Telomere elongation followed by telomere length reduction, in leukocytes from divers exposed to intense oxidative stress - Implications for tissue and organismal aging

Liran I. Shlush, Karl L. Skorecki, Shalev Itzkovitz, Shiran Yehezkel, Yardena Segev, Hofit Shachar, Ron Berkovitz, Yochai Adir, Irma Vulto, Peter M. Lansdorp, Sara Selig*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

37 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Many cross-sectional studies have tried to assess the in vivo effect of oxidative stress on organismal aging in general and on telomere length dynamics specifically. Here we followed telomere length dynamics over a 12-month interval, in divers exposed to intense hyperbaric oxygen in comparison with an age-matched control group. Both groups were exposed to extreme physical activity, as well. Among the divers following the oxidative stress, significant telomere elongation was observed in granulocytes and naïve T cells, but not in memory T cells and B cells. Telomere length in granulocytes was mildly elongated in the control group as well, a finding that may relate to the extreme physical activity to which they were exposed. While telomere elongation in naïve T cells may be attributed to telomerase activation, we suggest that in granulocytes the elongation results from undifferentiated hematopoietic cells carrying longer telomeres that repopulate the peripheral hematopoietic compartment. This event might be accompanied by enhanced cell division within the repopulating pool. Since the aging of mammalian tissues can be attributed in part to the reduction in the replicative potential of self renewing cells, enhanced cell turnover under conditions of hyperbaric oxidative stress might be directly relevant to tissue and organismal aging.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)123-130
Number of pages8
JournalMechanisms of Ageing and Development
Volume132
Issue number3
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Mar 2011

Funding

Israel Science Foundation [542/05]; Deborah Fund; Israel Defense Force Medical Corps and Israeli MOD; Canadian Institutes of Health Research [MOP38075, GMH79042]; National Cancer Institute of Canada; Terry Fox RunThis research was supported by the Israel Science Foundation (grant No. 542/05) (S.S.), Deborah Fund (K.S., S.S., LS.), Israel Defense Force Medical Corps and Israeli MOD (L.S.), Canadian Institutes of Health Research (MOP38075 and GMH79042) (P.M.L.) and the National Cancer Institute of Canada (with support from the Terry Fox Run) (P.M.L.).

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • Ageing
  • Developmental Biology

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