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Exposure to different intrauterine environments: implications for telomere attrition in early life |
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| Authors: | Isabel Cristina Ribas Werlang Monique Cabral Hahn Juliana Rombaldi Bernardi Martha Nast Marcelo Zubaran Goldani |
| Affiliation: | 1. Laboratório de Pediatria Translacional/Núcleo de Estudos em Saúde da Crian?a e do Adolescente (NESCA), Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, Brazil;2. Programa de Pós-Gradua??o em Saúde da Crian?a e do Adolescente, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil;3. Departamento de Nutri??o, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil;4. Research Center, Dr von Hauser Children’s Hospital, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universit?t München, Munich, Germany;5. Department of Pediatric Cardiology and Intensive Care, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universit?t München, Munich, Germany;6. Departamento de Pediatria, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil |
| Abstract: | Objective: Studies focusing on telomere attrition in newborns and what factors could be involved in this issue are sparse; most reports have been in adult populations. Thereby, the aim of this study was to present an overview of what is currently known about the relationship between environmental exposure of the fetus during pregnancy and telomere length outcomes in early life. Methods: The MEDLINE (via PubMed) and Bireme databases were searched for studies published until 1 June 2016. Studies that reported telomere length measurement from birth to age 1 year were included. Results: Fifteen articles were selected that evaluated possible relationships between maternal smoking, hyperglycemia, hypertension, sleep apnea, psychological stress, folate concentration in early pregnancy, and radiation, in addition to small-for-gestational-age status and preterm birth. We found that sleep apnea, psychological stress, and folate concentration in early pregnancy were associated with telomere shortening in the newborn. No association was found with radiation, small-for-gestational-age status, or preterm birth. Results for maternal smoking, hyperglycemia, and hypertension were conflicting, and further studies should be considered. Conclusion: The actual clinical implications of these findings have yet to be investigated. |
| Keywords: | Early life intrauterine environment newborn pregnancy telomere attrition |