Variation in the Content of Three Tandem Repeats of the Human Genome (Ribosomal, Satellite III, and Telomere) in Peripheral Blood Leukocyte DNA of People of Different Ages (5-101 Years).

The variation of ribosomal (parameter ), satellite III (1q12) (parameter ), and telomere (parameter ) tandem repeats content of the human genome was studied in DNA samples isolated from blood leukocytes of 535 people whose age varied from 5 to 101 years. For analysis we used the method of nonradioactive quantitative hybridization. The group of centenarians (90-101 years old,  = 106) differs from other age groups by a significantly narrower distribution of the ribosomal repeat content in DNA, a much higher content of satellite III, and a lower content of telomere repeat. A negative correlation was found between the and parameters ( < 10). The findings of this study suggest that the calculated parameters and exhibit a marked increase with age, culminating in maximal values within the cohort of centenarians. These results imply that the parameters , , and may hold the potential to serve as reliable predictors of life expectancy for individuals in advanced age.