Systemic telomere length and preclinical atherosclerosis: the Asklepios Study.
OBJECTIVE
Peripheral blood leucocyte (PBL) telomere length (TL) is a systemic ageing biomarker and has been proposed to be an independent predictor of cardiovascular disease (CVD). We aimed at providing an explanation for this association by the evaluation of the biomarker value of PBL-TL in preclinical atherosclerosis.


RESULTS
Peripheral blood leucocyte telomere length was assessed by telomere restriction fragment analysis in 2509 volunteers free from established CVD, aged approximately 35-55 years old, from the Asklepios Study cohort. Intima-media thickness (IMT) and plaque presence were determined by ultrasonography in both left and right carotid and femoral arteries. Peripheral blood leucocyte telomere length was not a significant independent determinant of IMT (P > 0.3) or plaque presence (P > 0.05), in either artery or either sex. In women but not in men, PBL-TL was a weak determinant of combined (carotid or femoral) plaque presence, adjusted for other risk factors (women: P = 0.03, men: P > 0.4). However, even in women presenting plaques, PBL-TL was still longer than in men.


CONCLUSIONS
Since systemic TL is not a substantial underlying determinant of preclinical atherosclerosis, the association between CVD and TL cannot be explained by the fact that subjects with shorter inherited TL are predisposed to atherosclerosis.
De Meyer
Tim
T
Department of Molecular Biotechnology, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, B-9000 Ghent, Belgium. tim.demeyer@ugent.be
Rietzschel
Ernst R
ER
De Buyzere
Marc L
ML
Langlois
Michel R
MR
De Bacquer
Dirk
D
Segers
Patrick
P
Van Damme
Piet
P
De Backer
Guy G
GG
Van Oostveldt
Patrick
P
Van Criekinge
Wim
W
Gillebert
Thierry C
TC
Bekaert
Sofie
S
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012150:Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length; D012307:Risk Factors; D016615:Telomere / Q000473:pathology*