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Savage SA. Telomere length and cancer risk: finding Goldilocks. Biogerontology 2024; 25:265-278. [PMID: 38109000 DOI: 10.1007/s10522-023-10080-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2023] [Accepted: 11/13/2023] [Indexed: 12/19/2023]
Abstract
Telomeres are the nucleoprotein complex at chromosome ends essential in genomic stability. Baseline telomere length (TL) is determined by rare and common germline genetic variants but shortens with age and is susceptible to certain environmental exposures. Cellular senescence or apoptosis are normally triggered when telomeres reach a critically short length, but cancer cells overcome these protective mechanisms and continue to divide despite chromosomal instability. Rare germline variants in telomere maintenance genes cause exceedingly short telomeres for age (< 1st percentile) and the telomere biology disorders, which are associated with elevated risks of bone marrow failure, myelodysplastic syndrome, acute myeloid leukemia, and squamous cell carcinoma of the head/neck and anogenital regions. Long telomeres due to rare germline variants in the same or different telomere maintenance genes are associated with elevated risks of other cancers, such as chronic lymphocytic leukemia or sarcoma. Early epidemiology studies of TL in the general population lacked reproducibility but new methods, including creation of a TL polygenic score using common variants, have found longer telomeres associated with excess risks of renal cell carcinoma, glioma, lung cancer, and others. It has become clear that when it comes to TL and cancer etiology, not too short, not too long, but "just right" telomeres are important in minimizing cancer risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sharon A Savage
- Clinical Genetics Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, 9609 Medical Center Drive, 6E456, Bethesda, MD, 20892-6772, USA.
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Tsikouras P, Oikonomou E, Nikolettos K, Andreou S, Kyriakou D, Damaskos C, Garmpis N, Monastiridou V, Nalmpanti T, Bothou A, Iatrakis G, Nikolettos N. The Impact of Periodontal Disease on Preterm Birth and Preeclampsia. J Pers Med 2024; 14:345. [PMID: 38672972 PMCID: PMC11051368 DOI: 10.3390/jpm14040345] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2024] [Revised: 03/19/2024] [Accepted: 03/23/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
This review delves into the possible connection between periodontitis and negative pregnancy outcomes, such as preeclampsia and preterm birth. It highlights the potential influence of an unidentified microbial factor on preeclampsia and the effects of inflammatory responses on the rate of preterm births. Furthermore, it underscores the prevalent occurrence of oral ailments within the populace and their significant repercussions on quality of life. Hormonal fluctuations during pregnancy may exacerbate oral conditions such as pregnancy gingivitis and periodontitis, necessitating bespoke therapeutic approaches that take into account potential fetal ramifications. Periodontal disease, characterized by microbial attack and inflammatory response, results in tissue destruction and tooth loss. The oral cavity's susceptibility to bacterial colonization, which is primarily due to its role as a site for food intake, is highlighted. Furthermore, research indicates a correlation between inflammatory responses and factors such as prostaglandin E2 and IL-1β, and preterm birth. Therapeutic interventions are a focus of international research, with efforts being aimed at optimizing outcomes through larger studies involving pregnant women.
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Affiliation(s)
- Panagiotis Tsikouras
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Democritus University of Thrace, 68100 Alexandroupolis, Greece; (E.O.); (K.N.); (S.A.); (D.K.); (V.M.); (T.N.); (N.N.)
| | - Efthymios Oikonomou
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Democritus University of Thrace, 68100 Alexandroupolis, Greece; (E.O.); (K.N.); (S.A.); (D.K.); (V.M.); (T.N.); (N.N.)
| | - Konstantinos Nikolettos
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Democritus University of Thrace, 68100 Alexandroupolis, Greece; (E.O.); (K.N.); (S.A.); (D.K.); (V.M.); (T.N.); (N.N.)
| | - Sotiris Andreou
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Democritus University of Thrace, 68100 Alexandroupolis, Greece; (E.O.); (K.N.); (S.A.); (D.K.); (V.M.); (T.N.); (N.N.)
| | - Dimitrios Kyriakou
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Democritus University of Thrace, 68100 Alexandroupolis, Greece; (E.O.); (K.N.); (S.A.); (D.K.); (V.M.); (T.N.); (N.N.)
| | - Christos Damaskos
- Department of Laboratory of Experimental Surgery and Surgical Research, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece;
- Renal Transplantation Unit, Laiko General Hospital, 11527 Athens, Greece
| | | | - Vassiliki Monastiridou
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Democritus University of Thrace, 68100 Alexandroupolis, Greece; (E.O.); (K.N.); (S.A.); (D.K.); (V.M.); (T.N.); (N.N.)
| | - Theopi Nalmpanti
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Democritus University of Thrace, 68100 Alexandroupolis, Greece; (E.O.); (K.N.); (S.A.); (D.K.); (V.M.); (T.N.); (N.N.)
| | - Anastasia Bothou
- Neonatal Department, University Hospital Alexandra, 11528 Athens, Greece;
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 11528 Athens, Greece;
| | - George Iatrakis
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 11528 Athens, Greece;
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Rea Maternity Hospital, 17564 Athens, Greece
| | - Nikolaos Nikolettos
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Democritus University of Thrace, 68100 Alexandroupolis, Greece; (E.O.); (K.N.); (S.A.); (D.K.); (V.M.); (T.N.); (N.N.)
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Henriques CM, Ferreira MG. Telomere length is an epigenetic trait - Implications for the use of telomerase-deficient organisms to model human disease. Dis Model Mech 2024; 17:dmm050581. [PMID: 38441152 PMCID: PMC10941657 DOI: 10.1242/dmm.050581] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Telomere length, unlike most genetic traits, is epigenetic, in the sense that it is not fully coded by the genome. Telomeres vary in length and randomly assort to the progeny leaving some individuals with longer and others with shorter telomeres. Telomerase activity counteracts this by extending telomeres in the germline and during embryogenesis but sizeable variances remain in telomere length. This effect is exacerbated by the absence of fully active telomerase. Telomerase heterozygous animals (tert+/-) have reduced telomerase activity and their telomeres fail to be elongated to wild-type average length, meaning that - with every generation - they decrease. After a given number of successive generations of telomerase-insufficient crosses, telomeres become critically short and cause organismal defects that, in humans, are known as telomere biology disorders. Importantly, these defects also occur in wild-type (tert+/+) animals derived from such tert+/- incrosses. Despite these tert+/+ animals being proficient for telomerase, they have shorter than average telomere length and, although milder, develop phenotypes that are similar to those of telomerase mutants. Here, we discuss the impact of this phenomenon on human pathologies associated with telomere length, provide a brief overview of telomere biology across species and propose specific measures for working with telomerase-deficient zebrafish.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catarina M. Henriques
- The Bateson Centre, MRC-Arthritis Research UK Centre for Integrated Research Into Musculoskeletal Ageing (CIMA) and Healthy Lifespan Institute (HELSI), School of Medicine and Population Health, University of Sheffield, Sheffield S10 2TN, UK
| | - Miguel Godinho Ferreira
- Institute for Research on Cancer and Aging of Nice (IRCAN), CNRS UMR7284, INSERM U1081, Université Côte d‘Azur, 06107 Nice, France
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Sanchez SE, Gu J, Golla A, Martin A, Shomali W, Hockemeyer D, Savage SA, Artandi SE. Digital telomere measurement by long-read sequencing distinguishes healthy aging from disease. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.11.29.569263. [PMID: 38077053 PMCID: PMC10705489 DOI: 10.1101/2023.11.29.569263] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2023]
Abstract
Telomere length is an important biomarker of organismal aging and cellular replicative potential, but existing measurement methods are limited in resolution and accuracy. Here, we deploy digital telomere measurement by nanopore sequencing to understand how distributions of human telomere length change with age and disease. We measure telomere attrition and de novo elongation with unprecedented resolution in genetically defined populations of human cells, in blood cells from healthy donors and in blood cells from patients with genetic defects in telomere maintenance. We find that human aging is accompanied by a progressive loss of long telomeres and an accumulation of shorter telomeres. In patients with defects in telomere maintenance, the accumulation of short telomeres is more pronounced and correlates with phenotypic severity. We apply machine learning to train a binary classification model that distinguishes healthy individuals from those with telomere biology disorders. This sequencing and bioinformatic pipeline will advance our understanding of telomere maintenance mechanisms and the use of telomere length as a clinical biomarker of aging and disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Santiago E. Sanchez
- Stanford Cancer Institute, Stanford University School of Medicine; Stanford, CA, USA
- Cancer Biology Program, Stanford University School of Medicine; Stanford, CA, USA
- Medical Scientist Training Program, Stanford University; Stanford CA, USA
| | - Jessica Gu
- Stanford Cancer Institute, Stanford University School of Medicine; Stanford, CA, USA
- Department of Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine; Stanford, CA, USA
- Department of Biochemistry, Stanford University School of Medicine; Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Anudeep Golla
- Stanford Cancer Institute, Stanford University School of Medicine; Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Annika Martin
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA
| | - William Shomali
- Department of Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine; Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Dirk Hockemeyer
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA
- Chan Zuckerberg Biohub, San Francisco, CA
- Innovative Genomics Institute, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA
| | - Sharon A. Savage
- Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Steven E. Artandi
- Stanford Cancer Institute, Stanford University School of Medicine; Stanford, CA, USA
- Department of Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine; Stanford, CA, USA
- Department of Biochemistry, Stanford University School of Medicine; Stanford, CA, USA
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Aviv A. The "telomereless" erythrocytes and telomere-length dependent erythropoiesis. Aging Cell 2023; 22:e13997. [PMID: 37824094 PMCID: PMC10726845 DOI: 10.1111/acel.13997] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2023] [Revised: 09/08/2023] [Accepted: 09/12/2023] [Indexed: 10/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Approximately 25 trillion erythrocytes (red blood cells) circulate in the bloodstream of an adult human, surpassing the number of circulating leukocytes (white blood cells) by a factor of about 1000. Moreover, the erythrocyte turnover rate accounts for approximately 76% of the turnover rate of all circulating blood cells. This simple math shows that the hematopoietic system principally spends its telomere length-dependent replicative capacity on building and maintaining the erythrocyte blood pool. Erythropoiesis (red blood cell production) is thus the principal cause of telomere shortening with age in hematopoietic cells (HCs), a conclusion that holds significant implications for linking telomere length dynamics in HCs to health and lifespan of modern humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abraham Aviv
- Center of Human Development and AgingNew Jersey Medical School, RutgersThe State University of New JerseyNewarkNew JerseyUSA
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