Association of relative leukocyte telomere length and genetic variants in telomere-related genes (TERT, TERT-CLPTM1, TRF1, TNKS2, TRF2) with atrophic age-related macular degeneration

Background: In an experimental model, telomere shortening inhibits neovascularization. It is thus possible that might have a role in the pathogenesis of geographic atrophy case age-related macular degeneration (AMD). This why we aimed to find any associated differences length and genetic variants telomere-related genes (TERT, TERT-CLPTM1, TRF1, TNKS2, TRF2) patients with atrophic AMD compared healthy controls.Methods: The study enrolled (n = 56) 73) controls. Samples DNA from peripheral blood leukocytes were extracted by salting-out method. genotyping TERT rs2736098, rs401681 TERT-CLPTM1 locus, TRF1 rs1545827, rs10107605, TNKS2 rs10509637, rs10509639, TRF2 rs251796 relative leukocyte (T/S) measurement carried out using real-time polymerase chain reaction results assessed statistical analysis method “IBM SPSS Statistics 20.0“.Results: We found statistically significantly higher T/S than controls (T/S, median (IQR): 1.638 (1.110) vs. 0.764 (0.801), p < .001). Also, significant rs10107605 allele (A C) distributions between control groups (88.36% 11.64% 95.54% 4.46%, respectively, .041), as well short long (86.92% 13.08% 96.09% 3.91%, .008).Conclusions: Our research revealed having development, also association length.