[Frontiers in Bioscience E2, 1164-1168, June 1, 2010]

Telomere length and its associations with oxidized-LDL, carotid artery distensibility and smoking

Tim S. Nawrot1,2, Jan A. Staessen1,3, Paul Holvoet4, Harry A. Struijker-Boudier5, Paul Schiffers5, Luc M. Van Bortel6, Robert H. Fagard1, Jeffrey P. Gardner7, Masayuki Kimura7, Abraham Aviv7

1Study Coordinating Centre, Laboratory of Hypertension, Department of Molecular and Cardiovascular Research, University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium,2Centre for Environmental Sciences, Hasselt University, Diepenbeek, Belgium, 3Department of Epidemiology, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands. 4Cardiovascular Research Unit, Center for Experimental Surgery and Anesthesiology, University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium,5Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Cardiovascular Research Institute Maastricht, Maastricht University, the Netherlands, 6Heymans Institute of Pharmacology, Ghent University, Gent, Belgium, 7The Center of Human Development and Aging, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ, USA.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. Abstract
2. Introduction
3. Materials and methods
3.1. The cohort
3.2. White blood cell telomere length measurements
3.3. Oxidized-LDL measurements
3.4. Distensibility of the common carotid artery
3.5. Statistical Analysis
4. Results
4.1. Characteristics of the cohort:
4.2. WBC telomere profile
4.3. Oxidized-LDL
4.4. Carotid artery distensibility
4.5. Associations of WBC, telomere length, oxidized-LDL and carotid distensibility
5. Discussion
6. References

1. ABSTRACT

Oxidative stress is a key factor driving the aging of cells and arteries. Studies suggest that white blood cell (WBC) telomere length is an index of systemic aging. We, therefore, investigated the association between WBC telomere length and oxidized-LDL, and vascular aging, expressed by the distensibility of the carotid artery. We studied a random population sample of 216 non-smokers and 89, smokers. In all subjects, age and gender- adjusted telomere length was inversely correlated with plasma oxidized-LDL (regression coefficient = -0.656 kb/mg/dL; p=0.0006). Independent of gender, age and mean blood pressure, carotid distensibility increased with telomere length (2.33± 1.18 10-3/kPa/kb; p=0.05) but decreased with higher plasma levels of oxidized LDL (-10.7± 3.91 10-3/kPa/ mg/dL; p=0.006). Adjusted for gender and age, smokers' telomere length was shorter (6.72 vs 6.91 kb; p=0.014) and plasma oxidized-LDL level higher (0.52 vs 0.46 mg/dL; p=0.03) than in non-smokers. Higher level of oxidized-LDL, is associated with shorter WBC telomeres and increased stiffness of the carotid artery. Smoking is marked by increased oxidative stress in concert with shortened WBC telomere length.