Relative Telomere Length and Cardiovascular Risk Factors

Abstract

(1) Background: Telomeres are repetitive DNA sequences located at the extremities of chromosomes that maintain genetic stability. Telomere biology is relevant to several human disorders and diseases, specifically cardiovascular disease. To better understand the link between cardiovascular disease and telomere length, we studied the effect of relative telomere length (RTL) on cardiovascular risk factors in a large population-based sample. (2) Methods: RTL was measured by a real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction in subjects of the population-based Gutenberg Health Study (n = 4944). We then performed an association study of RTL with known cardiovascular risk factors of smoking status as well as systolic and diastolic blood pressure, body mass index (BMI), LDL cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, and triglycerides. (3) Results: A significant correlation was shown for RTL, with age as a quality control in our study (effect = −0.004, p = 3.2 × 10−47). Analysis of the relation between RTL and cardiovascular risk factors showed a significant association of RTL in patients who were current smokers (effect = −0.016, p = 0.048). No significant associations with RTL were seen for cardiovascular risk factors of LDL cholesterol (p = 0.127), HDL cholesterol (p = 0.713), triglycerides (p = 0.359), smoking (p = 0.328), diastolic blood pressure (p = 0.615), systolic blood pressure (p = 0.949), or BMI (p = 0.903). In a subsequent analysis, we calculated the tertiles of RTL. No significant difference across RTL tertiles was detectable for BMI, blood pressure, lipid levels, or smoking status. Finally, we studied the association of RTL and cardiovascular risk factors stratified by tertiles of age. We found a significant association of RTL and LDL cholesterol in the oldest tertile of age (effect = 0.0004, p = 0.006). (4) Conclusions: We determined the association of relative telomere length and cardiovascular risk factors in a population setting. An association of telomere length with age, current smoking status, as well as with LDL cholesterol in the oldest tertile of age was found, whereas no associations were observed between telomere length and triglycerides, HDL cholesterol, blood pressure, or BMI.

Telomere length and the risk of cardiovascular diseases: A Mendelian randomization study

“…Previous studies have reached inconsistent conclusions on the correlation between TL and hypertension. For instance, some previous studies suggested that there was no association between TL and blood pressure ( 38 – 40 ). A previous meta-analysis of 10 studies indicated a significant negative correlation between TL and hypertension ( 41 ), which was also observed in recent studies ( 42 – 45 ).…”

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“…It was shown, that telomeres length stronger associated with the pace of aging and age-related homeostatic dysregulation, than different panels of epigenetic clocks, including the 353-CpG clock, so telomeres length associated with some unique aspects of aging unrelated to other biomarkers [15]. Other authors believe that leukocyte telomere lengths are associated with oxidative stress and inflammation even in healthy people [16], which indicates that systemic oxidative stress and inflammation are associated with the increased risk of cardiovascular disease and may accelerate telomere shortening, thereby mitigating the effects of the hereditary component of TL [17]. In addition, considering the systemic effects of oxidative stress, inflammation, and the similar indicators of shortening of TL in somatic tissues [2], the rate of the shortening of TL in the blood cells reflects this in the vascular tissue.…”

“…Also these studies included few oxidative stress parameters that were measured after telomere shortening had already occurred, i.e. not in the period between the baseline and the subsequent growth of telomeres [17,19,20]. In this regard, it can be concluded that the role of oxidative stress in telomere shortening in vivo is currently unclear, and more extensive studies are required.…”

Genetics of Cardiovascular Disease: How Far Are We from Personalized CVD Risk Prediction and Management?

“…Additionally, some CVD risk factors were associated with telomere length, such as obesity, plasma lipids, or hypertension. These associations could be influenced by the age of examined subjects and generally showed strong heterogeneity effects [ 129 , 130 , 131 ].…”