RESUMO
AIM: The purpose of this study was to determine if there is a correlation between telomere length (TL) and mitochondrial DNA copy number (mtDNAcn) in children. METHODS: Leukocyte TL and mtDNAcn were measured by real-time PCR in 98 Mexican children 6-12 years of age from Salamanca, México. RESULTS: A positive association was found between TL and mtDNAcn after a natural log transformation (Pearson correlation r = 0.72; p < 0.0001). No correlation between age and body mass index (BMI) biomarkers was found, and no differences according to sex were observed. After adjustment for these variables, a linear regression model showed an association between TL and mtDNAcn (ß = 0.739, 95% confidence interval 0.594; 0.885, p < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: A strong positive correlation between TL and mtDNAcn was found in the study population; age, sex, and BMI seemed to have no effect on this correlation.
Assuntos
DNA Mitocondrial/genética , Leucócitos/ultraestrutura , Telômero/metabolismo , Biomarcadores/metabolismo , Criança , Variações do Número de Cópias de DNA , DNA Mitocondrial/metabolismo , Feminino , Dosagem de Genes , Humanos , Leucócitos/citologia , Leucócitos/metabolismo , Masculino , México , Mitocôndrias/genética , Reação em Cadeia da Polimerase em Tempo Real , Telômero/genética , Encurtamento do Telômero/genéticaRESUMO
In this study, we evaluated apoptosis induction in human immune cells in children exposed to arsenic (As) and fluoride (F). Children living in two areas in Mexico (Soledad de Graciano Sanchez (SGS) in San Luis Potosí and Colonia 5 de Febrero in Durango) were studied. Water, urine and blood samples were collected. Approximately 90% of the water samples in 5 de Febrero had As and F levels above the World Health Organization intervention guideline (10 µg/L and 1.5mg/L, respectively). In SGS, 0% of the water samples exceeded Mexican guidelines. Urinary As and F levels in children living in 5 de Febrero were significantly higher than the levels found in children living in SGS. In addition, the level of apoptosis was higher in children from the 5 de Febrero community when compared with the level of apoptosis in children living in SGS. Thus, in a worldwide context, our study demonstrates the health risks to children living in these regions.
