Paternal contributions to telomere reprogramming in fetal development.

Area of Science:

• Genetics and Molecular Biology
• Reproductive Health
• Aging Research

Background:

• Telomere length (TL) serves as a biomarker for biological aging and is influenced by various risk factors.
• Chronic non-communicable diseases, such as diabetes and hypertension, are associated with altered TL.
• Paternal health status may impact offspring's biological aging markers, including TL.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between paternal telomere length (TL) and chronic diseases (diabetes, hypertension) with age.
• To explore the correlation between paternal TL and newborn TL.
• To examine the influence of the telomerase gene on these associations.

Main Methods:

• Cross-sectional study involving 204 father-newborn dyads.
• Quantitative PCR (qPCR) for TL measurement (T/S ratio).
• Sanger sequencing for telomerase (TERT) genotype identification.
• Statistical analysis using SPSS and GraphPad Prism, including Spearman correlation and Kruskal-Wallis/Mann-Whitney tests.

Main Results:

• A significant positive correlation (r=0.39, P<0.0001) was observed between paternal and newborn TL.
• Fathers with chronic diseases and their newborns exhibited significantly shorter mean TL compared to healthy dyads.
• Younger fathers (15-20 yrs) and their newborns had longer TL; however, newborns of older fathers (41-45 yrs) with both diabetes and hypertension showed longer TL than their fathers.
• The TERT risk genotype AC (rs2736100) was more prevalent in newborn girls.

Conclusions:

• Paternal chronic diseases, including diabetes and hypertension, are associated with shorter newborn telomere length (TL).
• This finding underscores the significant role of fathers in influencing their newborns' telomere biology and potentially their long-term health.
• Further research is warranted to elucidate the mechanisms underlying paternal influence on offspring TL.