Lingzhi Chen1, Nitin Shivappa2, Xiuxun Dong3, Jingjing Ming4, Qianqian Zhao5, Huichao Xu1, Pingping Liang1, Min Cheng1, Jie Liu6, Peng Sun7, Bo Ban8. 1. Department of Clinical Nutrition, Affiliated Hospital of Jining Medical University, Jining, Shandong 272029, China. 2. Cancer Prevention and Control Program, University of South Carolina, 915 Greene Street, Suite 200, Columbia, SC 29208, USA; Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, 915 Greene Street, Suite 400, Columbia, SC 29208, USA. 3. Department of Clinical Nutrition, The Affiliated Huaian No. 1 People's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Huaian, Jiangsu 223300, China. 4. Department of Emergency Trauma Surgery, Jining No. 1 People's Hospital, Jining, Shandong 272029, China. 5. Department of Endocrinology, Affiliated Hospital of Jining Medical University, Jining, Shandong 272029, China; Chinese Research Center for Behavior Medicine in Growth and Development, Jining, Shandong 272029, China. 6. Department of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, 100853, China. 7. Department of Clinical Nutrition, Affiliated Hospital of Jining Medical University, Jining, Shandong 272029, China. Electronic address: 18678766931@163.com. 8. Department of Endocrinology, Affiliated Hospital of Jining Medical University, Jining, Shandong 272029, China; Chinese Research Center for Behavior Medicine in Growth and Development, Jining, Shandong 272029, China. Electronic address: banbo2011@163.com.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: A higher body mass index (BMI) is associated with shorter telomeres. The loss of muscle mass with aging is associated with adverse outcomes. The appendicular skeletal muscle index (ASMI) is currently used to quantify muscle mass. OBJECTIVE: We investigated the association of the ASMI with leukocyte telomere length in adult Americans. METHODS: This cross-sectional study used the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 1999-2002 dataset. Body composition was measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Low muscle mass was defined using sex-specific thresholds of the appendicular skeletal muscle mass index (ASMI). The telomere-to-single-copy gene ratio (T/S ratio) was converted to base pairs. Generalized linear models were performed to evaluate the association of ASMI with telomere length. RESULTS: In multivariable adjustment regression models, higher ASMI was associated with longer telomeres in US adults (β = 70.2, P < 0.001, P trend<0.001). In participants with preserved muscle mass, the ASMI was related to longer telomere length (β = 75.1, P < 0.001), but not significantly in low muscle mass participants (β = 68.7, P = 0.30). Further subgroup analysis by a combination of age groups and muscle mass status showed positive association with young-preserved muscle mass (β = 82.6, P < 0.001), old-preserved muscle mass (β = 44.4, P = 0.12), young-low muscle mass (β = 135.4, P = 0.20), and old-low muscle mass (β = 52.7, P = 0.55). Because each additional year of chronological age was associated with telomeres that were 15.3 base pairs shorter, on average, this would equate to 5.4 fewer years of biological aging (82.6 ÷ 15.3) in the young-preserved muscle mass participants. CONCLUSIONS: A higher ASMI is associated with longer telomeres. The prevention of skeletal muscle loss has the potential to delay telomere shortening and account for less biological aging.
BACKGROUND: A higher body mass index (BMI) is associated with shorter telomeres. The loss of muscle mass with aging is associated with adverse outcomes. The appendicular skeletal muscle index (ASMI) is currently used to quantify muscle mass. OBJECTIVE: We investigated the association of the ASMI with leukocyte telomere length in adult Americans. METHODS: This cross-sectional study used the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 1999-2002 dataset. Body composition was measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Low muscle mass was defined using sex-specific thresholds of the appendicular skeletal muscle mass index (ASMI). The telomere-to-single-copy gene ratio (T/S ratio) was converted to base pairs. Generalized linear models were performed to evaluate the association of ASMI with telomere length. RESULTS: In multivariable adjustment regression models, higher ASMI was associated with longer telomeres in US adults (β = 70.2, P < 0.001, P trend<0.001). In participants with preserved muscle mass, the ASMI was related to longer telomere length (β = 75.1, P < 0.001), but not significantly in low muscle mass participants (β = 68.7, P = 0.30). Further subgroup analysis by a combination of age groups and muscle mass status showed positive association with young-preserved muscle mass (β = 82.6, P < 0.001), old-preserved muscle mass (β = 44.4, P = 0.12), young-low muscle mass (β = 135.4, P = 0.20), and old-low muscle mass (β = 52.7, P = 0.55). Because each additional year of chronological age was associated with telomeres that were 15.3 base pairs shorter, on average, this would equate to 5.4 fewer years of biological aging (82.6 ÷ 15.3) in the young-preserved muscle mass participants. CONCLUSIONS: A higher ASMI is associated with longer telomeres. The prevention of skeletal muscle loss has the potential to delay telomere shortening and account for less biological aging.