BACKGROUND: Telomeres are non-coding regions of DNA that cap the ends of chromosomes. Their length is considered a marker of human replicative senescence and premature aging. Given the high association of liver transplantation with the metabolic syndrome, we hypothesized that liver transplant recipients may exhibit premature and accelerated aging.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: Telomere length in peripheral blood lymphocytes was measured by polymerase chain reaction in 62 consecutive liver-transplant recipients and 59 healthy control subjects aged 20–76 years. Clinical and laboratory parameters were collected from the medical files.

RESULTS: The liver transplant recipients were significantly older than the control subjects (p=0.012), with significantly higher rates of obesity (BMI >30 kg/m2), dyslipidemia, hypertension, diabetes, and fatty liver. Mean telomere length was significantly shorter in the transplant group (0.59±0.6 vs. 1.91±1.78 in the controls, p<0.0001). Within the transplant group, there was no significant association between mean telomere length and underlying liver disease or presence of the metabolic syndrome or its constituents. On multivariate analysis, telomere length was negatively associated with patient age (p=0.0001), male sex (p=0.04), acute rejection (p=0.005), and fatty liver (p=0.009), and was positively associated with time from transplantation (p=0.006).

CONCLUSIONS: Liver transplantation is associated with shortened telomere length in peripheral blood lymphocytes, suggesting accelerated senescence.

Keywords: Telomere, Liver, Transplantation