Telomere dynamics: influence of lifestyle factors and associations with male reproductive quality

Identifier:  TDX:4548

Handle: https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11797/TDX4548

Authors:  Fernández de la Puente Cervera, Maria

Abstract:
Telomeres are structures located at the end of chromosomes whose principal function is to protect and preserve genome integrity. In mammalian cells, these regions consist of the repetition in tandem of the sequence 5’-TTAGGG-3’. These structures are elongated by the enzyme telomerase and stabilized by the shelterin complex, that regulates the telomeric structure. Telomere attrition has been proposed as a hallmark of aging and has been associated with the onset of diseases such as obesity, infertility, or cardiovascular diseases. Both non-modifiable and modifiable factors have been investigated in the context of telomere length (TL) modulation. The primary objective of this thesis was to evaluate the effect of a lifestyle intervention on TL after one and three years of the PREDIMED-Plus study. This ongoing lifestyle randomized controlled trial included older participants with overweight or obesity and MetS allocated in a control group following an ad-libitum Mediterranean diet (MedDiet) or in an intervention group following an energy-reduced MedDiet with physical activity promotion and behavioral support. The first pilot study revealed that the 69 PREDIMED-Plus participants included from the Reus center experienced a positive change in TL after one year, without significant differences between groups. 8-hydroxy-deoxyguanosine plasma levels did not change.