Shorter leukocyte telomere length and greater LTL attrition tied to cystic fibrosis severity

Aging-USSep 12 2024

A new research paper was published in Aging (listed by MEDLINE/PubMed as "Aging (Albany NY)" and "Aging-US" by Web of Science), Volume 16, Issue 16 on August 29, 2024, entitled, "Leukocyte telomere length and attrition in association with disease severity in cystic fibrosis patients."

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is marked by chronic airway inflammation and premature aging, but the link with leukocyte telomere length (LTL) as a marker of biological aging remains unclear. A growing body of research shows an association between telomere shortening and chronic, age-related respiratory diseases. Patients with chronic asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) all exhibit shorter telomeres compared to age-matched controls.

Researchers Dries S. Martens, Elise J. Lammertyn, Pieter C. Goeminne, Kristine Colpaert, Marijke Proesmans, Bart M. Vanaudenaerde, Tim S. Nawrot, and Lieven J. Dupont from Hasselt University, KU Leuven, Hospital VITAZ Sint-Niklaas, University Hospitals Leuven and University Hospital of Leuven in Belgium, studied disease severity and LTL in 168 CF patients, with 85 undergoing a second retrospective LTL assessment.

"We hypothesized that CF patients with more severe disease characteristics exhibit shorter leukocyte telomere length (LTL) and greater LTL attrition."

In conclusion, in CF patients, more severe disease characteristics were associated with shorter LTL, potentially accelerating aging and increasing susceptibility to age-related diseases. These effects likely begin in childhood, highlighting the importance of early CF diagnosis and timely therapeutic intervention.