Genetically determined telomere length and risk for haematologic diseases: results from large prospective cohorts and Mendelian Randomization analysis - Summary - MDSpire
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Genetically determined telomere length and risk for haematologic diseases: results from large prospective cohorts and Mendelian Randomization analysis
To explore the association between genetically determined telomere length, epigenetic age acceleration (EAA), and the risk of various haematologic diseases, including anaemia, lymphoma, leukaemia, and myeloproliferative diseases, using Mendelian randomization.
Key Findings:
Genetically increased telomere length was associated with higher odds ratios for 10 of 21 haematologic malignancies, including significant associations with lymphoid leukaemia (OR 2.4249), acute lymphocytic leukaemia (OR 2.8931), and multiple myeloma (OR 1.6458), as well as lower odds for chronic myeloid leukaemia (OR 0.5553).
No evidence of causality was found between DNA methylation GrimAge acceleration and haematologic diseases.
Interpretation:
The findings suggest that genetically determined telomere length is a significant risk factor for several haematologic diseases, while the role of EAA varies, with some forms showing protective effects, indicating a complex relationship that warrants further investigation.
Limitations:
Potential pleiotropic effects were addressed but may still influence results.
The study relies on genetic variants as instrumental variables, which may not capture all relevant biological mechanisms, and the sample size may impact the robustness of the findings.
Conclusion:
Genetically determined telomere length is associated with an increased risk of various haematologic diseases, highlighting its potential as a biomarker for disease susceptibility.
