Tyrka Audrey R, Carpenter Linda L, Kao Hung-Teh, Porton Barbara, Philip Noah S, Ridout Samuel J, Ridout Kathryn K, Price Lawrence H
Mood Disorders Research Program and Laboratory for Clinical and Translational Neuroscience, Butler Hospital, Providence, RI, USA; Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Alpert Medical School of Brown University, USA.
Mood Disorders Research Program and Laboratory for Clinical and Translational Neuroscience, Butler Hospital, Providence, RI, USA; Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Alpert Medical School of Brown University, USA.
Exp Gerontol. 2015 Jun;66:17-20. doi: 10.1016/j.exger.2015.04.002. Epub 2015 Apr 3.
Cellular aging plays a role in longevity and senescence, and has been implicated in medical and psychiatric conditions, including heart disease, cancer, major depression and posttraumatic stress disorder. Telomere shortening and mitochondrial dysfunction are thought to be central to the cellular aging process. The present study examined the association between mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) copy number and telomere length in a sample of medically healthy adults. Participants (total n=392) were divided into 4 groups based on the presence or absence of early life adversity and lifetime psychopathology: No Adversity/No Disorder, n=136; Adversity/No Disorder, n=91; No Adversity/Disorder, n=46; Adversity/Disorder, n=119. Telomere length and mtDNA copy number were measured using quantitative polymerase chain reaction. There was a positive correlation between mtDNA and telomere length in the entire sample (r=0.120, p<0.001) and in each of the four groups of participants (No Adversity/No Disorder, r=0.291, p=0.001; Adversity/No Disorder r=0.279, p=0.007; No Adversity/Disorder r=0.449, p=0.002; Adversity/Disorder, r=0.558, p<0.001). These correlations remained significant when controlling for age, smoking, and body mass index and establish an association between mtDNA and telomere length in a large group of women and men both with and without early adversity and psychopathology, suggesting co-regulation of telomeres and mitochondrial function. The mechanisms underlying this association may be important in the pathophysiology of age-related medical conditions, such as heart disease and cancer, as well as for stress-associated psychiatric disorders.
细胞衰老在寿命和衰老过程中发挥作用，并且与多种医学和精神疾病有关，包括心脏病、癌症、重度抑郁症和创伤后应激障碍。端粒缩短和线粒体功能障碍被认为是细胞衰老过程的核心。本研究在一组身体健康的成年人样本中，考察了线粒体DNA（mtDNA）拷贝数与端粒长度之间的关联。参与者（共392人）根据是否存在早年逆境和终生精神病理学症状分为4组：无逆境/无疾病组，n = 136；逆境/无疾病组，n = 91；无逆境/疾病组，n = 46；逆境/疾病组，n = 119。使用定量聚合酶链反应测量端粒长度和mtDNA拷贝数。在整个样本中（r = 0.120，p < 0.001）以及四组参与者中的每一组（无逆境/无疾病组，r = 0.291，p = 0.001；逆境/无疾病组，r = 0.279，p = 0.007；无逆境/疾病组，r = 0.449，p = 0.002；逆境/疾病组，r = 0.558，p < 0.001），mtDNA与端粒长度之间均存在正相关。在控制年龄、吸烟和体重指数后，这些相关性仍然显著，从而在一大组有或没有早年逆境和精神病理学症状的男性和女性中建立了mtDNA与端粒长度之间的关联，表明端粒与线粒体功能存在共同调节。这种关联背后的机制可能在诸如心脏病和癌症等与年龄相关的医学病症的病理生理学中以及与压力相关的精神疾病中具有重要意义。
