Child buccal telomere length and mitochondrial DNA content as biomolecular markers of ageing in association with air pollution

Hautekiet, Pauline; Nawrot, Tim S.; Janssen, Bram G.; Martens, Dries S.; De Clercq, Eva M.; Dadvand, Payam; Plusquin, Michelle; Bijnens, Esmée M.; Saenen, Nelly D.

Child buccal telomere length and mitochondrial DNA content as biomolecular markers of ageing in association with air pollution

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dc.contributor.author Hautekiet, Pauline
dc.contributor.author Nawrot, Tim S.
dc.contributor.author Janssen, Bram G.
dc.contributor.author Martens, Dries S.
dc.contributor.author De Clercq, Eva M.
dc.contributor.author Dadvand, Payam
dc.contributor.author Plusquin, Michelle
dc.contributor.author Bijnens, Esmée M.
dc.contributor.author Saenen, Nelly D.
dc.date.accessioned 2022-05-04T06:40:36Z
dc.date.available 2022-05-04T06:40:36Z
dc.date.issued 2021
dc.description.abstract Background: Pro-inflammatory conditions such as air pollution might induce biological ageing. However, the available evidence on such an impact in children is still very scarce. We studied in primary schoolchildren the association of ambient residential air pollution exposure with telomere length (TL) and mitochondrial DNA content (mtDNAc), two important targets of the core axis of ageing. Methods: Between 2012 and 2014, buccal TL and mtDNAc were repeatedly assessed using qPCR in 197 Belgian primary schoolchildren (mean age 10.3 years) as part of the COGNAC study. At the child's residence, recent (week), sub-chronic (month) and chronic (year) exposure to nitrogen dioxide (NO2), particulate matter ≤ 2.5 µm (PM2.5) and black carbon (BC) were estimated using a high resolution spatiotemporal model. A mixed-effects model with school and subject as random effect was used while adjusting for a priori chosen covariates. Results: An interquartile range (IQR) increment (1.9 µg/m3) in chronic PM2.5 exposure was associated with a 8.9% (95% CI: -15.4 to -1.9%) shorter TL. In contrast to PM2.5, chronic exposure to BC and NO2 was not associated with TL but recent exposure to BC and NO2 showed significant inverse associations with TL: an IQR increment in recent exposure to BC (0.9 µg/m3) and NO2 (10.2 µg/m3) was associated with a 6.2% (95% CI: -10.6 to -1.6%) and 6.4% (95% CI: -11.8 to -0.7%) shorter TL, respectively. Finally, an IQR increment in chronic PM2.5 exposure was associated with a 12.7% (95% CI: -21.7 to -2.6%) lower mtDNAc. However, no significant associations were seen for NO2 and BC or for other exposure windows. Conclusion: Chronic exposure to PM2.5 below the EU threshold was associated with child's shorter buccal TL and lower mtDNAc, while traffic-related pollutants (BC and NO2) showed recent effects on telomere biology. Our data add to the literature on air pollution-induced effects of TL and mtDNAc, two measures part of the core axis of cellular ageing, from early life onwards.
dc.description.sponsorship The COGNAC study was supported by the European Research Council [ERC-2012-StG310898]; and the Flemish Scientific Fund [FWO, G073315N]. Esmée Bijnens holds a fellow-ship from the Marguerite-Marie Delacroix foundation. Bram Janssen and Dries Martens are postdoctoral fellows of the Research Foundation - Flanders (FWO 12W3218N and 12X9620N, respectively). Payam Dadvand is funded by a Ramón y Cajal fellowship [RYC-2012-10995] awarded by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Finance.
dc.format.mimetype application/pdf
dc.identifier.citation Hautekiet P, Nawrot TS, Janssen BG, Martens DS, De Clercq EM, Dadvand P, Plusquin M, Bijnens EM, Saenen ND. Child buccal telomere length and mitochondrial DNA content as biomolecular markers of ageing in association with air pollution. Environ Int. 2021 Feb;147:106332. DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2020.106332
dc.identifier.doi http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2020.106332
dc.identifier.issn 0160-4120
dc.identifier.uri http://hdl.handle.net/10230/52975
dc.language.iso eng
dc.publisher Elsevier
dc.relation.ispartof Environ Int. 2021 Feb;147:106332
dc.relation.projectID info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/EC/FP7/310898
dc.rights.accessRights info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
dc.rights.uri http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/
dc.subject.keyword Air pollution
dc.subject.keyword Biological ageing
dc.subject.keyword Biomarkers
dc.subject.keyword Children
dc.title Child buccal telomere length and mitochondrial DNA content as biomolecular markers of ageing in association with air pollution
dc.type info:eu-repo/semantics/article
dc.type.version info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion

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