Beta-carotene, telomerase activity and Alzheimer's disease in old age subjects.
Eur J Nutr
; 59(1): 119-126, 2020 Feb.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-30649596
ABSTRACT
PURPOSE:
Advancing age represents the strongest risk factor for Alzheimer's disease (AD), and the identification of biomarkers able to define what characterizes physiological aging from AD may represent a potential starting point for novel preventive strategies. Among these biomarkers, telomeres seem to be a promising target. Interestingly, high intake of carotenoid-rich food may play a role in protecting telomeres by oxidative stress reduction. Accordingly, low plasma ß-carotene concentrations have been found in AD subjects when compared with cognitively healthy subjects. In this study, we aim at investigating the hypothesis that low ß-carotene might be associated with markers of accelerated cellular aging, including leucocyte telomere length (LTL) and peripheral mononuclear cell (PBMC) telomerase activity in a cohort of old age subjects.METHODS:
The study was conducted in 68 old age subjects, 37 AD, and 31 age-matched healthy controls. In all subjects, ß-carotene plasma level, LTL and peripheral telomerase activity were measured.RESULTS:
In all populations, ß-carotene significantly and positively (r = 0.320, p = 0.008) correlated with telomerase activity, independent of gender. A model having telomerase activity levels as the dependent variable, and age, gender, smoking habit, and ß-carotene as independent variables, confirmed that ß-carotene was independently associated with telomerase activity (ß = 0.319, p = 0.012). Subjects affected by AD had significantly lower plasmatic levels of ß-carotene (448 ± 66 mg/ml vs 497 ± 59 mg/ml, p = 0.001) and LTL (0.53 ± 0.25 vs 0.69 ± 0.29; p = 0.009) as compared with healthy controls. Β-carotene plasma level was associated with AD diagnosis (OR 0.988; IC95% 0.978-0.997; p = 0.013) independently of age, gender, smoking habit, ApoE genotype, and LTL.CONCLUSION:
Our data show that ß-carotene may modulate telomerase activity in old age. Moreover, lower plasma ß-carotene levels, correlating with peripheral telomerase activity, are associated with AD diagnosis independent of multiple covariates.Palavras-chave
Texto completo:
1
Coleções:
01-internacional
Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Assunto principal:
Avaliação Geriátrica
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Telomerase
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Beta Caroteno
/
Doença de Alzheimer
Tipo de estudo:
Observational_studies
/
Prevalence_studies
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Prognostic_studies
/
Risk_factors_studies
Limite:
Aged
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Aged80
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Female
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Humans
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Male
Idioma:
En
Ano de publicação:
2020
Tipo de documento:
Article