A study on telomere length and 25-hydroxy vitamin D in association with glycaemic status in patients with diabetes mellitus

Shaik, Mahaboob Vali; Shaik, Munni; Shaik, John basha; Sabinkar, Babulal; Molli, Nissi; kuragayala, Swarna deepak

doi:10.61186/rabms.11.2.207

Volume 11, Issue 2 (4-2025) Journal of Research in Applied and Basic Medical Sciences 2025, 11(2): 207-218 | Back to browse issues page

‎ 10.61186/rabms.11.2.207

Mendeley

Zotero

RefWorks

Shaik M V, Shaik M, Shaik J B, Sabinkar B, Molli N, kuragayala S D. A study on telomere length and 25-hydroxy vitamin D in association with glycaemic status in patients with diabetes mellitus. Journal of Research in Applied and Basic Medical Sciences 2025; 11 (2) :207-218
URL: http://ijrabms.umsu.ac.ir/article-1-399-en.html

A study on telomere length and 25-hydroxy vitamin D in association with glycaemic status in patients with diabetes mellitus

Mahaboob Vali Shaik ^*

, Swarna deepak Kuragayala

Department of Research, Nimra Institute of Medical Sciences, Vijayawada, India. , research.nmc1@gmail.com

Abstract: (307 Views)

Background & Aims: Telomere length is affected by vitamin D levels, and a relationship exists between telomere length and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), a condition associated with aging. This study aimed to investigate the connection between telomere length and 25(OH)D levels in diabetic individuals exhibiting various glycaemic profiles.
Materials & Methods: Glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels and vitamin D concentrations were measured in a cohort of 60 patients diagnosed with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), as well as in a control group of age-matched healthy individuals without diabetes. The analysis of telomere length was performed using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR).
Results: The findings revealed that the average telomere length (kb/genome) was significantly decreased in the diabetic group in comparison with the control group (diabetics: 4.21 ± 1.45 [3.29 - 4.65]; controls: 5.35 ± 1.85 [4.27-6.28]). Vitamin D levels were found to be notably lower in the diabetic cases (20.2 ± 8.5 vs. 51.52 ± 11.5, P = 0.0001). In the diabetic cohort, the Telomere length exhibited a significant negative correlation with HbA1c (rho = -0.97; P = 0.0002) and fasting blood sugar levels (rho = -0.95; P = 0.0003). Patients receiving insulin treatment demonstrated shorter telomere lengths compared to those on oral medication (4.32 ± 1.51 vs. 5.19 ± 1.71, P = 0.07). Insulin-treated individuals also had lower vitamin D levels than their orally treated counterparts (21.5 ± 9.5 vs. 50.8 ± 12.5, P = 0.004).
Discussion: The findings reveal an inverse relationship between HbA1c levels and telomere length, highlighting a possible connection between glycemic control and cellular aging in diabetic individuals. Furthermore, although there is an indication that vitamin D deficiency may influence telomere shortening, the observed correlation is rather weak.
Conclusion: Vitamin D deficiency, as well as higher HbA1c levels shortens the Telomere length; therefore, Vitamin D supplementation with optimized glycaemic control may contribute to preserving the telomere integrity in diabetic individuals.

Keywords: Aging, Glycaemic control, Telomere length, Type 2 diabetes mellitus, Vitamin D

Full-Text [PDF 322 kb] (101 Downloads)

Type of Study: orginal article | Subject: Other

References

1. Pusceddu I, Farrell CJ, Di Pierro AM, Jani E, Herrmann W, Herrmann M. The role of telomeres and Vitamin D in cellular aging and age-related diseases. Clin. Chem. Lab. Med 2015;53:1661-78. [DOI:10.1515/cclm-2014-1184] [PMID]

2. Asiimwe D, Mauti G, Kiconco R. Prevalence and risk factors associated with type 2 diabetes in elderly patients aged 45-80 years at Kanungu district. J Diabet Res 2019;2020:1-5. [DOI:10.1155/2020/5152146]

3. Morgan, G. Telomerase regulation and the intimate relationship with ageing. Res. Rep. Biochem 2013, 3, 71-78. [DOI:10.2147/RRBC.S28603]

4. Schneider CV, Schneider KM, Teumer A, Rudolph KL, Hartmann D, Rader DJ, et al. Association of telomere length with risk of disease and mortality. JAMA Intern. Med 2022;182(3):291-300. [DOI:10.1001/jamainternmed.2021.7804] [PMID] [PMCID]

5. Güneşliol BE, Karaca E, Ağagündüz D, Acar ZA. Association of physical activity and nutrition with telomere length, a marker of cellular aging: a comprehensive review. Crit. Rev. Food Sci. Nutr 2023;63(5):674-92. [DOI:10.1080/10408398.2021.1952402] [PMID]

6. Mazidi M, Michos E.D, Banach M. The association of telomere length and serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels in US adults: The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Arch. Med. Sci 2017;13(1):61-5. [DOI:10.5114/aoms.2017.64714] [PMID] [PMCID]

7. Julin B, Shui IM, Prescott J, Giovannucci EL. De Vivo, I. Plasma vitamin D biomarkers and leukocyte telomere length in men. Eur. J. Nutr 2017, 56, 501-508. [DOI:10.1007/s00394-015-1095-7] [PMID] [PMCID]

8. Liu J, Cahoon E, Linet M, Little M, Dagnall C, Higson H, et al. Relationship between plasma 25-hydroxymitamin D and leucocyte telomere length by sex and race in a US study. Br J Nutr 2016; 116:953-60. [DOI:10.1017/S0007114516002075] [PMID] [PMCID]

9. Zhu H, Guo D, Li K, Pedersen-White J, Stallmann-Jorgensen IS, Huang Y, et al. Increased telomerase activity and Vitamin D supplementation in overweight African Americans. Int J Obes (Lond) 2012;36(6):805-9. [DOI:10.1038/ijo.2011.197] [PMID] [PMCID]

10. Williams DM, Palaniswamy S, Sebert S, Buxton JL, Blakemore AI, Hyppönen E, et al. 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentration and leukocyte telomere length in young adults: Findings from the Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1966. Am J Epidemiol 2016; 183:191-8. [DOI:10.1093/aje/kwv203] [PMID] [PMCID]

11. Kuo CL, Kirk B, Xiang M, Pilling LC, Kuchel GA, Kremer R, et al. Very Low and High Levels of Vitamin D Are Associated with Shorter Leukocyte Telomere Length in 148,321 UK Biobank Participants. Nutrients 2023;15(6):1474. [DOI:10.3390/nu15061474] [PMID] [PMCID]

12. Agirbasli D, Kalyoncu M, Muftuoglu M, Aksungar FB, Agirbasli M. Leukocyte telomere length as a compensatory mechanism in vitamin D metabolism. Plos one 2022;17(2): e0264337. [DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0264337] [PMID] [PMCID]

13. American Diabetes Association. 2. Classification and diagnosis of diabetes: Standards of medical care in diabetes 2020. Diabetes Care 2020;43: S14 31. [DOI:10.2337/dc20-S002] [PMID]

14. Adaikalakoteswari A, Balasubramanyam M, Mohan V. Telomere shortening occurs in Asian Indian type 2 diabetic patients. Diabet Med 2005; 22:1151-6. doi: 10.1111/j.1464-5491.2005.01574. x. [DOI:10.1111/j.1464-5491.2005.01574.x] [PMID]

15. Innerd P, Catt M, Collerton J, Davies K, Trenell M, Kirkwood T.B.L, et al. A comparison of subjective and objective measures of physical activity from the Newcastle 85+ study. Age Ageing 2015, 44, 691-694. [DOI:10.1093/ageing/afv062] [PMID] [PMCID]

16. Gielen M, Hageman GJ, Antoniou EE, Nordfjall K, Mangino M, Balasubramanyam M, et al. Body mass index is negatively associated with telomere length: A collaborative cross-sectional meta-analysis of 87 observational studies. Am. J. Clin. Nutr 2018, 108, 453-475. [DOI:10.1093/ajcn/nqy107] [PMID] [PMCID]

17. Martin-Ruiz C, Jagger C, Kingston A, Collerton J, Catt M, Davies K, et al. Assessment of a large panel of candidate biomarkers of ageing in the Newcastle 85+ study. Mech. Ageing Dev 2011;132(10):496-502. [DOI:10.1016/j.mad.2011.08.001] [PMID]

18. Aviv A, Valdes A, Gardner J.P, Swaminathan R, Kimura M, Spector T.D. Menopause modifies the association of leukocyte telomere length with insulin resistance and inflammation. J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab 2006, 91, 635-640. [DOI:10.1210/jc.2005-1814] [PMID]

19. Baltzis D, Meimeti E, Grammatikopoulou MG, Roustit M, Mavrogonatou E, Kletsas D, et al. Assessment of telomerase activity in leukocytes of type 2 diabetes mellitus patients having or not foot ulcer: Possible correlation with other clinical parameters. Exp. Ther. Med 2018; 15:3420‑4. [DOI:10.3892/etm.2018.5798] [PMID] [PMCID]

20. Vasanthakumar J, Kambar S. Prevalence of obesity among type 2 diabetes mellitus patients in urban areas of Belagavi. Indian J Health Sci Biomed Res 2020; 13:21‑7. [DOI:10.4103/kleuhsj.kleuhsj_221_18]

21. Gurung RL, M Y, Moh AMC, Dorajoo R, Liu S, Liu J-J, et al. Correlation of telomere length in adipose tissue and leukocytes and its association with postsurgical weight loss. Obesity (Silver Spring) 2020;28(12):2424-30. [DOI:10.1002/oby.23017] [PMID]

22. Arsenis NC, You T, Ogawa EF, Tinsley GM, Zuo L. Physical activity and telomere length: Impact of aging and potential mechanisms of action. Oncotarget 2017; 8:45008‑19. [DOI:10.18632/oncotarget.16726] [PMID] [PMCID]

23. Piplani S, Alemao NN, Prabhu M, Ambar S, Chugh Y, Chugh SK. Correlation of the telomere length with type 2 diabetes mellitus in patients with ischemic heart disease. Indian Heart J 2018;70 Suppl 3: S173‑6. [DOI:10.1016/j.ihj.2018.09.007] [PMID] [PMCID]

24. Kostoglou‑Athanassiou I, Athanassiou P, Gkountouvas A, Kaldrymides P. Vitamin D and glycemic control in diabetes mellitus type 2. Ther. Adv. Endocrinol. Metab 2013; 4:122‑8. [DOI:10.1177/2042018813501189] [PMID] [PMCID]

25. Kavadar G, Demircioğlu DT, Özgönenel L, Emre TY. The relationship between Vitamin D status, physical activity and insulin resistance in overweight and obese subjects. Bosn J Basic Med Sci 2015; 15:62‑6. [DOI:10.17305/bjbms.2015.399] [PMID] [PMCID]

26. Alaidarous TA, Alkahtani NM, Aljuraiban GS, Abulmeaty MM. Impact of the glycemic control and duration of type 2 diabetes on Vitamin D level and cardiovascular disease risk. J Diabetes Res 2020; 2020:8431976. [DOI:10.1155/2020/8431976] [PMID] [PMCID]

27. Dudinskaya EN, Tkacheva ON, Shestakova MV, Brailova NV, Strazhesko ID, Akasheva DU, et al. short telomere length is associated with arterial aging in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Endocr. Connect 2015; 4:136‑43. [DOI:10.1530/EC-15-0041] [PMID] [PMCID]

28. Mauss D, Jarczok MN, Hoffmann K, Thomas GN, Fischer JE. Association of Vitamin D levels with type 2 diabetes in older working adults. Int J Med Sci 2015; 12:362‑8. [DOI:10.7150/ijms.10540] [PMID] [PMCID]

29. Zarei M, Zarezadeh M, Kalajahi F.H, Javanbakht M.H. The Relationship Between Vitamin D and Telomere/Telomerase: A Comprehensive Review. J. Frailty Aging 2020, 10, 2-9. [DOI:10.14283/jfa.2020.33] [PMID]

30. Shaik M, Shaik MV, Gangapatnam S. Role of essential trace elements and telomere length in endothelial cell senescence in patients with coronary artery disease. Biomedical and Biotechnology Res. J. (BBRJ) 2018;2(4):290. [DOI:10.4103/bbrj.bbrj_117_18]