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Ryan CP, Lee NR, Carba DB, MacIsaac JL, Lin DTS, Atashzay P, Belsky DW, Kobor MS, Kuzawa CW. Pregnancy is linked to faster epigenetic aging in young women. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2317290121. [PMID: 38588424 PMCID: PMC11032455 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2317290121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2023] [Accepted: 02/13/2024] [Indexed: 04/10/2024] Open
Abstract
A central prediction of evolutionary theory is that energy invested into reproduction comes at the expense of somatic maintenance and repair, accelerating biological aging. Supporting this prediction are findings that high fertility among women predicts shorter lifespan and poorer health later in life. However, biological aging is thought to begin before age-related health declines, limiting the applicability of morbidity and mortality for studying the aging process earlier in life. Here, we examine the relationship between reproductive history and biological aging in a sample of young (20 to 22yo) men and women from the Cebu Longitudinal Health and Nutrition Survey, located in the Philippines (n = 1,735). We quantify biological aging using six measures, collectively known as epigenetic clocks, reflecting various facets of cellular aging, health, and mortality risk. In a subset of women, we test whether longitudinal changes in gravidity between young and early-middle adulthood (25 to 31yo) are associated with changes in epigenetic aging during that time. Cross-sectionally, gravidity was associated with all six measures of accelerated epigenetic aging in women (n = 825). Furthermore, longitudinal increases in gravidity were linked to accelerated epigenetic aging in two epigenetic clocks (n = 331). In contrast, the number of pregnancies a man reported fathering was not associated with epigenetic aging among same-aged cohort men (n = 910). These effects were robust to socioecological, environmental, and immunological factors, consistent with the hypothesis that pregnancy accelerates biological aging and that these effects can be detected in young women in a high-fertility context.
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Affiliation(s)
- Calen P. Ryan
- Robert N. Butler Columbia Aging Center, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY10032
| | - Nanette R. Lee
- USC-Office of Population Studies Foundation, University of San Carlos, Talamban, Cebu City6000, Philippines
| | - Delia B. Carba
- USC-Office of Population Studies Foundation, University of San Carlos, Talamban, Cebu City6000, Philippines
| | - Julie L. MacIsaac
- BC Children’s Hospital Research Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BCV5Z 4H4, Canada
| | - David T. S. Lin
- BC Children’s Hospital Research Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BCV5Z 4H4, Canada
| | - Parmida Atashzay
- BC Children’s Hospital Research Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BCV5Z 4H4, Canada
| | - Daniel W. Belsky
- Robert N. Butler Columbia Aging Center, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY10032
- Department of Epidemiology, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY10032
- Child and Brain Development Program, Canadian Institute for Advanced Research, TorontoONM5G 1M1, Canada
| | - Michael S. Kobor
- BC Children’s Hospital Research Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BCV5Z 4H4, Canada
- Child and Brain Development Program, Canadian Institute for Advanced Research, TorontoONM5G 1M1, Canada
- Department of Medical Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 2A1, Canada
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, Vancouver, BCV5Z 4H4, Canada
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Gettler LT, Rosenbaum S, Bechayda SA, McDade TW, Kuzawa CW. Men's physical health and life history transitions in the Philippines: Evidence for 'marital selection' but not protective effects of partnering and fatherhood. Soc Sci Med 2024; 346:116732. [PMID: 38452489 DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2024.116732] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2024] [Revised: 02/14/2024] [Accepted: 02/26/2024] [Indexed: 03/09/2024]
Abstract
In Euro-American societies, married people typically have lower overall risks for total mortality and for certain chronic conditions compared to non-married people. However, people becoming partnered and parents also tend to gain weight in Euro-American settings. Few studies have tested whether links between physical health and life history status translate to other cultural contexts where the socio-ecological dynamics of family life may differ. This limits the application of these insights to men's well-being in global public health. To help address this gap, we drew on a large, long-running birth cohort study of Filipino men, using data collected at three waves between 2005 and 2014 when men were 21.5-30.5 years old (N = 607, obs. = 1760). We tested for the effects of the transition to partnering (marriage/cohabitation) and fatherhood on men's physical health (waist circumference, fat-free mass index, and grip strength). Men becoming partnered or partnered fathers (P/PF) had comparable longitudinal physical health trajectories to men remaining single non-fathers. However, men who became P/PF by their mid 20s had higher fat-free mass index values than single non-fathers at each wave, with the largest effect observed when all men were single non-fathers at baseline. Men who became P/PF by their early 30s were also stronger than the reference group at baseline. Thus, men who were more muscular and stronger at baseline were more likely to transition to P/PF status, consistent with a 'marital selection' model. In complementary analyses, men did not exhibit adverse health effects when they became partnered fathers as young adults or parents to infants, respectively. These findings suggest that links between health and life history transitions in this setting differ from those commonly observed in Euro-American societies. While transitions to marriage and fatherhood are promising windows for interventions to improve men's health, our results highlight the importance of tailoring such approaches to local dynamics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lee T Gettler
- Department of Anthropology, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, 46556, USA; Eck Institute for Global Health, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, 46556, USA.
| | - Stacy Rosenbaum
- Department of Anthropology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
| | - Sonny Agustin Bechayda
- USC Office of Population Studies Foundation, and Department of Anthropology, Sociology, and History, University of San Carlos, Metro Cebu, 6016, Philippines
| | - Thomas W McDade
- Department of Anthropology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA; Institute for Policy Research, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA
| | - Christopher W Kuzawa
- Department of Anthropology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA; Institute for Policy Research, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA
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3
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McDade TW, Ryan CP, Adair LS, Lee NR, Carba DB, MacIsaac JL, Dever K, Atashzay P, Kobor MS, Kuzawa CW. Reply to Nwanaji-Enwerema, 2023, "Exposome and low birthweight selection bias considerations in early life infections and epigenetic age relationships". Am J Hum Biol 2023; 35:e23977. [PMID: 37555479 DOI: 10.1002/ajhb.23977] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2023] [Revised: 07/28/2023] [Accepted: 07/31/2023] [Indexed: 08/10/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Thomas W McDade
- Department of Anthropology, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, USA
- Institute for Policy Research, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, USA
| | - Calen P Ryan
- Department of Epidemiology, Robert N. Butler Columbia Aging Center, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York City, New York, USA
| | - Linda S Adair
- Department of Nutrition, Gillings School of Global Public Health, Carolina Population Center, CB #8120, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Nanette R Lee
- Office of Population Studies Foundation, University of San Carlos, Cebu City, Philippines
| | - Delia B Carba
- Office of Population Studies Foundation, University of San Carlos, Cebu City, Philippines
| | - Julia L MacIsaac
- Department of Medical Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
- Edwin S.H. Leong Centre for Healthy Aging, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
- University of British Columbia, Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Kristy Dever
- Department of Medical Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
- Edwin S.H. Leong Centre for Healthy Aging, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
- University of British Columbia, Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Parmida Atashzay
- Department of Medical Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
- Edwin S.H. Leong Centre for Healthy Aging, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
- University of British Columbia, Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Michael S Kobor
- Department of Medical Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
- Edwin S.H. Leong Centre for Healthy Aging, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
- University of British Columbia, Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Christopher W Kuzawa
- Department of Anthropology, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, USA
- Institute for Policy Research, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, USA
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Rosenbaum S, Kuzawa CW. The promise of great apes as model organisms for understanding the downstream consequences of early life experiences. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2023; 152:105240. [PMID: 37211151 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2023.105240] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2023] [Revised: 05/08/2023] [Accepted: 05/10/2023] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
Early life experiences have a significant influence on adult health and aging processes in humans. Despite widespread interest in the evolutionary roots of this phenomenon, very little research on this topic has been conducted in humans' closest living relatives, the great apes. The longitudinal data sets that are now available on wild and captive great ape populations hold great promise to clarify the nature, evolutionary function, and mechanisms underlying these connections in species which share key human life history characteristics. Here, we explain features of great ape life history and socioecologies that make them of particular interest for this topic, as well as those that may limit their utility as comparative models; outline the ways in which available data are complementary to and extend the kinds of data that are available for humans; and review what is currently known about the connections among early life experiences, social behavior, and adult physiology and biological fitness in our closest living relatives. We conclude by highlighting key next steps for this emerging area of research.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Christopher W Kuzawa
- Department of Anthropology, Northwestern University, USA; Institute for Policy Research, Northwestern University, USA
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Holdsworth EA, Schell LM, Appleton AA. Maternal-infant interaction quality is associated with child NR3C1 CpG site methylation at 7 years of age. Am J Hum Biol 2023; 35:e23876. [PMID: 36779373 PMCID: PMC10909417 DOI: 10.1002/ajhb.23876] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2022] [Revised: 01/04/2023] [Accepted: 01/23/2023] [Indexed: 02/14/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Infancy is both a critical window for hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis development, and a sensitive period for social-emotional influences. We hypothesized that the social-emotional quality of maternal-infant interactions are associated with methylation of HPA-axis gene NR3C1 later in childhood. METHODS Using a subsample of 114 mother-infant pairs from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC), linear regression models were created to predict variance in methylation of seven selected CpG sites from NR3C1 in whole blood at age 7 years, including the main predictor variable of the first principal component score of observed maternal-infant interaction quality (derived from the Thorpe Interaction Measure at 12 months of age) and covariates of cell-type proportion, maternal financial difficulties and marital status at 8 months postnatal, child birthweight, and sex. RESULTS CpG site cg27122725 methylation was negatively associated with warmer, more positive maternal interaction with her infant (β = 0.19, p = .02, q = 0.13). In sensitivity analyses, the second highest quartile of maternal behavior (neutral, hesitant behavior) was positively associated with cg12466613 methylation. The other five CpG sites were not significantly associated with maternal-infant interaction quality. CONCLUSIONS Narrow individual variation of maternal interaction with her infant is associated with childhood methylation of two CpG sites on NR3C1 that may be particularly sensitive to environmental influences. Infancy may be a sensitive period for even small influences from the social-emotional environment on the epigenetic determinants of HPA-axis function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth A. Holdsworth
- Department of AnthropologyWashington State UniversityPullmanWashingtonUSA
- Department of AnthropologyUniversity at Albany State University of New YorkAlbanyNew YorkUSA
| | - Lawrence M. Schell
- Department of AnthropologyUniversity at Albany State University of New YorkAlbanyNew YorkUSA
- Department of Epidemiology & BiostatisticsUniversity at Albany State University of New YorkRensselaerNew YorkUSA
| | - Allison A. Appleton
- Department of Epidemiology & BiostatisticsUniversity at Albany State University of New YorkRensselaerNew YorkUSA
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Manus MB, Watson E, Kuthyar S, Carba D, Belarmino NM, McDade TW, Kuzawa CW, Amato KR. Prenatal household size and composition are associated with infant fecal bacterial diversity in Cebu, Philippines. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2023; 181:45-58. [PMID: 36847111 DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.24720] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2021] [Revised: 02/02/2023] [Accepted: 02/08/2023] [Indexed: 03/01/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES The gut microbiome (GM) connects physical and social environments to infant health. Since the infant GM affects immune system development, there is interest in understanding how infants acquire microbes from mothers and other household members. MATERIALS AND METHODS As a part of the Cebu Longitudinal Health and Nutrition Survey (CLHNS), we paired fecal samples (proxy for the GM) collected from infants living in Metro Cebu, Philippines at 2 weeks (N = 39) and 6 months (N = 36) with maternal interviews about prenatal household composition. We hypothesized that relationships between prenatal household size and composition and infant GM bacterial diversity (as measured in fecal samples) would vary by infant age, as well as by household member age and sex. We also hypothesized that infant GM bacterial abundances would differ by prenatal household size and composition. RESULTS Data from 16 S rRNA bacterial gene sequencing show that prenatal household size was the most precise estimator of infant GM bacterial diversity, and that the direction of the association between this variable and infant GM bacterial diversity changed between the two time points. The abundances of bacterial families in the infant GM varied by prenatal household variables. CONCLUSIONS Results highlight the contributions of various household sources to the bacterial diversity of the infant GM, and suggest that prenatal household size is a useful measure for estimating infant GM bacterial diversity in this cohort. Future research should measure the effect of specific sources of household bacterial exposures, including social interactions with caregivers, on the infant GM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melissa B Manus
- Department of Anthropology, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, USA
| | - Elijah Watson
- Department of Anthropology, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, USA
| | - Sahana Kuthyar
- Department of Anthropology, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, USA.,Department of Biological Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA
| | - Delia Carba
- Office of Population Studies, University of San Carlos, Cebu City, Philippines
| | - Nikola M Belarmino
- Office of Population Studies, University of San Carlos, Cebu City, Philippines
| | - Thomas W McDade
- Department of Anthropology, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, USA.,Institute for Policy Research, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, USA
| | - Christopher W Kuzawa
- Department of Anthropology, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, USA.,Institute for Policy Research, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, USA
| | - Katherine R Amato
- Department of Anthropology, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, USA
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Kuzawa CW, Ryan CP, Adair LS, Lee NR, Carba DB, MacIsaac JL, Dever K, Atashzay P, Kobor MS, McDade TW. Birth weight and maternal energy status during pregnancy as predictors of epigenetic age acceleration in young adults from metropolitan Cebu, Philippines. Epigenetics 2022; 17:1535-1545. [PMID: 35574972 PMCID: PMC9586628 DOI: 10.1080/15592294.2022.2070105] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Epigenetic clocks quantify regular changes in DNA methylation that occur with age, or in relation to biomarkers of ageing, and are strong predictors of morbidity and mortality. Here, we assess whether measures of fetal nutrition and growth that predict adult chronic disease also predict accelerated biological ageing in young adulthood using a suite of commonly used epigenetic clocks. Data come from the Cebu Longitudinal Health and Nutrition Survey (CLHNS), a long-running cohort followed since birth in metropolitan Cebu, Philippines. Past work has shown that birth weight (BW) and the mother's arm fat during pregnancy (a measure of pregnancy energy status) relate inversely to health outcomes in the CLHNS but primarily in males. Genome-wide DNA methylation was assessed in whole blood using the Infinium EPIC array. Participants included males (n=895) and females (n=803) measured in 2005 (20.8-22.5 years). Clocks included the Hannum and Horvath clocks trained on chronological age, the DNAmPhenoAge and DNAmGrimAge clocks trained on clinical biomarkers, the Dunedin pace of ageing (DunedinPACE) clock trained on longitudinal changes in ageing biomarkers, and the DNAmTL clock trained on leukocyte telomere length. In males, lower BW predicted advanced biological ageing using the Hannum, DNAmPhenoAge, DunedinPoAm, and DNAmTL clocks. In contrast, BW did not predict any clock in female participants. Participants' mothers' pregnancy arm fat only predicted DNAmTL in males. These findings suggest that epigenetic clocks are a useful tool for gauging long-term outcomes predicted by fetal growth, and add to existing evidence in the CLHNS for sex differences in these relationships.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher W Kuzawa
- Department of Anthropology, Northwestern University, Evanston, USA.,Institute for Policy Research, Northwestern University, Evanston, USA
| | - Calen P Ryan
- Butler Columbia Aging Center, Department of Epidemiology, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health
| | - Linda S Adair
- Department of Nutrition, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
| | - Nanette R Lee
- USC-Office of Population Studies Foundation, University of San Carlos, Talamban, Cebu City
| | - Delia B Carba
- USC-Office of Population Studies Foundation, University of San Carlos, Talamban, Cebu City
| | - Julia L MacIsaac
- Department of Medical Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.,BC Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.,Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Kristy Dever
- Department of Medical Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.,BC Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.,Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Parmida Atashzay
- Department of Medical Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.,BC Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.,Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Michael S Kobor
- Department of Medical Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.,BC Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.,Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Thomas W McDade
- Department of Anthropology, Northwestern University, Evanston, USA.,Institute for Policy Research, Northwestern University, Evanston, USA
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8
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Neither environmental unpredictability nor harshness predict reliance on alloparental care among families in Cebu, Philippines. Dev Psychopathol 2022; 34:743-754. [PMID: 35074026 DOI: 10.1017/s0954579421001711] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Alloparental caregiving is key to humans' highly flexible reproductive strategies. Across species and across societies, alloparental care is more common in harsh and/or unpredictable environments (HUEs). Currently, however, it is unclear whether HUEs predict intra-population variation in alloparental care, or whether early life HUEs might predict later alloparental care use in adulthood, consistent with adaptive developmental plasticity. We test whether harshness measures (socioeconomic status (SES), environmental hygiene, crowding) and unpredictability measures (parental unemployment, paternal absence, household moves) predicted how much alloparental assistance families in Cebu, Philippines received, in a multigenerational study with data collected across four decades. Though worse environmental hygiene predicted more concurrent alloparental care in 1994, we found little evidence that HUEs predict within-population variation in alloparental care in this large-scale, industrialized society. Indeed, less-crowded conditions and higher SES predicted more alloparental care, not less, in the 1980s and in 2014 respectively, while paternal absence in middle childhood predicted less reliance on alloparental care in adulthood. In this cultural context, our results generally do not provide support for the translation of interspecific or intersocietal patterns linking HUEs and alloparental care to intra-population variation in alloparental care, nor for the idea that a reproductive strategy emphasizing alloparental care use may be preceded by early life HUEs.
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Ryan CP, Jones MJ, Edgar RD, Lee NR, Kobor MS, McDade TW, Kuzawa CW. Immune cell type and DNA methylation vary with reproductive status in women: possible pathways for costs of reproduction. Evol Med Public Health 2022; 10:47-58. [PMID: 35169479 PMCID: PMC8841013 DOI: 10.1093/emph/eoac003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2021] [Accepted: 01/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Consistent with evolutionarily theorized costs of reproduction (CoR), reproductive history in women is associated with life expectancy and susceptibility to certain cancers, autoimmune disorders and metabolic disease. Immunological changes originating during reproduction may help explain some of these relationships. Methodology To explore the potential role of the immune system in female CoR, we characterized leukocyte composition and regulatory processes using DNA methylation (DNAm) in a cross-sectional cohort of young (20–22 years old) women differing in reproductive status. Results Compared to nulliparity, pregnancy was characterized by differential methylation at 828 sites, 96% of which were hypomethylated and enriched for genes associated with T-cell activation, innate immunity, pre-eclampsia and neoplasia. Breastfeeding was associated with differential methylation at 1107 sites (71% hypermethylated), enriched for genes involved in metabolism, immune self-recognition and neurogenesis. There were no significant differences in DNAm between nulliparous and parous women. However, compared to nullipara, pregnant women had lower proportions of B, CD4T, CD8T and natural killer (NK) cells, and higher proportions of granulocytes and monocytes. Monocyte counts were lower and NK counts higher among breastfeeding women, and remained so among parous women. Implications Our findings point to widespread differences in DNAm during pregnancy and lactation. These effects appear largely transient, but may accumulate with gravidity become detectable as women age. Nulliparous and parous women differed in leukocyte composition, consistent with more persistent effects of reproduction on cell type. These findings support transient (leukocyte DNAm) and persistent (cell composition) changes associated with reproduction in women, illuminating potential pathways contributing to CoR. Lay Summary: Evolutionary theory and epidemiology support costs of reproduction (CoR) to women’s health that may involve changes in immune function. We report differences in immune cell composition and gene regulation during pregnancy and breastfeeding. While many of these differences appear transient, immune cell composition may remain, suggesting mechanisms for female CoR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Calen P Ryan
- Department of Anthropology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA
| | - Meaghan J Jones
- Department of Biochemistry and Medical Genetics, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB R3E 0J9, Canada.,Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB R3E 0J9, Canada
| | | | - Nanette R Lee
- University of San Carlos Office of Population Studies Foundation Inc., Cebu City 6000, Philippines
| | - Michael S Kobor
- BC Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V5Z 4H4, Canada.,Child and Brain Development Program, Canadian Institute for Advanced Research, Toronto, ON M5G 1Z8, Canada
| | - Thomas W McDade
- Department of Anthropology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA.,Child and Brain Development Program, Canadian Institute for Advanced Research, Toronto, ON M5G 1Z8, Canada.,Institute for Policy Research, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA
| | - Christopher W Kuzawa
- Department of Anthropology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA.,Institute for Policy Research, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA
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10
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Inter-relationships between percentage body fat, relative subischial leg length and body mass index among adolescents and adults from the Limbu community of Darjeeling, West Bengal. J Biosoc Sci 2020; 54:124-134. [PMID: 33292912 DOI: 10.1017/s0021932020000723] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Leg length in humans is considered to be an indicator of the long-term impact of quality of childhood living conditions and nutritional status. The main objective of this study was to evaluate the magnitude of association of percentage body fat (PBF) with relative subischial leg length (RSLL), adjusting for age, sex and body mass index (BMI), among adolescents and adults in a population of poor socioeconomic background in India. Data were taken from a cross-sectional study conducted in 2010-2014 among the Limbu community of Darjeeling, West Bengal - an indigenous community with poor socioeconomic background, low literacy rate, low income and inadequate living conditions. The study villages were located in the Himalayan and sub-Himalayan regions of Darjeeling. The present study sample comprised 97 adolescents aged 16-19 years (47 boys, 50 girls) and 260 adults aged 20-39 years (135 men, 125 women). Anthropometric measurements of stature/height (cm), weight (kg), sitting height (cm) and skinfold thicknesses (biceps, triceps, subscapular, suprailiac) (mm) were recorded. Derived variables were BMI (kg/m2), subischial leg length (SLL) (cm), RSLL (%), sum of four skinfolds (mm) and PBF (%). Significant sex differences at p<0.05 were observed for all anthropometric characteristics, except for body weight among adolescents and RSLL, subscapular and sum of four skinfolds in adults. The linear regression models adjusting for age and sex showed that RSLL had a negative relationship with PBF (p<0.05) among adolescents and adults. Higher body fat, independent of BMI, was correlated with lower RSLL among both adolescents and adults from the Limbu community, indicating a possible association with poor quality living conditions in childhood. However, this may also have been due to the allometry of total body fat with body proportions - a relatively larger trunk results in more body fat.
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