Telomere Length in HIV-Infected and HIV-Exposed Uninfected Children: Shorter Telomeres with Uncontrolled HIV Viremia

Sex differences in telomeres and lifespan

A Test of Biological and Behavioral Explanations for Gender Differences in Telomere Length: The Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis

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