Association of Torquetenovirus Viremia with Physical Frailty and Cognitive Impairment in Three Independent European Cohorts

Immunosenescence and inflammaging have been implicated in the pathophysiology of frailty. Torquetenovirus (TTV), a single-stranded DNA anellovirus, the major component of the human blood virome, shows an increased replication rate with advancing age. An elevated TTV viremia has been associated with an impaired immune function and an increased risk of mortality in the older population. The objective of this study was to analyse the relation between TTV viremia, physical frailty, and cognitive impairment. The findings demonstrate an association between TTV viremia and physical frailty, while the association with cognitive impairment was observed only in the younger population from the MARK-AGE study. Further research is necessary to clarify TTV's clinical relevance in the onset and progression of frailty and cognitive decline in older individuals.

Giacconi R, Laffon B, Costa S, Teixeira-Gomes A, Maggi F, Macera L, Spezia PG, Piacenza F, Bürkle A, Moreno-Villanueva M, Bonassi S, Valdiglesias V, Teixeira JP, Dollé MET, Rietman ML, Jansen E, Grune T, Gonos ES, Franceschi C, Capri M, Weinberger B, Sikora E, Stuetz W, Toussaint O, Debacq-Chainiaux F, Hervonen A, Hurme M, Slagboom PE, Schön C, Bernhardt J, Breusing N,,Pásaro E, Maseda A, Lorenzo-López L, Millán-Calenti JC, Provinciali M, Malavolta M

Gerontology 2023; 69(6):684-693. doi: 10.1159/000528169. Epub 2023 Jan 10. PMID: 36538907