Pathogen burden and leukocyte telomere length in the United States
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RESEARCH
Open Access
Pathogen burden and leukocyte telomere length in the United States Grace A. Noppert1,2* , Lydia Feinstein3,4, Jennifer B. Dowd5, Rebecca C. Stebbins3, Emma Zang6, Belinda L. Needham7, Helen C. S. Meier8, Amanda Simanek8 and Allison E. Aiello2,3*
Abstract Background: Prior studies in humans have suggested that telomere shortening may be accelerated by infection, but research on multiple pathogens and use of large population-based study samples has been limited. We estimated cross-sectional associations between seropositivity to five persistent pathogens (Herpes Simplex Virus Type-1 (HSV-1), Herpes Simplex Virus Type-2 (HSV-2), cytomegalovirus (CMV), Helicobacter pylori (H.pylori), and Hepatitis B) as well as total pathogen burden and leukocyte telomere length. Data were derived from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (1999–2000) for individuals 20–49 years of age, N = 1708. We analyzed the influence of each pathogen separately, a pathogen count score and a latent class model of pathogen burden on log telomere length using linear regression models, adjusted for covariates. Results: Individuals in a latent pathogen burden class characterized by high probabilities of infection with HSV-1, CMV, and H. pylori, had significantly decreased log telomere length (− 0.30 [95% CI: − 0.36, − 0.24]) compared to those in a latent class characterized by low probabilities of all five infections. There were limited significant associations using other pathogen measures. Conclusions: These results suggest that infection with specific combinations of pathogens may be one mechanism contributing to accelerated cellular senescence with possible origins early in the life course. Keywords: Telomere length, Biological aging, Persistent infections, Geroscience, Immunosenescence
Background Telomeres are the repeated nucleotide sequences that cap the end of chromosomes to protect them from deteriorating or fusing with other chromosomes. Although telomere shortening is influenced by normal chronological aging [1], accelerated shortening is an indicator of accelerated cellular senescence [2] and has been linked to a growing number of adverse health conditions, including cancer [3], cardiovascular disease [4, 5], inflammation [6], and mental illness [7], as well as a * Correspondence: [email protected]; [email protected] 1 Social Environment and Health, Survey Research Center, Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA 2 Carolina Population Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 123 West Franklin St., Chapel Hill, NC 27516, USA Full list of author information is available at the end of the article
decreased immune response to vaccines [8]. Some studies have also shown an association between shorter telomere length and increased mortality rates [9, 10]. While age is a strong determinant of telomere length and attrition, other determinants such as genetics, socioeconomic status, and health behaviors (i.e. diet, exercise, and sleep) have also been identified
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