利用人外周血白细胞端粒长度推断年龄

Estimation of human age according to telomere shortening in peripheral blood leukocytes

目的：探讨人外周咀白细胞端粒长度与供体年龄的关系,为法医学通过微量软组织推断年龄提供依据。方法：选取105例0～81岁健康人外周血样本,采用Southern印迹法检测其端粒限制性片段(terminal restriction fragment,TRF)平均长度,并作相关及回归分析。结果：外周血白细胞TRF长度随年龄增长逐渐缩短,并呈不均衡趋势；端粒DNA平均每年缩短51bp；得到推断年龄回归方程：Y=-16．539X+236．287±9．832。结论：人外周血白细胞TRF长度与年龄呈负相关,此规律为通过端粒DNA长度推断个体年龄提供了可能。

Objective： To investigate the correlation of terminal restriction fragment length in peripheral blood leucocytes with the age of donors, providing information for estimating human age according to small soft tissues in forensic medicine. Methods： 105 peripheral blood samples were collected from healthy individuals aged from 0 to 81 years old and the terminal restriction fragment length was measured by Southern blot analysis. The analysis of the linear regression was done. Results： The average TRF length showed a shortening tendency with aging and it decreased by approximately 51 bp per year. The formula for age estimation based on a correlation between average TRF length and age of the subjects was Y=-16. 539X＋236. 287±9. 832. Conclusion： The terminal restriction fragment length and age of donors show a inverse correlation. It might be possible to infer individual age by terminal restriction fragment length assay.