Remote Blood Collection for Telomere Length Measurement: Assessing the Impact of Sample Characteristics and Handling on DNA Quality and Assay Outcomes.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Telomere length (TL) is a valuable marker of aging and stress that reflects both genetic and environmental influences. Quantitative PCR (qPCR) TL measurement is a powerful and cost-effective assay, especially in population studies with limited quantities of source material. Nevertheless, collecting and transporting high-quality blood samples can be logistically challenging, and research suggests that several preanalytical and analytical factors can influence the reliability and precision of the qPCR assay. Here we describe a procedure for collecting blood remotely in a large-scale study. We then assess the influence of various features of the samples, as well as their collection, transportation, and storage on DNA quality and TL assay outcomes.

Method

Participants

SUBMITTER: Conklin QA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12413658 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature