Journal Article

DZNE-2025-00592

http://join2-wiki.gsi.de/foswiki/pub/Main/Artwork/join2_logo100x88.png Age and Sex Effects on Blood Retrotransposable Element Expression Levels: Findings From the Population-Based Rhineland Study.

Talevi, V. (First author)DZNE* ; Lee, H.-m.DZNE* ; Liu, D.DZNE* ; Beyer, M. D.DZNE* ; Salomoni, P.DZNE* ; Breteler, M. M. B.DZNE* ; Aziz, N. A. (Last author)DZNE*

2025
Wiley-Blackwell Oxford [u.a.]

This record in other databases:    

Please use a persistent id in citations: doi:10.1111/acel.70092

Abstract: Retrotransposable elements (RTEs) have been implicated in the pathogenesis of several age-associated diseases. Although model systems indicate that age- and sex-dependent loss of heterochromatin increases RTE expression, data from large human studies are lacking. Here we assessed the expression levels of 795 blood RTE subfamilies in 2467 participants of the population-based Rhineland Study. We found that the expression of more than 98% of RTE subfamilies increased with both chronological and biological age. Moreover, the expression of heterochromatin regulators involved in RTE silencing was negatively related to the expression of 690 RTE subfamilies. Finally, we observed sex differences in 42 RTE subfamilies, with higher expression in men. The genes mapped to sex-related RTEs were enriched in immune response-related pathways. Importantly, we validated our key findings in an independent population-based cohort. Our findings indicate that RTEs and their repressors are markers of aging and that their dysregulation is linked to inflammation, especially in men.

Keyword(s): aging ; biomarkers ; heterochromatin ; immune response ; population‐based study ; retrotransposable elements ; sex‐differences

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Contributing Institute(s):

1. Population & Clinical Neuroepidemiology (AG Aziz)
2. Population Health Sciences (AG Breteler)
3. Molecular Epidemiology of Aging (AG Liu)
4. Immunogenomics and Neurodegeneration (AG Beyer)
5. Nuclear Function in CNS Pathophysiology (AG Salomoni)
6. Platform for Single Cell Genomics and Epigenomics (PRECISE)

Research Program(s):

1. 354 - Disease Prevention and Healthy Aging (POF4-354) (POF4-354)
2. 351 - Brain Function (POF4-351) (POF4-351)
3. 352 - Disease Mechanisms (POF4-352) (POF4-352)
4. TRANSIT-ND - Tandem Repeats Associated with Neurogenomic Somatic Instability and Neurodegeneration (101041677) (101041677)

Experiment(s):

1. Rhineland Study / Bonn
2. Platform for Single Cell Genomics and Epigenomics at DZNE University of Bonn

Appears in the scientific report 2025

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