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Beta-carotene, telomerase activity and Alzheimer’s disease in old age subjects

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Abstract

Purpose

Advancing age represents the strongest risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease (AD), and the identification of biomarkers able to define what characterizes physiological aging from AD may represent a potential starting point for novel preventive strategies. Among these biomarkers, telomeres seem to be a promising target. Interestingly, high intake of carotenoid-rich food may play a role in protecting telomeres by oxidative stress reduction. Accordingly, low plasma β-carotene concentrations have been found in AD subjects when compared with cognitively healthy subjects. In this study, we aim at investigating the hypothesis that low β-carotene might be associated with markers of accelerated cellular aging, including leucocyte telomere length (LTL) and peripheral mononuclear cell (PBMC) telomerase activity in a cohort of old age subjects.

Methods

The study was conducted in 68 old age subjects, 37 AD, and 31 age-matched healthy controls. In all subjects, β-carotene plasma level, LTL and peripheral telomerase activity were measured.

Results

In all populations, β-carotene significantly and positively (r = 0.320, p = 0.008) correlated with telomerase activity, independent of gender. A model having telomerase activity levels as the dependent variable, and age, gender, smoking habit, and β-carotene as independent variables, confirmed that β-carotene was independently associated with telomerase activity (β = 0.319, p = 0.012). Subjects affected by AD had significantly lower plasmatic levels of β-carotene (448 ± 66 mg/ml vs 497 ± 59 mg/ml, p = 0.001) and LTL (0.53 ± 0.25 vs 0.69 ± 0.29; p = 0.009) as compared with healthy controls. Β-carotene plasma level was associated with AD diagnosis (OR 0.988; IC95% 0.978–0.997; p = 0.013) independently of age, gender, smoking habit, ApoE genotype, and LTL.

Conclusion

Our data show that β-carotene may modulate telomerase activity in old age. Moreover, lower plasma β-carotene levels, correlating with peripheral telomerase activity, are associated with AD diagnosis independent of multiple covariates.

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Author notes

  1. Virginia Boccardi and Beatrice Arosio contributed equally.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Section of Gerontology and Geriatrics, Department of Medicine, Institute of Gerontology and Geriatrics, University of Perugia, Piazzale Gambuli 1, 06132, Perugia, Italy

    Virginia Boccardi, Patrizia Bastiani, Michela Scamosci & Patrizia Mecocci

  2. Geriatric Unit, Department of Medical Sciences and Community Health, University of Milan, Milan, Italy

    Beatrice Arosio, Martina Casati & Giuseppe Nocentini

  3. Geriatric Unit, Fondazione Ca’ Granda, IRCCS Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy

    Beatrice Arosio, Evelyn Ferri, Laura Bertagnoli, Simona Ciccone & Paolo Dionigi Rossi

  4. Section of Pharmacology, Department of Medicine, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy

    Luigi Cari

  5. Section of Nutritional Sciences, University of Milan, Milan, Italy

    Virginia Boccardi, Beatrice Arosio, Luigi Cari, Patrizia Bastiani, Michela Scamosci, Martina Casati, Evelyn Ferri, Laura Bertagnoli, Simona Ciccone, Paolo Dionigi Rossi, Giuseppe Nocentini & Patrizia Mecocci

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  1. Virginia Boccardi
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Correspondence to Virginia Boccardi.

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Boccardi, V., Arosio, B., Cari, L. et al. Beta-carotene, telomerase activity and Alzheimer’s disease in old age subjects. Eur J Nutr 59, 119–126 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00394-019-01892-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00394-019-01892-y

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