Telomere length and mitochondrial DNA copy number in blood and brain of suicide completers
Description: Short telomere length (TL) and alterations of mitochondrial DNA copy number (mtDNAcn) occur in individuals under psychological stress, and with various psychiatric diseases. However, no study has examined whether aberrant TL or mtDNAcn occur in completed suicide. TL and mtDNAcn in samples from suicide completers (508 peripheral bloods; 20 brains) and controls (peripheral bloods from 535 healthy individuals; 25 post-mortem brains) were analysed by qPCR. Suicide completers had significantly shorter TL and higher mtDNAcn of bloods with age-dependent differences (shorter TL was more remarkably in young suicides; higher mtDNAcn more so in elderly suicides). The normal age-related decline of TL and mtDNAcn were significantly altered in suicide completers. Furthermore, shorter TL and lower mtDNAcn of post-mortem prefrontal cortex were seen in suicide completers compared to controls. This study shows the first association of aberrant telomeres and mtDNA content with suicide completion.
Amount: ¥3,900,000
Funding type: fellowship
Funder scheme: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
Start date: 2016-04-01
End date: 2019-03-31
Investigator: Kyoichi Shiroiwa
Institution: Kobe University
Subfield: Physiology
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Funded outputs count: 1
Funder award ID: 16K19766
OpenAlex ID: G3383649194