@article{e2cbab423f1449bbbe3d166ec71b33a1,
title = "Decreasing initial telomere length in humans intergenerationally understates age-associated telomere shortening",
abstract = "Telomere length shortens with aging, and short telomeres have been linked to a wide variety of pathologies. Previous studies suggested a discrepancy in age-associated telomere shortening rate estimated by cross-sectional studies versus the rate measured in longitudinal studies, indicating a potential bias in crosssectional estimates. Intergenerational changes in initial telomere length, such as that predicted by the previously described effect of a father{\textquoteright}s age at birth of his offspring (FAB), could explain the discrepancy in shortening rate measurements. We evaluated whether changes occur in initial telomere length over multiple generations in three large datasets and identified paternal birth year (PBY) as a variable that reconciles the difference between longitudinal and cross-sectional measurements. We also clarify the association between FAB and offspring telomere length, demonstrating that this effect is substantially larger than reported in the past. These results indicate the presence of a downward secular trend in telomere length at birth over generational time with potential public health implications.",
keywords = "Aging, Genetics, Human, Parental effects, Secular trend, Telomerase, Telomere length, Telomeres",
author = "Brody Holohan and {De Meyer}, Tim and Kimberly Batten and Massimo Mangino and Hunt, {Steven C.} and Sofie Bekaert and {De Buyzere}, {Marc L.} and Rietzschel, {Ernst R.} and Spector, {Tim D.} and Wright, {Woodring E.} and Shay, {Jerry W.}",
note = "Funding Information: The authors would like to thank Dr. Abraham Aviv for helpful discussions and facilitating collaboration. The Asklepios study thanks the communities, residents, and general practitioners of Erpe-Mere and Nieuwerkerken for their invaluable efforts in making the study possible. Funding The TwinsUK study was funded by the Wellcome Trust; European Community{\textquoteright}s Seventh Framework Programme (FP7/2007-2013). The study also receives support from the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) BioResource Clinical Research Facility and Biomedical Research Centre based at Guy{\textquoteright}s and St Thomas{\textquoteright} NHS Foundation Trust and King{\textquoteright}s College London. The NHLBI Family Heart Study was funded by National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (U01 HL56563, U01 HL56564, U01 HL56565, U01 HL56566, U01 HL56567, U01 HL56568, and U01 HL56569). The Asklepios study is supported by FWO-Flanders research grants G.0427.03 and G.0838.10N. These studies were supported in part by the Simmons Cancer Center Support Grant 5P30 CA142543 and support from the Southland Financial Corporation Distinguished Chair in Geriatric Research. This work was performed in space constructed with support from National Institute of Health Grant C06 RR30414. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2015 The Authors. Aging Cell published by the Anatomical Society and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.",
year = "2015",
doi = "10.1111/acel.12347",
language = "English (US)",
volume = "14",
pages = "669--677",
journal = "Aging Cell",
issn = "1474-9718",
publisher = "Wiley-Blackwell",
number = "4",
}