Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 17, 2026

Telomere Length and Telomerase Activity; A Yin and Yang of Cell Senescence
Published on: May 22, 2013
Telomere length is associated with ACE I/D polymorphism in hypertensive patients with left ventricular hypertrophy
Frej Fyhrquist1, Anders Eriksson, Outi Saijonmaa
1Minerva Institute for Medical Research, Finland. frej.fyhrquist@helsinki.fi
Introduction:
Short telomeres are often associated with cardiovascular risk factors and age-related diseases, while the angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) gene insertion/deletion polymorphism (DD, ID, II) has shown such associations less consistently. We hypothesized that telomere length and association of telomere length with cardiovascular risk is affected by ACE (I/D) genotype.
Methods:
We measured leucocyte telomere length (LTL) by Southern blot and analysed ACE I/D genotypes in 1249 subjects with hypertension and left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH). We examined interactions of ACE I/D genotype with LTL and cardiovascular risk.
Results:
Mean LTL in DD or ID genotype was shorter (8.15 and 8.14 kb, respectively), than in II genotype (8.27 kb, p=0.0005). This difference was significant in the younger subjects (55-64 years, p=0.02) but not in the older group (65-80 years, p=0.56 ). In DD but not I/D or II genotype, proportion of short telomeres (<5 kb) was related to Framingham risk score.
Conclusions:
Shorter LTL in genotypes DD or ID suggests a negative effect of the D allele on telomere length. Homozygocity for the D allele appears to strengthen the association of telomere length with increased cardiovascular risk in elderly hypertensive subjects with LVH.
Related Concept Videos
Cardiomyopathy III: Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy
Telomeres and Telomerase
Heart Failure II: Pathophysiology
Antihypertensive Drugs: Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors
Hypertension II: Pathophysiology
Hypertension III: Clinical Manifestations and Diagnostic Studies
