title: Circulating cell-free DNA is associated with mortality and inflammatory markers in nonagenarians: the Vitality 90+ Study.
abstract: Aging is characteristically accompanied by a low-grade inflammatory state and increased cellular death. In this study, we analyzed the associations between the plasma cell-free DNA (cf-DNA) level and immunoinflammatory factors and 4-year mortality. The distribution of qualitative cf-DNA patterns in relation to the total cf-DNA concentration and the antinuclear antibody (ANA) serostatus was also evaluated. The study population consisted of n=258 nonagenarians who were participants in the Vitality 90+ Study. Cf-DNA levels were positively correlated with the C-reactive protein (CRP) level, the interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1ra) level, the serum amyloid A (SAA) level and the indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase enzyme activity (IDO), weight and chair-stand test time and inversely correlated with the HDL cholesterol level. The total cf-DNA concentration also remained as an independent predictor of 4-year all-cause mortality. A predominance of low-molecular-weight cf-DNA was observed in ANA-seropositive subjects but this cf-DNA pattern was not associated with mortality. The cf-DNA concentration could thus represent a novel biomarker for systemic inflammation and mortality in the elderly.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Immunology, School of Medicine, University of Tampere, Finland. juulia.jylhava@uta.fi
authors.forename: Juulia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jylhävä
authors.forename: Marja
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jylhä
authors.forename: Terho
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Lehtimäki
authors.forename: Antti
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hervonen
authors.forename: Mikko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hurme
mesh_terms: D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002474:Cell-Free System / Q000378:metabolism; D004247:DNA / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000097:blood / Q000401:mortality*; D018836:Inflammation Mediators / Q000378:metabolism*; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D011379:Prognosis; D012737:Sex Factors
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D018836:Inflammation Mediators; D008055:Lipids; D004247:DNA