Contribution of Telomere Length to Systemic Sclerosis Onset: A Mendelian Randomization Study

Although previous studies have suggested a relationship between telomere shortening and systemic sclerosis (SSc), the association between these two traits remains poorly understood. The objective of this study was to assess the causal relationship between telomere length in leukocytes (LTL) and SSc using the two-sample Mendelian randomization approach, with the genome-wide association study data for both LTL and SSc. The results of inverse-variance weighted regression (OR = 0.716 [95% CI 0.528-0.970], p = 0.031) and the Mendelian randomization pleiotropy residual sum and outlier method (OR = 0.716 [95% CI 0.563-0.911], p = 0.035) indicate an association between telomere length and SSc. Specifically, longer genetically predicted LTL is associated with a reduced risk of SSc. Sensitivity tests highlight the significant roles of the variants rs10936599 and rs2736100 annotated to the TERC and TERT genes, respectively. Our findings suggest an influence of telomere length in leukocytes on the development of SSc.

 

Comments:

That's an intriguing study! It seems the research employed a Mendelian randomization approach, which uses genetic variants as instrumental variables to explore causal relationships between a trait (like telomere length) and a disease (such as systemic sclerosis).

From what you've shared, the results suggest a potential causal relationship between longer telomere length in leukocytes and a reduced risk of systemic sclerosis. The use of Mendelian randomization and the identification of specific genetic variants related to telomere length (rs10936599 and rs2736100 in the TERC and TERT genes, respectively) seem to have strengthened these findings.

This indicates that genetically predicted longer telomeres in leukocytes might play a protective role against the development of systemic sclerosis. Understanding this association could offer insights into potential therapeutic approaches or targets for managing or preventing SSc.

It's a complex area of study, but this research contributes to our understanding of the relationship between telomere length and systemic sclerosis, potentially paving the way for further investigations or interventions in this field.

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