University of Lorraine, Inserm, IGE-PCV, Nancy, France.
Department of Internal Medicine and Geriatrics, CHU Technopôle Nancy-Brabois, Vandoeuvre-lès-Nancy, France.
Clin Chem Lab Med. 2020 Jan 28;58(2):162-177. doi: 10.1515/cclm-2019-0235.
Telomere length (TL) is a dynamic marker that reflects genetic predispositions together with the environmental conditions of an individual. It is closely related to longevity and a number of pathological conditions. Even though the extent of telomere research in children is limited compared to that of adults, there have been a substantial number of studies providing first insights into child telomere biology and determinants. Recent discoveries revealed evidence that TL is, to a great extent, determined already in childhood and that environmental conditions in adulthood have less impact than first believed. Studies have demonstrated that large inter-individual differences in TL are present among newborns and are determined by diverse factors that influence intrauterine development. The first years of child growth are associated with high cellular turnover, which results in fast shortening of telomeres. The rate of telomere loss becomes stable in early adulthood. In this review article we summarise the existing knowledge on telomere dynamics during the first years of childhood, highlighting the conditions that affect newborn TL. We also warn about the knowledge gaps that should be filled to fully understand the regulation of telomeres, in order to implement them as biomarkers for use in diagnostics or treatment.
端粒长度（TL）是一个动态标志物，它反映了个体的遗传倾向和环境条件。它与长寿和许多病理状况密切相关。尽管与成年人相比，儿童端粒研究的范围有限，但已经有大量的研究为儿童端粒生物学和决定因素提供了初步的见解。最近的发现表明，TL 在很大程度上已经在儿童期确定，而成年期的环境条件的影响比最初认为的要小。研究表明，新生儿之间存在很大的 TL 个体间差异，这些差异由影响宫内发育的多种因素决定。儿童生长的头几年与高细胞周转率有关，这导致端粒快速缩短。端粒丢失的速度在成年早期变得稳定。在这篇综述文章中，我们总结了儿童期头几年端粒动力学的现有知识，强调了影响新生儿 TL 的条件。我们还警告存在知识空白，需要填补这些空白，以充分了解端粒的调节，以便将其作为生物标志物用于诊断或治疗。
