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The impact of pathogen burden on leukocyte telomere length in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis

A E Aiello1, B Jayabalasingham2, A M Simanek3

  • 1Department of Epidemiology,Gillings School of Global Public Health, and the Carolina Population Center, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill,Chapel Hill, NC,USA.

Epidemiology and Infection
|September 8, 2017
PubMed

Insights

Persistent infections, particularly cytomegalovirus (CMV), are linked to shorter telomere length in women. This association was not observed in men, suggesting potential sex-specific health implications for pathogen burden and cellular aging.

Area of Science:

  • Infectious Diseases
  • Genetics
  • Epidemiology

Background:

  • Telomere shortening is associated with aging and disease.
  • Sex-specific differences in infection-related health outcomes are increasingly recognized.
  • Persistent infections may influence cellular aging processes like telomere attrition.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between seropositivity to common persistent pathogens and leukocyte telomere length.
  • To examine potential sex differences in these associations.
  • To assess the impact of total pathogen burden on telomere length.

Main Methods:

  • Cross-sectional analysis of data from the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (N = 163).
  • Assessed seropositivity for cytomegalovirus (CMV), herpes simplex virus-1, Helicobacter pylori, and Chlamydia pneumoniae.
  • Linear regression models were used to evaluate associations between pathogen burden and telomere length, adjusting for confounders.

Main Results:

  • Cytomegalovirus (CMV) seropositivity was significantly associated with shorter telomere length in females (β = -0·1204, P = 0·044).
  • Increased total pathogen burden was also linked to shorter telomeres in females (β = -0·1057, P = 0·033).
  • No statistically significant associations were found among males.

Conclusions:

  • Persistent infections, especially CMV, may contribute to telomere shortening in women.
  • Pathogen burden could be a modifiable factor influencing cellular aging in females.
  • Further longitudinal research is warranted to confirm these sex-specific findings.
Keywords:
Chlamydia pneumoniaHelicobacter pyloricytomegalovirusherpes simplex viruspathogen burdentelomere

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