PLoS ONE (Jan 2021)

Longitudinal telomere length and body composition in healthy term-born infants during the first two years of life.

  • Kirsten S de Fluiter,
  • Veryan Codd,
  • Matthew Denniff,
  • Gerthe F Kerkhof,
  • Inge A L P van Beijsterveldt,
  • Laura M Breij,
  • Nilesh J Samani,
  • Marieke Abrahamse-Berkeveld,
  • Anita C S Hokken-Koelega

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0246400
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 16, no. 2
p. e0246400

Abstract

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ObjectiveLeukocyte telomere length (LTL) is one of the markers of biological aging as shortening occurs over time. Shorter LTL has been associated with adiposity and a higher risk of cardiovascular diseases. The objective was to assess LTL and LTL shortening during the first 2 years of life in healthy, term-born infants and to associate LTL shortening with potential stressors and body composition.Study designIn 145 healthy, term-born infants (85 boys), we measured LTL in blood, expressed as telomere to single-gene copy ratio (T/S ratio), at 3 months and 2 years by quantitative PCR technique. Fat mass (FM) was assessed longitudinally by PEAPOD, DXA, and abdominal FM by ultrasound.ResultsLTL decreased by 8.5% from 3 months to 2 years (T/S ratio 4.10 vs 3.75, pConclusionWe present longitudinal LTL values and show that LTL shortens considerably (8.5%) during the first 2 years of life. LTL shortening during first 2 years of life was associated with FM%, FMI and visceral FM at age 2 years, suggesting that adverse adiposity programming in early life could contribute to more LTL shortening.