In a groundbreaking study unveiled at the European Respiratory Society International Congress in Milan, Italy, it has been revealed that smoking can have a detrimental impact on the end fragments of chromosomes in white blood cells, which are integral components of our immune systems. These end fragments, known as telomeres, are crucial indicators of our ageing process and the capacity of our cells to undergo repair and regeneration.
Assistant Professor Siyu Dai from the School of Clinical Medicine at Hangzhou Normal University in China stated, "Our study shows that smoking status and the quantity of cigarettes smoked can lead to the shortening of leukocyte telomere length, which serves as an indicator of tissue self-repair, regeneration, and ageing. In simpler terms, smoking can expedite the ageing process, while quitting smoking can significantly mitigate this associated risk."
Telomeres are composed of repetitive DNA sequences and play a pivotal role in safeguarding the chromosome ends. With each cell division, telomeres naturally become slightly shorter, eventually reaching a point where the cell can no longer divide effectively, ultimately resulting in its demise. This phenomenon is a fundamental aspect of the ageing process.
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Although the length of telomeres in white blood cells, also known as leukocytes, has previously been linked to smoking, comprehensive research addressing whether smoking status and the quantity of cigarettes smoked directly cause telomere shortening has been limited until now.
The research team harnessed genomic data from an extensive cohort of 4,72,174 participants in the UK Biobank. The study included current smokers, individuals who had never smoked, as well as former smokers.
The findings unveiled a striking association between current smoking status and significantly shortened leukocyte telomere length. Conversely, former smokers and those who had never smoked did not display any significant reduction in telomere length. Among former smokers, there was a noticeable trend toward shortened telomeres, although it did not reach statistical significance. Notably, individuals who smoked a higher quantity of cigarettes exhibited a markedly shorter leukocyte telomere length.
