Large-Scale Analysis of the Association between Air Pollutants and Leucocyte Telomere Length in the UK Biobank

Shorter telomere length (TL) and air pollution are both associated with higher risk of aging-related diseases.1,2 Oxidative stress may mediate the adverse effects of air pollution and also accelerate telomere attrition. Therefore, some of the adverse effects of air pollution could be mediated through an effect on TL. A few small studies, summarized in a recent systematic review and meta-analysis,3 suggested a possible association of exposure to particulate matter (PM) with an aerodynamic diameter of less than or equal to 2.5 micrometers≤2.5μm≤2.5μm (particulate matter begin subscript 2.5 end subscriptPM2.5PM2.5) with shorter leukocyte TL (LTL), but overall findings were inconclusive.4 Here, we have leveraged our recent measurement of LTL in over 474,000 participants in the UK Biobank (UKB)5 and available individual-level estimates of exposures to particulates [particulate matter begin subscript 2.5 end subscriptPM2.5PM2.5; particulate matter begin subscript 2.5 to 10 end subscriptPM2.5–10PM2.5–10, PM with an aerodynamic diameter range of from 2.5 to 10 micrometers10μm10μm (referred to as particulate matter begin subscript coarse end subscriptPMcoarsePMcoarse); particulate matter begin subscript 10 end subscriptPM10PM10, PM with an aerodynamic diameter of less than or equal to 10 micrometers≤10μm≤10μm; particulate matter begin subscript 2.5 absorbance end subscriptPM2.5absorbancePM2.5absorbance, a proxy for elemental carbon] and gaseous [nitrogen oxides (nitrogen oxidesNOxNOx) and nitrogen dioxide (nitrogen dioxideNO2NO2)] air pollutants in UKB participants4 to undertake a large-scale study of the associations of air pollutants with LTL.