A multi-omics approach to investigate the inflammatory response to life course socioeconomic position

Accelerated epigenetic aging mediates link between adverse childhood experiences and depressive symptoms in older adults: Results from the Health and Retirement Study

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) increase risk for depression at subsequent ages and have been linked to accelerated biological aging. We hypothesize that accelerated epigenetic aging may partially mediate the link between ACEs and depression. This study examines 3 three second-generation epigenetic aging measures (viz., GrimAge, PhenoAge, and DunedinPoAm38) as mediators of the link between ACEs and depressive symptoms in older adulthood. We utilize structural equation modeling to assess mediation in the Health and Retirement Study (N = 2672). Experiencing ACEs is significantly associated with an older GrimAge and a faster pace of aging via the DunedinPoAm38. Having an older GrimAge and faster DunedinPoAm38 pace of aging were also significantly associated with more depressive symptoms. PhenoAge was not significantly associated with depressive symptoms and was only associated with experiencing three ACEs. These associations were reduced by socioeconomic and lifestyle factors, including obesity and substance use. GrimAge explained between 9 and 14% of the association between ACEs and adult depressive symptoms, and DunedinPoAm38 explained between 2 and 7% of the association between ACEs and adult depressive symptoms. Findings indicate accelerated aging, as measured by GrimAge and DunedinPoAm38, is associated with ACEs and with depressive symptoms in older Americans. Findings also show these epigenetic aging measures mediate a portion of the association between ACEs and adult depressive symptoms. Epigenetic aging may represent a physiological mechanism underlying the link between early life adversity and adult depression. Weight maintenance and substance use are potentially important areas for intervention.

Early Life Exposure to Food Contaminants and Social Stress as Risk Factor for Metabolic Disorders Occurrence?-An Overview

The global prevalence of obesity has been increasing in recent years and is now the major public health challenge worldwide. While the risks of developing metabolic disorders (MD) including obesity and type 2 diabetes (T2D) have been historically thought to be essentially driven by increased caloric intake and lack of exercise, this is insufficient to account for the observed changes in disease trends. Based on human epidemiological and pre-clinical experimental studies, this overview questioned the role of non-nutritional components as contributors to the epidemic of MD with a special emphasis on food contaminants and social stress. This overview examines the impact of early life adverse events (ELAE) focusing on exposures to food contaminants or social stress on weight gain and T2D occurrence in the offspring and explores potential mechanisms leading to MD in adulthood. Indeed, summing up data on both ELAE models in parallel allowed us to identify common patterns that appear worthwhile to study in MD etiology. This overview provides some evidence of a link between ELAE-induced intestinal barrier disruption, inflammation, epigenetic modifications, and the occurrence of MD. This overview sums up evidence that MD could have developmental origins and that ELAE are risk factors for MD at adulthood independently of nutritional status.