Telomeres and replicative cellular aging of the human placenta and chorioamniotic membranes

• Published in: Scientific reports Vol. 11; no. 1; p. 5115
• Main Authors: Lai, Tsung-Po, Simpson, Mark, Patel, Krunal, Verhulst, Simon, Noh, Jungsik, Roche, Natalie, Heller, Debra, Guirguis, George, Shay, Jerry W., Herbig, Utz, Aviv, Abraham
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Nature Publishing Group UK 04-03-2021; Nature Publishing Group; Nature Portfolio
• Subjects: 631/136/7; 692/53; Aging; DNA damage; Gestation; Humanities and Social Sciences; Hypotheses; multidisciplinary; Placenta; Premature birth; Science; Science (multidisciplinary); Senescence; Telomerase; Telomeres; Yeast
• ISSN: 2045-2322; 2045-2322
• DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-84728-2

Recent hypotheses propose that the human placenta and chorioamniotic membranes (CAMs) experience telomere length (TL)-mediated senescence. These hypotheses are based on mean TL (mTL) measurements, but replicative senescence is triggered by short and dysfunctional telomeres, not mTL. We measured short telomeres by a vanguard method, the Telomere shortest length assay, and telomere-dysfunction-induced DNA damage foci (TIF) in placentas and CAMs between 18-week gestation and at full-term. Both the placenta and CAMs showed a buildup of short telomeres and TIFs, but not shortening of mTL from 18-weeks to full-term. In the placenta, TIFs correlated with short telomeres but not mTL. CAMs of preterm birth pregnancies with intra-amniotic infection showed shorter mTL and increased proportions of short telomeres. We conclude that the placenta and probably the CAMs undergo TL-mediated replicative aging. Further research is warranted whether TL-mediated replicative aging plays a role in all preterm births.