Leukocyte telomere length is a highly polygenic trait that has been associated with a complex range of lifestyle factors and disease risk. McQuillan et al.'s results comparing telomere length to malaria incidence rates suggest that infections may be another important factor, possibly through permanent shortening of telomeres in hematopoietic progenitor cells.
Journal article
Trends in parasitology
08/2024
40
660 - 661
Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
Leukocytes, Telomere, Humans, Malaria, Incidence, Endemic Diseases, Telomere Shortening