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Butzin-Dozier Z, Mertens AN, Tan ST, Granger DA, Pitchik HO, Il'yasova D, Tofail F, Rahman MZ, Spasojevic I, Shalev I, Ali S, Karim MR, Shahriar S, Famida SL, Shuman G, Shoab AK, Akther S, Hossen MS, Mutsuddi P, Rahman M, Unicomb L, Das KK, Yan L, Meyer A, Stewart CP, Hubbard AE, Naved RT, Parvin K, Mamun MMA, Luby SP, Colford JM, Fernald LCH, Lin A. Stress biomarkers and child development in young children in Bangladesh. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2024; 164:107023. [PMID: 38522372 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2024.107023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2023] [Revised: 01/31/2024] [Accepted: 03/09/2024] [Indexed: 03/26/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Hundreds of millions of children in low- and middle-income countries are exposed to chronic stressors, such as poverty, poor sanitation and hygiene, and sub-optimal nutrition. These stressors can have physiological consequences for children and may ultimately have detrimental effects on child development. This study explores associations between biological measures of chronic stress in early life and developmental outcomes in a large cohort of young children living in rural Bangladesh. METHODS We assessed physiologic measures of stress in the first two years of life using measures of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis (salivary cortisol and glucocorticoid receptor gene methylation), the sympathetic-adrenal-medullary (SAM) system (salivary alpha-amylase, heart rate, and blood pressure), and oxidative status (F2-isoprostanes). We assessed child development in the first two years of life with the MacArthur-Bates Communicative Development Inventories (CDI), the WHO gross motor milestones, and the Extended Ages and Stages Questionnaire (EASQ). We compared development outcomes of children at the 75th and 25th percentiles of stress biomarker distributions while adjusting for potential confounders using generalized additive models, which are statistical models where the outcome is predicted by a potentially non-linear function of predictor variables. RESULTS We analyzed data from 684 children (49% female) at both 14 and 28 months of age; we included an additional 765 children at 28 months of age. We detected a significant relationship between HPA axis activity and child development, where increased HPA axis activity was associated with poor development outcomes. Specifically, we found that cortisol reactivity (coefficient -0.15, 95% CI (-0.29, -0.01)) and post-stressor levels (coefficient -0.12, 95% CI (-0.24, -0.01)) were associated with CDI comprehension score, post-stressor cortisol was associated with combined EASQ score (coefficient -0.22, 95% CI (-0.41, -0.04), and overall glucocorticoid receptor methylation was associated with CDI expression score (coefficient -0.09, 95% CI (-0.17, -0.01)). We did not detect a significant relationship between SAM activity or oxidative status and child development. CONCLUSIONS Our observations reveal associations between the physiological evidence of stress in the HPA axis with developmental status in early childhood. These findings add to the existing evidence exploring the developmental consequences of early life stress.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Andrew N Mertens
- School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Sophia T Tan
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Geographic Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Douglas A Granger
- Institute for Interdisciplinary Salivary Bioscience Research, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA; Department of Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Helen O Pitchik
- School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | | | - Fahmida Tofail
- International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Md Ziaur Rahman
- International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | | | - Idan Shalev
- Department of Biobehavioral Health, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
| | - Shahjahan Ali
- International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | | | - Sunny Shahriar
- International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | | | - Gabrielle Shuman
- School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Abul K Shoab
- International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Salma Akther
- International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Md Saheen Hossen
- International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Palash Mutsuddi
- International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Mahbubur Rahman
- International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Leanne Unicomb
- International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Kishor K Das
- International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | | | | | | | - Alan E Hubbard
- School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | | | - Kausar Parvin
- International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | | | - Stephen P Luby
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Geographic Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - John M Colford
- School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Lia C H Fernald
- School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Audrie Lin
- Department of Microbiology and Environmental Toxicology, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA, USA.
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Lin A, Mertens AN, Rahman MZ, Tan ST, Il'yasova D, Spasojevic I, Ali S, Stewart CP, Fernald LCH, Kim L, Yan L, Meyer A, Karim MR, Shahriar S, Shuman G, Arnold BF, Hubbard AE, Famida SL, Akther S, Hossen MS, Mutsuddi P, Shoab AK, Shalev I, Rahman M, Unicomb L, Heaney CD, Kariger P, Colford JM, Luby SP, Granger DA. A cluster-randomized trial of water, sanitation, handwashing and nutritional interventions on stress and epigenetic programming. Nat Commun 2024; 15:3572. [PMID: 38670986 PMCID: PMC11053067 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-47896-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2023] [Accepted: 04/16/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
A regulated stress response is essential for healthy child growth and development trajectories. We conducted a cluster-randomized trial in rural Bangladesh (funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01590095) to assess the effects of an integrated nutritional, water, sanitation, and handwashing intervention on child health. We previously reported on the primary outcomes of the trial, linear growth and caregiver-reported diarrhea. Here, we assessed additional prespecified outcomes: physiological stress response, oxidative stress, and DNA methylation (N = 759, ages 1-2 years). Eight neighboring pregnant women were grouped into a study cluster. Eight geographically adjacent clusters were block-randomized into the control or the combined nutrition, water, sanitation, and handwashing (N + WSH) intervention group (receiving nutritional counseling and lipid-based nutrient supplements, chlorinated drinking water, upgraded sanitation, and handwashing with soap). Participants and data collectors were not masked, but analyses were masked. There were 358 children (68 clusters) in the control group and 401 children (63 clusters) in the intervention group. We measured four F2-isoprostanes isomers (iPF(2α)-III; 2,3-dinor-iPF(2α)-III; iPF(2α)-VI; 8,12-iso-iPF(2α)-VI), salivary alpha-amylase and cortisol, and methylation of the glucocorticoid receptor (NR3C1) exon 1F promoter including the NGFI-A binding site. Compared with control, the N + WSH group had lower concentrations of F2-isoprostanes isomers (differences ranging from -0.16 to -0.19 log ng/mg of creatinine, P < 0.01), elevated post-stressor cortisol (0.24 log µg/dl; P < 0.01), higher cortisol residualized gain scores (0.06 µg/dl; P = 0.023), and decreased methylation of the NGFI-A binding site (-0.04; P = 0.037). The N + WSH intervention enhanced adaptive responses of the physiological stress system in early childhood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Audrie Lin
- Department of Microbiology and Environmental Toxicology, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA, USA.
| | - Andrew N Mertens
- School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Md Ziaur Rahman
- Infectious Diseases Division, International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Sophia T Tan
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Geographic Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Dora Il'yasova
- Department of Medicine, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Ivan Spasojevic
- Department of Medicine, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
- PK/PD Core Laboratory, Duke Cancer Institute, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Shahjahan Ali
- Infectious Diseases Division, International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Christine P Stewart
- Institute for Global Nutrition, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Lia C H Fernald
- School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Lisa Kim
- School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | | | | | - Md Rabiul Karim
- Infectious Diseases Division, International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Sunny Shahriar
- Infectious Diseases Division, International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Gabrielle Shuman
- School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Benjamin F Arnold
- Francis I. Proctor Foundation, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Alan E Hubbard
- School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Syeda L Famida
- Infectious Diseases Division, International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Salma Akther
- Infectious Diseases Division, International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Md Saheen Hossen
- Infectious Diseases Division, International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Palash Mutsuddi
- Infectious Diseases Division, International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Abul K Shoab
- Infectious Diseases Division, International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Idan Shalev
- Department of Biobehavioral Health, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
| | - Mahbubur Rahman
- Infectious Diseases Division, International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Leanne Unicomb
- Infectious Diseases Division, International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Christopher D Heaney
- Department of Environmental Health and Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Patricia Kariger
- School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - John M Colford
- School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Stephen P Luby
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Geographic Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Douglas A Granger
- Institute for Interdisciplinary Salivary Bioscience Research, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
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3
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Etzel L, Apsley AT, Hastings WJ, Ye Q, Shalev I. Early life adversity is associated with differential gene expression in immune cells: A cluster-based analysis across an acute psychosocial stressor. Brain Behav Immun 2024; 119:724-733. [PMID: 38663776 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2024.04.035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2024] [Revised: 03/19/2024] [Accepted: 04/22/2024] [Indexed: 05/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Elucidating mechanisms by which early-life adversity (ELA) contributes to increased disease risk is important for mitigating adverse health outcomes. Prior work has found differences in immune cell gene expression related to inflammation and mitochondrial activity. Using a within-person between-group experimental design, we investigated differences in gene expression clusters across acute psychosocial stress and no-stress conditions. Participants were young adults (N = 29, aged 18 - 25 years, 62 % female, 47 % with a history of ELA). Gene expression was assessed in peripheral blood mononuclear cells collected at 8 blood draws spanning two 5-hour sessions (stress vs. no-stress) separated by a week, 4 across each session (number of observations = 221). We applied two unsupervised gene clustering methods - latent profile analysis (LPA) and weighted gene co-expression analysis (WGCNA) - to cluster genes with similar expression patterns across participants. LPA identified 11 clusters, 7 of which were significantly associated with ELA-status. WGCNA identified 5 clusters, 3 of which were significantly associated with ELA-status. LPA- and WGCNA-identified clusters were correlated, and all clusters were highly preserved across sessions and time. There was no significant effect of acute stress on cluster gene expression, but there was a significant effect of time, and significant differences by ELA-status. ELA-associated clusters related to RNA splicing/processing, inflammation, leukocyte differentiation and division, and mitochondrial activity were differentially expressed across time: ELA-exposed individuals showed decreased expression of these clusters at 90-minutes while controls showed increased expression. Our findings replicate previous work in this area and highlight additional mechanisms by which ELA may contribute to disease risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Etzel
- Department of Biobehavioral Health, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
| | - Abner T Apsley
- Department of Biobehavioral Health, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
| | - Waylon J Hastings
- Department of Biobehavioral Health, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA, USA
| | - Qiaofeng Ye
- Department of Biobehavioral Health, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
| | - Idan Shalev
- Department of Biobehavioral Health, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA.
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4
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Hastings WJ, Ye Q, Wolf SE, Ryan CP, Das SK, Huffman KM, Kobor MS, Kraus WE, MacIsaac JL, Martin CK, Racette SB, Redman LM, Belsky DW, Shalev I. Effect of long-term caloric restriction on telomere length in healthy adults: CALERIE™ 2 trial analysis. Aging Cell 2024:e14149. [PMID: 38504468 DOI: 10.1111/acel.14149] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2023] [Revised: 03/04/2024] [Accepted: 03/06/2024] [Indexed: 03/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Caloric restriction (CR) modifies lifespan and aging biology in animal models. The Comprehensive Assessment of Long-Term Effects of Reducing Intake of Energy (CALERIE™) 2 trial tested translation of these findings to humans. CALERIE™ randomized healthy, nonobese men and premenopausal women (age 21-50y; BMI 22.0-27.9 kg/m2 ), to 25% CR or ad-libitum (AL) control (2:1) for 2 years. Prior analyses of CALERIE™ participants' blood chemistries, immunology, and epigenetic data suggest the 2-year CR intervention slowed biological aging. Here, we extend these analyses to test effects of CR on telomere length (TL) attrition. TL was quantified in blood samples collected at baseline, 12-, and 24-months by quantitative PCR (absolute TL; aTL) and a published DNA-methylation algorithm (DNAmTL). Intent-to-treat analysis found no significant differences in TL attrition across the first year, although there were trends toward increased attrition in the CR group for both aTL and DNAmTL measurements. When accounting for adherence heterogeneity with an Effect-of-Treatment-on-the-Treated analysis, greater CR dose was associated with increased DNAmTL attrition during the baseline to 12-month weight-loss period. By contrast, both CR group status and increased CR were associated with reduced aTL attrition over the month 12 to month 24 weight maintenance period. No differences were observed when considering TL change across the study duration from baseline to 24-months, leaving it unclear whether CR-related effects reflect long-term detriments to telomere fidelity, a hormesis-like adaptation to decreased energy availability, or measurement error and insufficient statistical power. Unraveling these trends will be a focus of future CALERIE™ analyses and trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Waylon J Hastings
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA
| | - Qiaofeng Ye
- Department of Biobehavioral Health, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, State College, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Sarah E Wolf
- Department of Biobehavioral Health, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, State College, Pennsylvania, USA
- Institute for Ecology and Evolution, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Calen P Ryan
- Butler Columbia Aging Center, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, New York, USA
| | - Sai Krupa Das
- Jean Mayer, USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Kim M Huffman
- Duke Molecular Physiology Institute and Department of Medicine, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Michael S Kobor
- Edwin S.H. Leong Centre for Healthy Aging, Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - William E Kraus
- Duke Molecular Physiology Institute and Department of Medicine, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Julia L MacIsaac
- Edwin S.H. Leong Centre for Healthy Aging, Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Corby K Martin
- Pennington Biomedical Research Center, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA
| | - Susan B Racette
- College of Health Solutions, Arizona State University, Phoenix, Arizona, USA
| | - Leanne M Redman
- Pennington Biomedical Research Center, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA
| | - Daniel W Belsky
- Butler Columbia Aging Center, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, New York, USA
- Department of Epidemiology, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, New York, USA
| | - Idan Shalev
- Department of Biobehavioral Health, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, State College, Pennsylvania, USA
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5
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Wolf SE, Hastings WJ, Ye Q, Etzel L, Apsley AT, Chiaro C, Heim CC, Heller T, Noll JG, Schreier HMC, Shenk CE, Shalev I. Cross-tissue comparison of telomere length and quality metrics of DNA among individuals aged 8 to 70 years. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0290918. [PMID: 38386656 PMCID: PMC10883573 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0290918] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2023] [Accepted: 01/03/2024] [Indexed: 02/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Telomere length (TL) is an important biomarker of cellular aging, yet its links with health outcomes may be complicated by use of different tissues. We evaluated within- and between-individual variability in TL and quality metrics of DNA across five tissues using a cross-sectional dataset ranging from 8 to 70 years (N = 197). DNA was extracted from all tissue cells using the Gentra Puregene DNA Extraction Kit. Absolute TL (aTL) in kilobase pairs was measured in buccal epithelial cells, saliva, dried blood spots (DBS), buffy coat, and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) using qPCR. aTL significantly shortened with age for all tissues except saliva and buffy coat, although buffy coat was available for a restricted age range (8 to 15 years). aTL did not significantly differ across blood-based tissues (DBS, buffy coat, PBMC), which had significantly longer aTL than buccal cells and saliva. Additionally, aTL was significantly correlated for the majority of tissue pairs, with partial Spearman's correlations controlling for age and sex ranging from ⍴ = 0.18 to 0.51. We also measured quality metrics of DNA including integrity, purity, and quantity of extracted DNA from all tissues and explored whether controlling for DNA metrics improved predictions of aTL. We found significant tissue variation: DNA from blood-based tissues had high DNA integrity, more acceptable A260/280 and A260/230 values, and greater extracted DNA concentrations compared to buccal cells and saliva. Longer aTL was associated with lower DNA integrity, higher extracted DNA concentrations, and higher A260/230, particularly for saliva. Model comparisons suggested that incorporation of quality DNA metrics improves models of TL, although relevant metrics vary by tissue. These findings highlight the merits of using blood-based tissues and suggest that incorporation of quality DNA metrics as control variables in population-based studies can improve TL predictions, especially for more variable tissues like buccal and saliva.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah E. Wolf
- Department of Biobehavioral Health, Penn State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Waylon J. Hastings
- Department of Biobehavioral Health, Penn State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, United States of America
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, Louisiana, United States of America
| | - Qiaofeng Ye
- Department of Biobehavioral Health, Penn State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Laura Etzel
- Department of Biobehavioral Health, Penn State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Abner T. Apsley
- Department of Biobehavioral Health, Penn State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Christopher Chiaro
- Department of Biobehavioral Health, Penn State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Christine C. Heim
- Charité–Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin Institute of Health, Institute of Medical Psychology, Berlin, Germany
| | - Thomas Heller
- Department of Biobehavioral Health, Penn State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Jennie G. Noll
- Department of Psychology, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, United States of America
- Department of Human Development and Family Studies, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, United States of America
| | - Hannah M. C. Schreier
- Department of Biobehavioral Health, Penn State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Chad E. Shenk
- Department of Human Development and Family Studies, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, United States of America
- Department of Pediatrics, The Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, United States of America
| | - Idan Shalev
- Department of Biobehavioral Health, Penn State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, United States of America
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Apsley AT, Lee SA, Bhat AC, Rush J, Almeida DM, Cole SW, Shalev I. Affective reactivity to daily stressors and immune cell gene expression in the MIDUS study. Brain Behav Immun 2024; 115:80-88. [PMID: 37797778 PMCID: PMC10841912 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2023.09.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2023] [Revised: 09/26/2023] [Accepted: 09/30/2023] [Indexed: 10/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Affective reactivity to stress is a person-level measurement of how well an individual copes with daily stressors. A common method of measuring affective reactivity entails the estimation of within-person differences of either positive or negative affect on days with and without stressors present. Individuals more reactive to common stressors, as evidenced by affective reactivity measurements, have been shown to have increased levels of circulating pro-inflammatory markers. While affective reactivity has previously been associated with inflammatory markers, the upstream mechanistic links underlying these associations are unknown. Using data from the Midlife in the United States (MIDUS) Refresher study (N = 195; 52% female; 84% white), we quantified daily stress processes over 10 days and determined individuals' positive and negative affective reactivities to stressors. We then examined affective reactivity association with peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) gene expression of the immune-related conserved transcriptional response to adversity. Results indicated that individuals with a greater decrease in positive affect to daily stressors exhibited heightened PBMC JUNB expression after Bonferroni corrections (p-adjusted < 0.05). JUNB encodes a protein that acts as a transcription factor which regulates many aspects of the immune response, including inflammation and cell proliferation. Due to its critical role in the activation of macrophages and maintenance of CD4+ T-cells during inflammation, JUNB may serve as a potential upstream mechanistic target for future studies of the connection between affective reactivity and inflammatory processes. Overall, our findings provide evidence that affective reactivity to stress is associated with levels of immune cell gene expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abner T Apsley
- Department of Biobehavioral Health, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA; Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Integrative Biosciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
| | - Sun Ah Lee
- Department of Human Development and Family Studies, The Pennsylvania State University, USA
| | - Aarti C Bhat
- Department of Human Development and Family Studies, The Pennsylvania State University, USA
| | - Jonathan Rush
- Department of Psychology, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada
| | - David M Almeida
- Department of Human Development and Family Studies, The Pennsylvania State University, USA
| | - Steven W Cole
- Departments of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences and Medicine, Division of Hematology-Oncology, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA; Cousins Center for Psychoneuroimmunology, Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, and the Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Idan Shalev
- Department of Biobehavioral Health, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA.
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Apsley AT, Ye Q, Etzel L, Wolf S, Hastings WJ, Mattern BC, Siegel SR, Shalev I. Biological stability of DNA methylation measurements over varying intervals of time and in the presence of acute stress. Epigenetics 2023; 18:2230686. [PMID: 37393564 PMCID: PMC10316737 DOI: 10.1080/15592294.2023.2230686] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2023] [Revised: 06/13/2023] [Accepted: 06/21/2023] [Indexed: 07/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Identifying factors that influence the stability of DNA methylation measurements across biological replicates is of critical importance in basic and clinical research. Using a within-person between-group experimental design (n = 31, number of observations = 192), we report the stability of biological replicates over a variety of unique temporal scenarios, both in the absence and presence of acute psychosocial stress, and between individuals who have experienced early life adversity (ELA) and non-exposed individuals. We found that varying time intervals, acute stress, and ELA exposure influenced the stability of repeated DNA methylation measurements. In the absence of acute stress, probes were less stable as time passed; however, stress exerted a stabilizing influence on probes over longer time intervals. Compared to non-exposed individuals, ELA-exposed individuals had significantly lower probe stability immediately following acute stress. Additionally, we found that across all scenarios, probes used in most epigenetic-based algorithms for estimating epigenetic age or immune cell proportions had average or below-average stability, except for the Principal Component and DunedinPACE epigenetic ageing clocks, which were enriched for more stable probes. Finally, using highly stable probes in the absence of stress, we identified multiple probes that were hypomethylated in the presence of acute stress, regardless of ELA status. Two hypomethylated probes are located near the transcription start site of the glutathione-disulfide reductase gene (GSR), which has previously been shown to be an integral part of the stress response to environmental toxins. We discuss implications for future studies concerning the reliability and reproducibility of DNA methylation measurements.Abbreviations: DNAm - DNA methylation, CpG - 5'-cytosine-phosphate-guanine-3,' ICC - Interclass correlation coefficient, ELA - Early-life adversity, PBMCs - Peripheral blood mononuclear cells, mQTL - Methylation quantitative trait loci, TSS - Transcription start site, GSR - Glutathione-disulfide reductase gene, TSST - Trier social stress test, PC - Principal component.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abner T. Apsley
- Department of Biobehavioral Health, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Integrative Biological Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
| | - Qiaofeng Ye
- Department of Biobehavioral Health, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
| | - Laura Etzel
- Department of Biobehavioral Health, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
| | - Sarah Wolf
- Department of Biobehavioral Health, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
| | - Waylon J. Hastings
- Department of Psychiatry, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA, USA
| | - Brooke C. Mattern
- Department of Biobehavioral Health, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
| | - Sue Rutherford Siegel
- Department of Biobehavioral Health, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
| | - Idan Shalev
- Department of Biobehavioral Health, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
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8
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Etzel L, Garrett-Petters P, Shalev I. Early origins of health and disease risk: The case for investigating adverse exposures and biological aging in utero, across childhood, and into adolescence. Child Dev Perspect 2023; 17:149-156. [PMID: 38706692 PMCID: PMC11068077 DOI: 10.1111/cdep.12488] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/07/2024]
Abstract
In this article, we suggest that aging and development are two sides of the same coin, and that developing a comprehensive understanding of health and disease risk requires examining age-related processes occurring throughout the earliest years of life. Compared to other periods in life, during this early period of acute vulnerability, when children's biological and regulatory systems are developing, biological aging occurs most rapidly. We review theory and empirical research suggesting that processes of development and aging are intricately linked, and that early adversity may program biological parameters for accelerated aging and disease risk early in life, even though clinical signs of age-related disease onset may not be evident until many years later. Following from this, we make the case for widespread incorporation of biological aging constructs into child development research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Etzel
- Department of Biobehavioral Health, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
| | | | - Idan Shalev
- Department of Biobehavioral Health, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
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9
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Butzin-Dozier Z, Mertens AN, Tan ST, Granger DA, Pitchik HO, Il’yasova D, Tofail F, Rahman MZ, Spasojevic I, Shalev I, Ali S, Karim MR, Shahriar S, Famida SL, Shuman G, Shoab AK, Akther S, Hossen MS, Mutsuddi P, Rahman M, Unicomb L, Das KK, Yan L, Meyer A, Stewart CP, Hubbard A, Tabassum Naved R, Parvin K, Mamun MMA, Luby SP, Colford JM, Fernald LCH, Lin A. Stress Biomarkers and Child Development in Young Children in Bangladesh. medRxiv 2023:2023.09.12.23295429. [PMID: 37745503 PMCID: PMC10516093 DOI: 10.1101/2023.09.12.23295429] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/26/2023]
Abstract
Background Hundreds of millions of children in low- and middle-income countries are exposed to chronic stressors, such as poverty, poor sanitation and hygiene, and sub-optimal nutrition. These stressors can have physiological consequences for children and may ultimately have detrimental effects on child development. This study explores associations between biological measures of chronic stress in early life and developmental outcomes in a large cohort of young children living in rural Bangladesh. Methods We assessed physiologic measures of stress in the first two years of life using measures of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis (salivary cortisol and glucocorticoid receptor gene methylation), the sympathetic-adrenal-medullary (SAM) system (salivary alpha-amylase, heart rate, and blood pressure), and oxidative status (F2-isoprostanes). We assessed child development in the first two years of life with the MacArthur-Bates Communicative Development Inventories (CDI), the WHO gross motor milestones, and the Extended Ages and Stages Questionnaire (EASQ). We compared development outcomes of children at the 75th and 25th percentiles of stress biomarker distributions while adjusting for potential confounders (hereafter referred to as contrasts) using generalized additive models, which are statistical models where the outcome is predicted by a potentially non-linear function of predictor variables. Results We analyzed data from 684 children (49% female) at both 14 and 28 months of age; we included an additional 765 children at 28 months of age. We observed 135 primary contrasts of the differences in child development outcomes at the 75th and 25th percentiles of stress biomarkers, where we detected significant relationships in 5 out of 30 contrasts (17%) of HPA axis activity, 1 out of 30 contrasts (3%) of SAM activity, and 3 out of 75 contrasts (4%) of oxidative status. These findings revealed that measures of HPA axis activity were associated with poor development outcomes. We did not find consistent evidence that markers of SAM system activity or oxidative status were associated with developmental status. Conclusions Our observations reveal associations between the physiological evidence of stress in the HPA axis with developmental status in early childhood. These findings add to the existing evidence exploring the developmental consequences of early life stress.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Andrew N. Mertens
- School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA USA
| | - Sophia T. Tan
- Division of HIV, Infectious Diseases, and Global Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Douglas A. Granger
- Institute for Interdisciplinary Salivary Bioscience Research, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD USA
| | - Helen O. Pitchik
- School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA USA
| | | | - Fahmida Tofail
- International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Md. Ziaur Rahman
- International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | | | - Idan Shalev
- Department of Biobehavioral Health, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA USA
| | - Shahjahan Ali
- International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | | | - Sunny Shahriar
- International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Syeda Luthfa Famida
- International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Gabrielle Shuman
- School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA USA
| | - Abul K. Shoab
- International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Salma Akther
- International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Md. Saheen Hossen
- International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Palash Mutsuddi
- International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Mahbubur Rahman
- International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Leanne Unicomb
- International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Kishor K. Das
- International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | | | | | | | - Alan Hubbard
- School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA USA
| | | | - Kausar Parvin
- International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Md. Mahfuz Al Mamun
- International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Stephen P. Luby
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Geographic Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA USA
| | - John M. Colford
- School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA USA
| | - Lia C. H. Fernald
- School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA USA
| | - Audrie Lin
- Department of Microbiology and Environmental Toxicology, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA USA
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10
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Ye Q, Apsley AT, Etzel L, Hastings WJ, Kozlosky JT, Walker C, Wolf SE, Shalev I. Telomere length and chronological age across the human lifespan: A systematic review and meta-analysis of 414 study samples including 743,019 individuals. Ageing Res Rev 2023; 90:102031. [PMID: 37567392 PMCID: PMC10529491 DOI: 10.1016/j.arr.2023.102031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2023] [Revised: 07/27/2023] [Accepted: 08/07/2023] [Indexed: 08/13/2023]
Abstract
Telomere attrition is a proposed hallmark of aging. To evaluate the association of telomere length (TL) with chronological age across the human lifespan, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of 414 study samples comprising 743,019 individuals aged 0-112 years. We examined both cross-sectional and longitudinal data, and evaluated the impact of various biological and methodological factors including sex, health status, tissue types, DNA extraction procedures, and TL measurement methods. The pooled corrected correlation between TL and age from cross-sectional samples was -0.19 (95%CI: -0.22 to -0.15), which weakened with increased chronological age (β = 0.003, p < 0.001). Z-score change rates of TL across the lifespan showed a gradual decrease in shortening rate until around age 50 and remained at a relatively stable rate towards the elderly period. A greater attrition rate was observed in longitudinal than cross-sectional evaluations. For TL measured in base pairs, the median change rate of TL was -23 bp/year in cross-sectional samples and -38 bp/year in longitudinal samples. Methodological factors including TL measurement methods and tissue types impacted the TL-age correlation, while sex or disease status did not. This meta-analysis revealed the non-linear shortening trend of TL across the human lifespan and provides a reference value for future studies. Results also highlight the importance of methodological considerations when using TL as an aging biomarker.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiaofeng Ye
- Department of Biobehavioral Health, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA.
| | - Abner T Apsley
- Department of Biobehavioral Health, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA; Department of Molecular, Cellular and Integrative Biological Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA.
| | - Laura Etzel
- Department of Biobehavioral Health, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA.
| | - Waylon J Hastings
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, Tulane University School of Medicine, LA 70112, USA.
| | - John T Kozlosky
- Department of Biobehavioral Health, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA.
| | - Cade Walker
- Department of Biobehavioral Health, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA.
| | - Sarah E Wolf
- Department of Biobehavioral Health, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA.
| | - Idan Shalev
- Department of Biobehavioral Health, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA.
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11
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Wolf SE, Shalev I. The shelterin protein expansion of telomere dynamics: Linking early life adversity, life history, and the hallmarks of aging. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2023; 152:105261. [PMID: 37268182 PMCID: PMC10527177 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2023.105261] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2023] [Revised: 04/10/2023] [Accepted: 05/30/2023] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
Aging is characterized by functional decline occurring alongside changes to several hallmarks of aging. One of the hallmarks includes attrition of repeated DNA sequences found at the ends of chromosomes called telomeres. While telomere attrition is linked to morbidity and mortality, whether and how it causally contributes to lifelong rates of functional decline is unclear. In this review, we propose the shelterin-telomere hypothesis of life history, in which telomere-binding shelterin proteins translate telomere attrition into a range of physiological outcomes, the extent of which may be modulated by currently understudied variation in shelterin protein levels. Shelterin proteins may expand the breadth and timing of consequences of telomere attrition, e.g., by translating early life adversity into acceleration of the aging process. We consider how the pleiotropic roles of shelterin proteins provide novel insights into natural variation in physiology, life history, and lifespan. We highlight key open questions that encourage the integrative, organismal study of shelterin proteins that enhances our understanding of the contribution of the telomere system to aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah E Wolf
- Department of Biobehavioral Health, Penn State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA.
| | - Idan Shalev
- Department of Biobehavioral Health, Penn State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
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12
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Haag AC, Cha CB, Noll JG, Gee DG, Shenk CE, Schreier HMC, Heim CM, Shalev I, Rose EJ, Jorgensen A, Bonanno GA. The Flexible Regulation of Emotional Expression Scale for Youth (FREE-Y): Adaptation and Validation Across a Varied Sample of Children and Adolescents. Assessment 2023; 30:1265-1284. [PMID: 35510578 PMCID: PMC9636062 DOI: 10.1177/10731911221090465] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Flexible self-regulation has been shown to be an adaptive ability. This study adapted and validated the adult Flexible Regulation of Emotional Expression (FREE) Scale for use with youth (FREE-Y) in community and maltreatment samples. The FREE-Y measures the ability to flexibly enhance and suppress emotion expression across an array of hypothetical social scenarios. Participants (N = 654, 8-19 years) were included from three studies. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) confirmed a theoretically appropriate higher order factor structure. Using multiple-group CFAs, measurement invariance was achieved across maltreatment status, age, and gender. Reliabilities were adequate and construct validity was demonstrated through associations with measures of emotion regulation, psychopathology, IQ, and executive functioning. Group comparisons indicated lower Suppression and Flexibility scores for maltreated versus comparison participants. Findings suggest that the FREE-Y is a valid measure of expressive regulation ability in youth that can be applied across a range of populations.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Jennie G. Noll
- The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, USA
- Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, University of Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | | | - Chad E. Shenk
- The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, USA
- The Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, Hershey, USA
| | | | - Christine M. Heim
- The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, USA
- Charité—Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Germany
| | - Idan Shalev
- The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, USA
| | - Emma J. Rose
- The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, USA
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13
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Waziry R, Ryan CP, Corcoran DL, Huffman KM, Kobor MS, Kothari M, Graf GH, Kraus VB, Kraus WE, Lin DTS, Pieper CF, Ramaker ME, Bhapkar M, Das SK, Ferrucci L, Hastings WJ, Kebbe M, Parker DC, Racette SB, Shalev I, Schilling B, Belsky DW. Author Correction: Effect of long-term caloric restriction on DNA methylation measures of biological aging in healthy adults from the CALERIE trial. Nat Aging 2023:10.1038/s43587-023-00432-y. [PMID: 37161091 DOI: 10.1038/s43587-023-00432-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- R Waziry
- Butler Columbia Aging Center, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, NY, USA
| | - C P Ryan
- Butler Columbia Aging Center, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, NY, USA
| | - D L Corcoran
- Department of Genetics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - K M Huffman
- Duke Molecular Physiology Institute and Department of Medicine, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
| | - M S Kobor
- Department of Medical Genetics, Edwin S.H. Leong Healthy Aging Program, Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - M Kothari
- Butler Columbia Aging Center, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, NY, USA
| | - G H Graf
- Butler Columbia Aging Center, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Epidemiology, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, NY, USA
| | - V B Kraus
- Duke Molecular Physiology Institute and Department of Medicine, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
| | - W E Kraus
- Duke Molecular Physiology Institute and Department of Medicine, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
| | - D T S Lin
- Department of Medical Genetics, Edwin S.H. Leong Healthy Aging Program, Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - C F Pieper
- Center on Aging and Development, Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - M E Ramaker
- Duke Molecular Physiology Institute and Department of Medicine, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
| | - M Bhapkar
- Duke Clinical Research Institute, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
| | - S K Das
- Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - L Ferrucci
- Translational Gerontology Branch, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - W J Hastings
- Department of Biobehavioral Health, Pennsylvania State University, State College, PA, USA
| | - M Kebbe
- Pennington Biomedical Research Center, Baton Rouge, LA, USA
| | - D C Parker
- Department of Medicine, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
| | - S B Racette
- Program in Physical Therapy and Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
- College of Health Solutions, Arizona State University, Phoenix, AZ, USA
| | - I Shalev
- Department of Biobehavioral Health, Pennsylvania State University, State College, PA, USA
| | - B Schilling
- Buck Institute for Research on Aging, Novato, CA, USA
| | - D W Belsky
- Butler Columbia Aging Center, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, NY, USA.
- Department of Epidemiology, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, NY, USA.
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14
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Beijers R, Ten Thije I, Bolhuis E, O'Donnell KJ, Tollenaar MS, Shalev I, Hastings WJ, MacIsaac JL, Lin DTS, Meaney M, Kobor MS, Belsky J, de Weerth C. Cumulative risk exposure and child cellular aging in a Dutch low-risk community sample. Psychophysiology 2023; 60:e14205. [PMID: 36323627 DOI: 10.1111/psyp.14205] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2022] [Revised: 10/07/2022] [Accepted: 10/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
One of the proposed mechanisms linking childhood stressor exposure to negative mental and physical health outcomes in later life is cellular aging. In this prospective, longitudinal, and pre-registered study, we examined the association between a cumulative pattern of childhood risk exposure from age 6 to age 10 (i.e., poor maternal mental health, parental relationship problems, family/friend death, bullying victimization, poor quality friendships) and change in two biomarkers of cellular aging (i.e., telomere length, epigenetic age) from age 6 to age 10 in a Dutch low-risk community sample (n = 193). We further examined the moderating effect of cortisol reactivity at age 6. Ordinary Least Squares regression analyses revealed no significant main effects of childhood risk exposure on change in cellular aging, nor a moderation effect of child cortisol reactivity. Secondary findings showed a positive correlation between telomere length and cortisol reactivity at age 6, warranting further investigation. More research in similar communities is needed before drawing strong conclusions based on the null results.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roseriet Beijers
- Department of Social Development, Behavioral Science Institute, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behavior, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Ilse Ten Thije
- Department of Social Development, Behavioral Science Institute, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behavior, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Emma Bolhuis
- Department of Social Development, Behavioral Science Institute, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behavior, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Kieran J O'Donnell
- Yale Child Study Center & Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
- Douglas Hospital Research Centre, Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
| | - Marieke S Tollenaar
- Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition and Institute of Psychology, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Idan Shalev
- Department of Biobehavioral Health, Penn State University, State College, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Waylon J Hastings
- Department of Biobehavioral Health, Penn State University, State College, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Julia L MacIsaac
- Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, BC Children's Hospital Research Institute, Vancouver, Canada
| | - David T S Lin
- Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, BC Children's Hospital Research Institute, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Michael Meaney
- Douglas Mental Health University Institute, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
| | - Michael S Kobor
- Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, BC Children's Hospital Research Institute, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Jay Belsky
- Department of Human Ecology, University of California, California, Davis, USA
| | - Carolina de Weerth
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behavior, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
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15
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Waziry R, Ryan CP, Corcoran DL, Huffman KM, Kobor MS, Kothari M, Graf GH, Kraus VB, Kraus WE, Lin DTS, Pieper CF, Ramaker ME, Bhapkar M, Das SK, Ferrucci L, Hastings WJ, Kebbe M, Parker DC, Racette SB, Shalev I, Schilling B, Belsky DW. Effect of long-term caloric restriction on DNA methylation measures of biological aging in healthy adults from the CALERIE trial. Nat Aging 2023; 3:248-257. [PMID: 37118425 PMCID: PMC10148951 DOI: 10.1038/s43587-022-00357-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 26.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2021] [Accepted: 12/22/2022] [Indexed: 04/30/2023]
Abstract
The geroscience hypothesis proposes that therapy to slow or reverse molecular changes that occur with aging can delay or prevent multiple chronic diseases and extend healthy lifespan1-3. Caloric restriction (CR), defined as lessening caloric intake without depriving essential nutrients4, results in changes in molecular processes that have been associated with aging, including DNA methylation (DNAm)5-7, and is established to increase healthy lifespan in multiple species8,9. Here we report the results of a post hoc analysis of the influence of CR on DNAm measures of aging in blood samples from the Comprehensive Assessment of Long-term Effects of Reducing Intake of Energy (CALERIE) trial, a randomized controlled trial in which n = 220 adults without obesity were randomized to 25% CR or ad libitum control diet for 2 yr (ref. 10). We found that CALERIE intervention slowed the pace of aging, as measured by the DunedinPACE DNAm algorithm, but did not lead to significant changes in biological age estimates measured by various DNAm clocks including PhenoAge and GrimAge. Treatment effect sizes were small. Nevertheless, modest slowing of the pace of aging can have profound effects on population health11-13. The finding that CR modified DunedinPACE in a randomized controlled trial supports the geroscience hypothesis, building on evidence from small and uncontrolled studies14-16 and contrasting with reports that biological aging may not be modifiable17. Ultimately, a conclusive test of the geroscience hypothesis will require trials with long-term follow-up to establish effects of intervention on primary healthy-aging endpoints, including incidence of chronic disease and mortality18-20.
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Affiliation(s)
- R Waziry
- Butler Columbia Aging Center, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, NY, USA
| | - C P Ryan
- Butler Columbia Aging Center, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, NY, USA
| | - D L Corcoran
- Department of Genetics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - K M Huffman
- Duke Molecular Physiology Institute and Department of Medicine, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
| | - M S Kobor
- Department of Medical Genetics, Edwin S.H. Leong Healthy Aging Program, Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - M Kothari
- Butler Columbia Aging Center, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, NY, USA
| | - G H Graf
- Butler Columbia Aging Center, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Epidemiology, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, NY, USA
| | - V B Kraus
- Duke Molecular Physiology Institute and Department of Medicine, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
| | - W E Kraus
- Duke Molecular Physiology Institute and Department of Medicine, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
| | - D T S Lin
- Department of Medical Genetics, Edwin S.H. Leong Healthy Aging Program, Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - C F Pieper
- Center on Aging and Development, Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - M E Ramaker
- Duke Molecular Physiology Institute and Department of Medicine, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
| | - M Bhapkar
- Duke Clinical Research Institute, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
| | - S K Das
- Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - L Ferrucci
- Translational Gerontology Branch, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - W J Hastings
- Department of Biobehavioral Health, Pennsylvania State University, State College, PA, USA
| | - M Kebbe
- Pennington Biomedical Research Center, Baton Rouge, LA, USA
| | - D C Parker
- Department of Medicine, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
| | - S B Racette
- Program in Physical Therapy and Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
- College of Health Solutions, Arizona State University, Phoenix, AZ, USA
| | - I Shalev
- Department of Biobehavioral Health, Pennsylvania State University, State College, PA, USA
| | - B Schilling
- Buck Institute for Research on Aging, Novato, CA, USA
| | - D W Belsky
- Butler Columbia Aging Center, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, NY, USA.
- Department of Epidemiology, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, NY, USA.
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16
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Apsley AT, Etzel L, Hastings WJ, Heim CC, Noll JG, O'Donnell KJ, Schreier HMC, Shenk CE, Ye Q, Shalev I. Investigating the effects of maltreatment and acute stress on the concordance of blood and DNA methylation methods of estimating immune cell proportions. Clin Epigenetics 2023; 15:33. [PMID: 36855187 PMCID: PMC9976543 DOI: 10.1186/s13148-023-01437-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2022] [Accepted: 02/05/2023] [Indexed: 03/02/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Immune cell proportions can be used to detect pathophysiological states and are also critical covariates in genomic analyses. The complete blood count (CBC) is the most common method of immune cell proportion estimation, but immune cell proportions can also be estimated using whole-genome DNA methylation (DNAm). Although the concordance of CBC and DNAm estimations has been validated in various adult and clinical populations, less is known about the concordance of existing estimators among stress-exposed individuals. As early life adversity and acute psychosocial stress have both been associated with unique DNAm alterations, the concordance of CBC and DNAm immune cell proportion needs to be validated in various states of stress. RESULTS We report the correlation and concordance between CBC and DNAm estimates of immune cell proportions using the Illumina EPIC DNAm array within two unique studies: Study 1, a high-risk pediatric cohort of children oversampled for exposure to maltreatment (N = 365, age 8 to 14 years), and Study 2, a sample of young adults who have participated in an acute laboratory stressor with four pre- and post-stress measurements (N = 28, number of observations = 100). Comparing CBC and DNAm proportions across both studies, estimates of neutrophils (r = 0.948, p < 0.001), lymphocytes (r = 0.916, p < 0.001), and eosinophils (r = 0.933, p < 0.001) were highly correlated, while monocyte estimates were moderately correlated (r = 0.766, p < 0.001) and basophil estimates were weakly correlated (r = 0.189, p < 0.001). In Study 1, we observed significant deviations in raw values between the two approaches for some immune cell subtypes; however, the observed differences were not significantly predicted by exposure to child maltreatment. In Study 2, while significant changes in immune cell proportions were observed in response to acute psychosocial stress for both CBC and DNAm estimates, the observed changes were similar for both approaches. CONCLUSIONS Although significant differences in immune cell proportion estimates between CBC and DNAm exist, as well as stress-induced changes in immune cell proportions, neither child maltreatment nor acute psychosocial stress alters the concordance of CBC and DNAm estimation methods. These results suggest that the agreement between CBC and DNAm estimators of immune cell proportions is robust to exposure to child maltreatment and acute psychosocial stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abner T Apsley
- Department of Biobehavioral Health, The Pennsylvania State University, 219 Biobehavioral Health Building, University Park, PA, 16802, USA
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Integrated Biosciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
| | - Laura Etzel
- Department of Biobehavioral Health, The Pennsylvania State University, 219 Biobehavioral Health Building, University Park, PA, 16802, USA
| | - Waylon J Hastings
- Department of Biobehavioral Health, The Pennsylvania State University, 219 Biobehavioral Health Building, University Park, PA, 16802, USA
| | - Christine C Heim
- Department of Biobehavioral Health, The Pennsylvania State University, 219 Biobehavioral Health Building, University Park, PA, 16802, USA
- Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, and Humboldt-Universität Zu Berlin, Berlin Institute of Health (BIH), Institute of Medical Psychology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Jennie G Noll
- Department of Human Development and Family Studies, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
| | - Kieran J O'Donnell
- Yale Child Study Center, Yale School of Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
- Department of Obstetrics Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, Yale School of Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Hannah M C Schreier
- Department of Biobehavioral Health, The Pennsylvania State University, 219 Biobehavioral Health Building, University Park, PA, 16802, USA
| | - Chad E Shenk
- Department of Human Development and Family Studies, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, The Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, USA
| | - Qiaofeng Ye
- Department of Biobehavioral Health, The Pennsylvania State University, 219 Biobehavioral Health Building, University Park, PA, 16802, USA
| | - Idan Shalev
- Department of Biobehavioral Health, The Pennsylvania State University, 219 Biobehavioral Health Building, University Park, PA, 16802, USA.
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17
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Apsley A, Lee SA, Bhat A, Almeida D, Shalev I. AFFECTIVE REACTIVITY TO DAILY STRESSORS AND IMMUNE GENE EXPRESSION IN THE MIDUS STUDY. Innov Aging 2022. [PMCID: PMC9770490 DOI: 10.1093/geroni/igac059.1635] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Past research indicates that an individual’s affective reactivity to daily stressors is associated with elevated levels of inflammatory biomarkers such as interleukin-6 and C-reactive protein. Here, we assessed individuals’ positive and negative affective reactivity to daily stressors, and their association with expression levels of genes in the conserved transcriptional response to adversity (CTRA; proinflammatory and type-1 interferon antiviral genes). We hypothesize that gene expression levels of CTRA genes are a possible explanatory mechanistic link between higher levels of affective reactivity and inflammatory markers. Our study included 199 individuals from the Midlife in the United States Refresher study (ages 26-71, 52.8% female, and 17.9% non-white) who participated in the Gene Expression and Daily Diary Projects. Individuals provided whole blood for gene expression analysis and completed an 8-day telephone interview to assess daily experiences. Positive and negative affective reactivity scores were used to indicate magnitude of an individual’s changes in daily affect on stressor-days versus non-stressor-days, and were computed using multilevel modeling. Three CTRA gene expression scores were created for each individual, representing the average expression of proinflammatory, type-1 interferon, and a combination of both. Preliminary findings suggest a negative association between the CTRA composite score and negative affective reactivity to daily stressors (β = -0.963, p = 0.034), controlling for covariates. Further analyses will use affective reactivity to predict individual CTRA genes, correcting for multiple testing. This study will be the first to examine the relationship between daily assessments of emotions and gene expression levels in a representative U.S. cohort.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abner Apsley
- Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, United States
| | - Sun Ah Lee
- The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, United States
| | - Aarti Bhat
- The Pennsylvania State University, State College, Pennsylvania, United States
| | - David Almeida
- The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, United States
| | - Idan Shalev
- The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, United States
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18
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Bolhuis E, Belsky J, Frankenhuis WE, Shalev I, Hastings WJ, Tollenaar MS, O’Donnell KJ, McGill MG, Pokhvisneva I, Lin DT, MacIsaac JL, Kobor MS, de Weerth C, Beijers R. Attachment insecurity and the biological embedding of reproductive strategies: Investigating the role of cellular aging. Biol Psychol 2022; 175:108446. [DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsycho.2022.108446] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2021] [Revised: 10/15/2022] [Accepted: 10/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
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19
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Etzel L, Hastings WJ, Hall MA, Heim CM, Meaney MJ, Noll JG, O'Donnell KJ, Pokhvisneva I, Rose EJ, Schreier HMC, Shenk CE, Shalev I. Obesity and accelerated epigenetic aging in a high-risk cohort of children. Sci Rep 2022; 12:8328. [PMID: 35585103 PMCID: PMC9117197 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-11562-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2021] [Accepted: 04/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
New insights into mechanisms linking obesity to poor health outcomes suggest a role for cellular aging pathways, casting obesity as a disease of accelerated biological aging. Although obesity has been linked to accelerated epigenetic aging in middle-aged adults, the impact during childhood remains unclear. We tested the association between body mass index (BMI) and accelerated epigenetic aging in a cohort of high-risk children. Participants were children (N = 273, aged 8 to 14 years, 82% investigated for maltreatment) recruited to the Child Health Study, an ongoing prospective study of youth investigated for maltreatment and a comparison youth. BMI was measured as a continuous variable. Accelerated epigenetic aging of blood leukocytes was defined as the age-adjusted residuals of several established epigenetic aging clocks (Horvath, Hannum, GrimAge, PhenoAge) along with a newer algorithm, the DunedinPoAm, developed to quantify the pace-of-aging. Hypotheses were tested with generalized linear models. Higher age-and sex- adjusted z-scored BMI was significantly correlated with household income, blood cell counts, and three of the accelerated epigenetic aging measures: GrimAge (r = 0.31, P < .0001), PhenoAge (r = 0.24, P < .0001), and DunedinPoAm (r = 0.38, P < .0001). In fully adjusted models, GrimAge (β = 0.07; P = .0009) and DunedinPoAm (β = 0.0017; P < .0001) remained significantly associated with higher age- and sex-adjusted z-scored BMI. Maltreatment-status was not associated with accelerated epigenetic aging. In a high-risk cohort of children, higher BMI predicted epigenetic aging as assessed by two epigenetic aging clocks. These results suggest the association between obesity and accelerated epigenetic aging begins in early life, with implications for future morbidity and mortality risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Etzel
- Department of Biobehavioral Health, The Pennsylvania State University, 219 Biobehavioral Health Building, University Park, PA, 16802, USA
| | - Waylon J Hastings
- Department of Biobehavioral Health, The Pennsylvania State University, 219 Biobehavioral Health Building, University Park, PA, 16802, USA
| | - Molly A Hall
- Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
| | - Christine M Heim
- Department of Biobehavioral Health, The Pennsylvania State University, 219 Biobehavioral Health Building, University Park, PA, 16802, USA
- Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Institute of Medical Psychology, Humboldt-Universität Zu Berlin, Berlin Institute of Health (BIH), Berlin, Germany
| | - Michael J Meaney
- Departments of Psychiatry and Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Jennie G Noll
- Department of Human Development and Family Studies, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
| | - Kieran J O'Donnell
- Yale Child Study Center, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
- Department of Obstetrics Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, Yale School of Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Irina Pokhvisneva
- Ludmer Centre for Neuroinformatics and Mental Health, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Emma J Rose
- Department of Human Development and Family Studies, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
- Edna Bennett Pierce Prevention Research Center, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
| | - Hannah M C Schreier
- Department of Biobehavioral Health, The Pennsylvania State University, 219 Biobehavioral Health Building, University Park, PA, 16802, USA
| | - Chad E Shenk
- Department of Human Development and Family Studies, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, The Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, USA
| | - Idan Shalev
- Department of Biobehavioral Health, The Pennsylvania State University, 219 Biobehavioral Health Building, University Park, PA, 16802, USA.
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20
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Hastings WJ, Etzel L, Heim CM, Noll JG, Rose EJ, Schreier HMC, Shenk CE, Tang X, Shalev I. Comparing qPCR and DNA methylation-based measurements of telomere length in a high-risk pediatric cohort. Aging (Albany NY) 2022; 14:660-677. [PMID: 35077392 PMCID: PMC8833135 DOI: 10.18632/aging.203849] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2021] [Accepted: 01/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Various approaches exist to assess population differences in biological aging. Telomere length (TL) is one such measure, and is associated with disease, disability and early mortality. Yet, issues surrounding precision and reproducibility are a concern for TL measurement. An alternative method to estimate TL using DNA methylation (DNAmTL) was recently developed. Although DNAmTL has been characterized in adult and elderly cohorts, its utility in pediatric populations remains unknown. We examined the comparability of leukocyte TL measurements generated using qPCR (absolute TL; aTL) to those estimated using DNAmTL in a high-risk pediatric cohort (N = 269; age: 8–13 years, 83% investigated for maltreatment). aTL and DNAmTL measurements were correlated with one another (r = 0.20, p = 0.001), but exhibited poor measurement agreement and were significantly different in paired-sample t-tests (Cohen’s d = 0.77, p < 0.001). Shorter DNAmTL was associated with older age (r = −0.25, p < 0.001), male sex (β = −0.27, p = 0.029), and White race (β = −0.74, p = 0.008). By contrast, aTL was less strongly associated with age (r = −0.13, p = 0.040), was longer in males (β = 0.31, p = 0.012), and was not associated with race (p = 0.820). These findings highlight strengths and limitations of high-throughput measures of TL; although DNAmTL replicated hypothesized associations, aTL measurements were positively skewed and did not replicate associations with external validity measures. These results also extend previous research in adults and suggest that DNAmTL is a sensitive TL measure for use in pediatric populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Waylon J Hastings
- Department of Biobehavioral Health, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Laura Etzel
- Department of Biobehavioral Health, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Christine M Heim
- Department of Biobehavioral Health, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA.,Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt Universität zu Berlin, Institute of Medical Psychology, Berlin, Germany
| | - Jennie G Noll
- Department of Human Development and Family Studies, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Emma J Rose
- Department of Human Development and Family Studies, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA.,The Edna Bennett Pierce Prevention Research Center, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Hannah M C Schreier
- Department of Biobehavioral Health, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Chad E Shenk
- Department of Human Development and Family Studies, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA.,Department of Pediatrics, The Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, Hershey, PA 17033, USA
| | - Xin Tang
- Department of Biobehavioral Health, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Idan Shalev
- Department of Biobehavioral Health, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
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21
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Etzel L, Apsley AT, Mattern BC, Hastings WJ, Heller T, Ram N, Siegel SR, Shalev I. Immune cell dynamics in response to an acute laboratory stressor: a within-person between-group analysis of the biological impact of early life adversity. Stress 2022; 25:347-356. [PMID: 36404775 PMCID: PMC9704543 DOI: 10.1080/10253890.2022.2148100] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2022] [Accepted: 11/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Early life adversity (ELA) is a risk factor for early onset morbidities and mortality, a relationship that may be driven in part by immune system dysregulation. One mechanism of dysregulation that has yet to be fully examined in the context of ELA is alterations to immune cell dynamics in response to acute stress. Using a within-person between-group experimental design, we investigated stress-induced changes in immune cell populations, and how these changes may be altered in individuals with a history of ELA. Participants were young adults (N = 34, aged 18-25 years, 53% female, 47% with a history of ELA). Complete immune cell counts were measured at four time-points over a 5-hour window across two sessions (Trier Social Stress Test [TSST] vs. no-stress) separated by a week. Across all participants, total white blood cells increased over time (F(3,84)=38.97, p < .001) with a greater increase in response to the TSST compared to the no-stress condition at 240 minutes post-test (b = 0.43±.19; t(179)=2.22, p = .027). This pattern was mirrored by neutrophil counts. Lymphocyte counts were initially depressed by TSST exposure (b =-205±.67; t(184)=-3.07, p = .002) but recovered above baseline. ELA status was associated with higher stress-induced immune cell counts, a difference likely driven by increases in neutrophils (F(1,22)=4.45, p = .046). Overall, these results indicate differential immune cell dynamics in response to acute stress in individuals with a history of ELA. This points to altered immune system functioning in the context of stress, a finding that may be driving increased morbidity and mortality risk for ELA-exposed individuals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Etzel
- Department of Biobehavioral Health, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
| | - Abner T. Apsley
- Department of Biobehavioral Health, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
| | - Brooke C. Mattern
- Department of Biobehavioral Health, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
| | - Waylon J. Hastings
- Department of Biobehavioral Health, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
| | - Thomas Heller
- Department of Biobehavioral Health, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
| | - Nilam Ram
- Department of Psychology and Department of Communication, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Sue Rutherford Siegel
- Department of Biobehavioral Health, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
| | - Idan Shalev
- Department of Biobehavioral Health, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
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22
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Azulay H, Guy N, Shalev I, Pertzov Y, Israel S. Social evaluation under stress: Does acute stress affect social attributions and eye gaze? Comprehensive Psychoneuroendocrinology 2021; 8:100093. [PMID: 35757674 PMCID: PMC9216653 DOI: 10.1016/j.cpnec.2021.100093] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2021] [Accepted: 10/11/2021] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Acute stress has been found to elicit pro-social, anti-social or null responses in humans. The causes for these contradicting findings are currently poorly understood, and may rise from subjects' characteristics, such as sex or hormonal status, as well as stimuli-based traits, such as group membership. In the current study, 120 subjects performed either the Trier Social Stress Test or a control (non-stress inducing) condition, followed by ranking displayed faces according to several attributes (e.g., trustworthiness, attractiveness, dominance). Participants' eye gaze was also tracked while viewing facial stimuli. We examined how acute stress interacts with participants' sex, female participants' hormonal status (hormonal contraceptives, early-follicular phase and mid-luteal phase), and the observed faces’ social group (ethnicity-based in-group or out-groups). In general, frequentist and Bayesian analyses showed that acute stress exposure did not affect social attributions or gaze behavior, nor did it interact with subjects' sex or the group membership of the observed faces. Interestingly, sub-group analyses showed that in females, acute stress interacted with hormonal status to yield heterogenous anti-social effects, such as post-stress reductions in perceived trustworthiness in the early-follicular phase, and lower perceived attractiveness in the mid-luteal phase. Given the small sample sizes for the sub-groups, these results should be viewed as preliminary until further replicated. Our results highlight the necessity for large-scale studies, particularly in females, to further refine existing theories regarding the nature and contexts by which acute stress elicits changes in social cognition and behavior. Bayesian analysis showed that stress did not broadly affect social attributions. However, females' hormonal status may interact with stress to modulate attributions. Attributions were highly biased against out-group members, regardless of stress. Stress also did not influence patterns of eye gaze to faces.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hagar Azulay
- Department of Psychology, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
- Truman Research Institute, Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Nitzan Guy
- Department of Psychology, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Idan Shalev
- Department of Biobehavioral Health, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
| | - Yoni Pertzov
- Department of Psychology, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Salomon Israel
- Department of Psychology, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
- Scheinfeld Center of Human Genetics for the Social Sciences, Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel
- Corresponding author. Department of Psychology, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel.
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23
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Hastings WJ, Eisenberg DTA, Shalev I. Impact of Amplification Efficiency Approaches on Telomere Length Measurement via Quantitative-Polymerase Chain Reaction. Front Genet 2021; 12:728603. [PMID: 34603389 PMCID: PMC8484782 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2021.728603] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2021] [Accepted: 08/27/2021] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: Precise determination of amplification efficiency is critical for reliable conversion of within-sample changes in fluorescence occurring on a logarithmic scale to between-sample differences in DNA content occurring on a linear scale. This endeavor is especially challenging for the telomere length (TL) quantitative-PCR (qPCR) assay, where amplification efficiency can vary between reactions targeting telomeric repeats (T) and those targeting a single-copy gene (S) to calculate TL as the T/S ratio. Methods: We compared seven different approaches toward estimating amplification efficiency, including the standard-curve method utilized by the qPCR instrument software, and alternative approaches which estimate efficiency on a reaction-by-reaction basis using the stand-alone program LinRegPCR. After calculating T/S ratios using efficiency estimates from each approach (N = 363), we tested their relative performance on metrics of assay precision and correlates of external validity including chronological age (age range = 1-72 years), across tissues within-person (leukocyte-buccal), and between parents and offspring. Results: Estimated amplification efficiency for telomere reactions was significantly lower than estimates for single-copy gene reactions. Efficiency estimates for both reaction sets were significantly higher when estimated with the standard-curve method utilized by the qPCR instrument relative to estimates reconstructed during the log-linear phase with LinRegPCR. While estimates of single-copy gene efficiency reconstructed using LinRegPCR measured within 90% of perfect exponential doubling (E = 1.92), estimates generated using the standard-curve method were inflated beyond 100% (E = 2.10-2.12), indicating poor fidelity. Despite differences in raw value, TL measurements calculated with LinRegPCR efficiency estimates exhibited similar relationships with external validity correlates to measurements generated using the qPCR instrument software. Conclusion: Since methods to estimate amplification efficiency can vary across qPCR instruments, we suggest that future analyses empirically consider external methods of efficiency calculations such as LinRegPCR, and that already generated data be re-analyzed to glean possible improvements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Waylon J. Hastings
- Department of Biobehavioral Health, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, United States
| | - Dan T. A. Eisenberg
- Department of Anthropology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Idan Shalev
- Department of Biobehavioral Health, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, United States
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24
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Li JC, Hall MA, Shalev I, Schreier HMC, Zarzar TG, Marcovici I, Putnam FW, Noll JG. Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis attenuation and obesity risk in sexually abused females. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2021; 129:105254. [PMID: 34022589 PMCID: PMC8217375 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2021.105254] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2020] [Revised: 04/26/2021] [Accepted: 05/02/2021] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Childhood sexual abuse (CSA) confers elevated risks for obesity in females. Mechanisms that explain this link remain unclear. This study tracked serum basal cortisol levels with body mass index (BMI) from childhood into adulthood to test whether hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis attenuation accounts for elevated obesity risks for sexually abused females. METHODS Data drew from six timepoints of a longitudinal study of the impact of CSA on development. Participants were females aged 6-16 years at time of study enrollment with substantiated CSA and demographically matched non-abused peers. Analyses included only participants who did not have obesity at study enrollment. Main outcomes were BMI growth trajectories across ages 6-27 (n = 150; 66 abused, 84 comparisons) and early adulthood obesity status (ages 20-27; n = 133; 62 abused, 71 comparison). HPA axis functioning indicators were intercept and linear slope parameters extracted from multilevel growth trajectories of serum basal cortisol levels across development. Racial-ethnic minority status, parity, steroid medication use, depression history and disordered eating history were covaried. RESULTS While controlling for covariates, multilevel modeling indicated that high initial serum basal cortisol levels in childhood and attenuated cortisol growth rate over time (i.e., HPA axis attenuation) were associated with accelerated BMI accumulation (p < .01). Attenuated cortisol growth rate mediated the effect of CSA on accelerated BMI accumulation and on elevated adulthood obesity rates (p < .05). CONCLUSION This work establishes a mechanistic association between HPA axis attenuation and obesity, suggesting that trauma treatments for abuse survivors should include interventions that reduce health consequences associated with dysregulated stress physiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacinda C. Li
- College of Health and Human Development, Department of Human Development and Family Studies, The Pennsylvania State University, 325 Health and Human Development Building, University Park, PA, USA
| | - Molly A. Hall
- College of Agricultural Sciences, Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, 115 Henning Building, University Park, PA, USA
| | - Idan Shalev
- College of Health and Human Development, Department of Biobehavioral Health, The Pennsylvania State University, 219 Biobehavioral Health Building, University Park, PA, USA.
| | - Hannah M. C. Schreier
- College of Health and Human Development, Department of Biobehavioral Health, The Pennsylvania, State University, 219 Biobehavioral Health Building, University Park, PA, USA
| | - Tomás González Zarzar
- College of Agricultural Sciences, Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, 115 Henning Building, University Park, PA, USA.
| | - Isabel Marcovici
- College of Health and Human Development, Department of Human Development and Family Studies, The Pennsylvania State University, 325 Health and Human Development Building, University Park, PA, USA.
| | - Frank W. Putnam
- Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, 101 Manning Dr # 1, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Jennie G. Noll
- College of Health and Human Development, Department of Human Development and Family Studies, The Pennsylvania State University, 325 Health and Human Development Building, University Park, PA, USA
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25
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Hastings WJ, Almeida DM, Shalev I. Conceptual and analytical overlap between allostatic load and systemic biological aging measures: Analyses from the National Survey of Midlife Development in the United States. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci 2021; 77:1179-1188. [PMID: 34180993 DOI: 10.1093/gerona/glab187] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2020] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Indices quantifying allostatic load (AL) and biological aging (BA) have independently received widespread use in epidemiological literature. However, little attention has been paid to their conceptual and quantitative overlap. By reviewing literature utilizing measures of AL and BA, and conducting comparative analysis, we highlight similarities and differences in biological markers employed and approach toward scale construction. Further, we outline opportunities where both types of indices might be improved by adopting methodological features of the other. METHODS Using data from the National Survey of Midlife Development in the United States (N=2,055, age=26-86), we constructed three AL indices: one common literature standard, and two alternative formulations informed by previous work with measures of BA. The performance of AL indices was juxtaposed against two commonly employed BA indices: Klemera-Doubal Method Biological Age and Homeostatic Dysregulation. RESULTS All indices correlated with chronological age. Participants with higher AL and older BA performed worse on tests of physical and subjective functioning. Further, participants with increased life-course risk exposure exhibited higher AL and BA. Notably, alternative AL formulations tended to exhibit effect-sizes equivalent to or larger than those observed for BA measures, and displayed superior mortality prediction. CONCLUSIONS In addition to their conceptual similarity, AL and BA indices also exhibit significant analytical similarity. Further, BA measures are robust to construction using a panel of biomarkers not observed in previous iterations, including carotenoids indexing antioxidant capacity. In turn, AL indices could benefit by adopting the methodological rigor formalized within BA composites, such as applying biomarker down-selection criteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Waylon J Hastings
- Department of Biobehavioral Health, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park PA, USA
| | - David M Almeida
- Department of Human Development and Family Studies, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park PA, USA
| | - Idan Shalev
- Department of Biobehavioral Health, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park PA, USA
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Tollenaar MS, Beijers R, Garg E, Nguyen TTT, Lin DTS, MacIsaac JL, Shalev I, Kobor MS, Meaney MJ, O'Donnell KJ, de Weerth C. Internalizing symptoms associate with the pace of epigenetic aging in childhood. Biol Psychol 2021; 159:108021. [PMID: 33460784 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsycho.2021.108021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2019] [Revised: 09/25/2020] [Accepted: 01/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Childhood psychiatric symptoms may be associated with advanced biological aging. This study examined whether epigenetic age acceleration (EAA) associates with internalizing and externalizing symptoms that were prospectively collected across childhood in a longitudinal cohort study. At age 6 buccal epithelial cells from 148 children (69 girls) were collected to survey genome-wide DNA methylation. EAA was estimated using the Horvath clock. Internalizing symptoms at ages 2.5 and 4 years significantly predicted higher EAA at age 6, which in turn was significantly associated with internalizing symptoms at ages 6-10 years. Similar trends for externalizing symptoms did not reach statistical significance. These findings indicate advanced biological aging in relation to child mental health and may help better identify those at risk for lasting impairments associated with internalizing disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Roseriet Beijers
- Department of Developmental Psychology, Behavioural Science Institute, Radboud University, the Netherlands; Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Center, the Netherlands
| | - Elika Garg
- Ludmer Centre for Neuroinformatics and Mental Health, Douglas Hospital Research Centre, McGill University, QC, Canada
| | - T T Thao Nguyen
- Ludmer Centre for Neuroinformatics and Mental Health, Douglas Hospital Research Centre, McGill University, QC, Canada
| | - David T S Lin
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, Department of Medical Genetics, BC Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of British Columbia, BC, Canada
| | - Julia L MacIsaac
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, Department of Medical Genetics, BC Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of British Columbia, BC, Canada
| | - Idan Shalev
- Department of Biobehavioral Health, Pennsylvania State University, PA, USA
| | - Michael S Kobor
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, Department of Medical Genetics, BC Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of British Columbia, BC, Canada; Sackler Program for Epigenetics and Neurobiology, McGill University, QC, Canada
| | - Michael J Meaney
- Ludmer Centre for Neuroinformatics and Mental Health, Douglas Hospital Research Centre, McGill University, QC, Canada; Sackler Program for Epigenetics and Neurobiology, McGill University, QC, Canada; Canadian Institute for Advanced Research, Child and Brain Development Program, Canada; Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences, Singapore
| | - Kieran J O'Donnell
- Ludmer Centre for Neuroinformatics and Mental Health, Douglas Hospital Research Centre, McGill University, QC, Canada; Canadian Institute for Advanced Research, Child and Brain Development Program, Canada; Yale Child Study Center & Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, Yale School of Medicine, USA
| | - Carolina de Weerth
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Center, the Netherlands
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Etzel L, Hastings W, Mattern B, Heim C, Noll J, Putnam F, Oxford M, Shalev I. Intergenerational Trauma Transmission? Test of Cellular Aging in Mothers Exposed to Sexual Abuse and Their Children. Innov Aging 2020. [PMCID: PMC7741563 DOI: 10.1093/geroni/igaa057.468] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Exposure to maltreatment during childhood can lead to increased risk for poor health outcomes in adulthood. Child maltreatment and later poor health may be linked by premature biological aging. We tested whether childhood sexual abuse (CSA) is associated with telomere length (TL) in adult females. We further tested the hypothesis of intergenerational transmission of trauma by measuring TL in both CSA-exposed and non-exposed mothers and their children. TL was measured in a subset of participants and their children from a prospective-longitudinal cohort study of sexually abused females and a demographically matched comparison group. Linear regression models were used to test for associations between CSA-exposure and age-adjusted TL in females (N=108, mean age 36.3 years). Multilevel linear models were used to test the intergenerational effect of maternal-CSA exposure on age-adjusted TL in their children (N=124 children mean age 10.5 years across 61 mothers). CSA-exposure was not associated with TL in females. Replicating previous work in this area, maternal TL and sex were significant predictors of child TL in all models tested. Longer maternal TL predicted longer TL in children, and female children had longer TL than male children. Maternal-CSA exposure did not predict TL in children. This finding is in line with some previous results on CSA and TL measured in adulthood. Previous significant results associating child maltreatment with shorter TL in adulthood may be capturing a population of individuals exposed to either multiple types of maltreatment or maltreatment in childhood with concurrent TL measurements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Etzel
- Penn State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, United States
| | - Waylon Hastings
- Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, United States
| | - Brooke Mattern
- Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, United States
| | | | - Jennie Noll
- Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, United States
| | - Frank Putnam
- University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States
| | - Monica Oxford
- University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States
| | - Idan Shalev
- Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, United States
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Abstract
Indices quantifying allostatic load (AL) and biological aging (BA) have received widespread use in epidemiological and health science literature. However, little attention has been paid to the conceptual and quantitative overlap between these indicators. By reviewing literature utilizing measures of AL and BA, we highlight differences with respect to biological markers employed and approach toward scale construction. Further, we outline opportunities where AL indices might be improved by adopting analytical features of BA measures. We demonstrate the utility of this approach using data from The MIDUS National Survey, constructing three indices of allostatic load: one standard approach modeled after Gruenewald et al, 2012, and two alternative formulations informed by BA procedures. The performance of AL indices are juxtaposed against two commonly employed indices of biological aging: Klemera-Doubal Method Biological Age and Homeostatic Dysregulation. All measures were significantly associated with chronological age. Alternative AL formulations were more strongly associated with biological aging measures than with the standard approach. MIDUS participants with increased allostatic load and older biological ages performed worse on tests of physical, cognitive, perceptual, and subjective functioning. Further, MIDUS participants with history of childhood-trauma and mental-health problems were measured as having increased AL and BA. Alternative AL formulations tended to have effect-sizes equivalent to or larger than those observed for BA measures. In conclusion, indices of allostatic load and biological age approximate similar processes when constructed with comparable biomarkers and rigor, in line with their conceptual overlap as proxies of cumulative wear and tear.
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Affiliation(s)
- Waylon Hastings
- Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, United States
| | - Idan Shalev
- Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, United States
| | - David Almeida
- Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, United States
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Abstract
Technical challenges associated with telomere length (TL) measurements have prompted concerns regarding their utility as a biomarker of aging. Several factors influence TL assessment via qPCR, the most common measurement method in epidemiological studies, including storage conditions and DNA extraction method. Here, we tested the impact of power supply during the qPCR assay. Momentary fluctuations in power can affect the functioning of high-performance electronics, including real-time thermocyclers. We investigated if mitigating these fluctuations by using an uninterruptible power supply (UPS) influenced TL assessment via qPCR. Samples run with a UPS had significantly lower standard deviation (p < 0.001) and coefficient of variation (p < 0.001) across technical replicates than those run without a UPS. UPS usage also improved exponential amplification efficiency at the replicate, sample, and plate levels. Together these improvements translated to increased performance across metrics of external validity including correlation with age, within-person correlation across tissues, and correlation between parents and offspring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Waylon J Hastings
- Department of Biobehavioral Health, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park PA, USA
| | - Dan T A Eisenberg
- Department of Anthropology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Idan Shalev
- Department of Biobehavioral Health, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park PA, USA
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Beijers R, Hartman S, Shalev I, Hastings W, Mattern BC, de Weerth C, Belsky J. Testing three hypotheses about effects of sensitive-insensitive parenting on telomeres. Dev Psychol 2020; 56:237-250. [PMID: 31961192 DOI: 10.1037/dev0000879] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Telomeres are the protective DNA-protein sequences appearing at the ends of chromosomes; they shorten with each cell division and are considered a biomarker of aging. Shorter telomere length and greater erosion have been associated with compromised physical and mental health and are hypothesized to be affected by early life stress. In the latter case, most work has relied on retrospective measures of early life stressors. The Dutch research (n = 193) presented herein tested 3 hypotheses prospectively regarding effects of sensitive-insensitive parenting during the first 2.5 years on telomere length at age 6, when first measured, and change over the following 4 years. It was predicted that (1) less sensitive parenting would predict shorter telomeres and greater erosion and that such effects would be most pronounced in children (2) exposed to prenatal stress and/or (3) who were highly negatively emotional as infants. Results revealed, only, that prenatal stress amplified parenting effects on telomere change-in a differential-susceptibility-related manner: Prenatally stressed children displayed more erosion when they experienced insensitive parenting and less erosion when they experienced sensitive parenting. Mechanisms that might initiate greater postnatal plasticity as a result of prenatal stress are highlighted and future work outlined. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved).
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Jay Belsky
- Department of Human Development and Family Studies
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Shalev I, Hastings WJ, Etzel L, Israel S, Russell MA, Hendrick KA, Zinobile M, Siegel SR. Investigating the impact of early-life adversity on physiological, immune, and gene expression responses to acute stress: A pilot feasibility study. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0221310. [PMID: 32243432 PMCID: PMC7122782 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0221310] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2019] [Accepted: 03/11/2020] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Exposure to early-life adversity (ELA) can result in long-term changes to physiological systems, which predispose individuals to negative health outcomes. This biological embedding of stress-responsive systems may operate via dysregulation of physiological resources in response to common stressors. The present pilot study outlines a novel experimental design to test how young adults' exposure to ELA influences neuroendocrine and inflammatory responses to acute stress. MATERIALS AND METHODS Participants were 12 males (mean age = 21.25), half of whom endorsed at least three significant adverse events up to age 18 years ('ELA group'), and half who confirmed zero ('controls'). Using a randomized within-subjects, between-groups experimental design, we induced acute psychosocial stress (Trier Social Stress Test, TSST), and included a no-stress control condition one week apart. During these sessions, we obtained repeated measurements of physiological reactivity, gene expression of the glucocorticoid receptor (NR3C1), and plasma levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8 and TNFα) over a 4-hour window post-test. RESULTS In this pilot study, the ELA group evinced higher cortisol response and blunted NR3C1 gene expression in response to the TSST compared with controls, while no differences were observed in the no-stress condition. For pro-inflammatory cytokines, only IL-6 increased significantly in response to the TSST, with no differences between the two groups. CONCLUSION Overall, this pilot feasibility study provides a framework to investigate the biological embedding of early-adversity via dysregulation across physiological and genomic systems in response to acute psychosocial stress. ELA may program such systems in a maladaptive manner more likely to manifest during times of duress, predisposing individuals to the negative health consequences of everyday stressors. Future studies with larger sample size including both males and females are needed to replicate and expand upon these preliminary findings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Idan Shalev
- Department of Biobehavioral Health, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, United States of America
| | - Waylon J. Hastings
- Department of Biobehavioral Health, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, United States of America
| | - Laura Etzel
- Department of Biobehavioral Health, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, United States of America
| | - Salomon Israel
- Department of Psychology, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
- Scheinfeld Center of Human Genetics for the Social Sciences, Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Michael A. Russell
- Department of Biobehavioral Health, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, United States of America
| | - Kelsie A. Hendrick
- Department of Biobehavioral Health, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, United States of America
| | - Megan Zinobile
- Department of Biobehavioral Health, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, United States of America
| | - Sue Rutherford Siegel
- Department of Biobehavioral Health, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, United States of America
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32
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Hastings WJ, Belsky D, Shalev I. COMPARABILITY OF BIOLOGICAL AGING MEASURES IN THE NATIONAL HEALTH AND NUTRITION EXAMINATION STUDY, 1999-2002. Innov Aging 2019. [PMCID: PMC6840398 DOI: 10.1093/geroni/igz038.1783] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Biological processes of aging are thought to be modifiable causes of many chronic diseases. Measures of biological aging could provide sensitive endpoints for studies of risk factors hypothesized to shorten healthy lifespan and/or interventions that extend it. However, uncertainty remains about how to measure biological aging and if proposed measures assess the same thing. We tested four proposed measures of biological aging with available data from NHANES 1999-2002: Klemera-Doubal method (KDM) Biological Age, homeostatic dysregulation, Levine Method (LM) Biological Age, and leukocyte telomere length. All measures of biological aging were correlated with chronological age. KDM Biological Age, homeostatic dysregulation, and LM Biological Age were all significantly associated with each other, but were each not associated with telomere length. NHANES participants with older biological ages performed worse on tests of physical, cognitive, perceptual, and subjective functions known to decline with advancing chronological age and thought to mediate age-related disability. Further, NHANES participants with higher levels of exposure to life-course risk factors were measured as having older biological ages. In both sets of analyses, effect-sizes tended to be larger for KDM Biological Age, homeostatic dysregulation, and LM Biological Age as compared to telomere length. Composite measures combining cellular- and patient-level information tended to have the largest effect-sizes. The cellular-level aging biomarker telomere length may measure different aspects of the aging process relative to the patient-level physiological measures. Studies aiming to test if risk factors accelerate aging or if interventions may slow aging should not treat proposed measures of biological aging as interchangeable.
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Affiliation(s)
- Waylon J Hastings
- Pennsylvania State University, State College, Pennsylvania, United States
| | - Daniel Belsky
- Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, New York, United States
| | - Idan Shalev
- Pennsylvania State University, State College, Pennsylvania, United States
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33
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Hastings WJ, Shalev I, Belsky DW. Comparability of biological aging measures in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Study, 1999-2002. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2019; 106:171-178. [PMID: 30999227 PMCID: PMC6599717 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2019.03.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2018] [Revised: 01/20/2019] [Accepted: 03/14/2019] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Biological processes of aging are thought to be modifiable causes of many different chronic diseases. Measures of biological aging could provide sensitive endpoints for studies of risk factors hypothesized to shorten healthy lifespan and/or interventions that extend it. But uncertainty remains about how to measure biological aging and if proposed measures assess the same thing. METHOD We tested four proposed measures of biological aging that could be quantified with available data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), Klemera-Doubal method (KDM) Biological Age, homeostatic dysregulation, Levine Method (LM) Biological Age, and leukocyte telomere length. RESULTS We analyzed data collected during 1999-2002, when all four biological aging meausres could be taken. Participants' KDM biological ages, homeostatic dysregulation levels, LM biological ages, and telomere length were all correlated with their chronological ages. KDM Biological Age, homeostatic dysregulation, and LM Biological Age were all correlated with one another, but these measures were uncorrelated with telomere length. Participants' with more advanced biological aging performed worse on tests of physical, cognitive, and perceptual functioning and reported more limitations to their daily activities and more pain, and rated themselves as being in worse health. In parallel, participants with risk factors for shorter healthy lifespan exhibited more advanced biological aging. In both sets of analyses, effect-sizes tended to be larger for KDM Biological Age, homeostatic dysregulation, and LM Biological Age as compared to telomere length. DISCUSSION The cellular-level aging biomarker telomere length may measure different aspects of the aging process as compared to the patient-level physiological composite measures KDM Biological Age, homeostatic dysregulation, and LM Biological Age. Studies aiming to test if risk factors accelerate aging or if interventions may slow aging should not treat proposed measures of aging as interchangeable.
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Affiliation(s)
- Waylon J Hastings
- Department of Biobehavioral Health, Pennsylvania State University, United States
| | - Idan Shalev
- Department of Biobehavioral Health, Pennsylvania State University, United States
| | - Daniel W Belsky
- Department of Epidemiology, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, United States; Robert N. Butler Columbia Aging Center, Columbia University, United States.
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34
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Hastings WJ, Chang AM, Ebstein RP, Shalev I. Neuroendocrine stress response is moderated by sex and sex hormone receptor polymorphisms. Horm Behav 2018; 106:74-80. [PMID: 30300610 PMCID: PMC6324727 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2018.10.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2018] [Revised: 09/28/2018] [Accepted: 10/03/2018] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Sex hormones are significant regulators of stress reactivity, however, little is known about how genetic variation in hormone receptors contributes to this process. Here we report interactions between biological sex and repeat polymorphisms in genes encoding sex hormone receptors, and their effects on salivary cortisol reactivity in a sample of 100 participants (47 men & 53 women; 24.7 ± 3.23 years). Three genes were investigated: estrogen receptors alpha (ESR1) and beta (ESR2), and the androgen receptor (AR). Participants were classified as carrying 'Short' or 'Long' alleles based on median splits of the repeat distribution for each gene. Measures of physiological reactivity were collected before and after exposure to a canonical laboratory stressor and converted to traditional summary measures for analyses. Overall, men exhibited greater cortisol (p = 0.001) and mean arterial pressure reactivity (p = 0.002), while women displayed elevated heart rate throughout the session (p = 0.02). The effect of polymorphisms on salivary cortisol was sex sensitive. ESR1 was associated with differential reactivity in men (p = 0.04), but not women (p = 0.24). ESR2 genotype interacted with sex such that each additional 'Long' allele was associated with a 6.4% decrease in salivary cortisol in men, but a 9.5% increase in the levels of women (p = 0.02 for interaction). For the X-linked AR, the 'Long' allele was associated with decreased cortisol levels in men (p = 0.047), but in women had no effect (p = 0.75). Together, these results provide evidence for the saliency of genetic variation in sex hormone receptors on stress reactivity in humans and highlight their important role as mediators of hormonal activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- W J Hastings
- Department of Biobehavioral Health, Pennsylvania State University, PA, USA
| | - A M Chang
- Department of Biobehavioral Health, Pennsylvania State University, PA, USA
| | - R P Ebstein
- Department of Psychology, National University of Singapore, Singapore
| | - I Shalev
- Department of Biobehavioral Health, Pennsylvania State University, PA, USA.
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35
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Belsky DW, Huffman KM, Pieper CF, Shalev I, Kraus WE. Change in the Rate of Biological Aging in Response to Caloric Restriction: CALERIE Biobank Analysis. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci 2017; 73:4-10. [PMID: 28531269 DOI: 10.1093/gerona/glx096] [Citation(s) in RCA: 103] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/01/2017] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Biological aging measures have been proposed as proxies for extension of healthy life span in trials of geroprotective therapies that aim to slow aging. Several methods to measure biological aging show promise but it is not known if these methods are sensitive to changes caused by geroprotective therapy. We conducted analysis of two proposed methods to quantify biological aging using data from a recently concluded trial of an established geroprotector, caloric restriction. We obtained data from the National Institute on Aging CALERIE randomized trial through its public-access biobank (https://calerie.duke.edu/). The CALERIE trial randomized N = 220 nonobese adults to 25% caloric restriction (n = 145; 11.7% caloric restriction was achieved, on average) or to maintain current diet (n = 75) for 2 years. We analyzed biomarker data collected at baseline, 12-, and 24-month follow-up assessments. We applied published biomarker algorithms to these data to calculate two biological age measures, Klemera-Doubal Method Biological Age and homeostatic dysregulation. Intent-to-treat analysis using mixed-effects growth models of within-person change over time tested if caloric restriction slowed increase in measures of biological aging across follow-up. Analyses of both measures indicated caloric restriction slowed biological aging. Weight loss did not account for the observed effects. Results suggest future directions for testing of geroprotective therapies in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel W Belsky
- Department of Medicine, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina.,Center for the Study of Aging and Human Development, Durham, North Carolina.,Center for Population Health Science, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina.,Social Science Research Institute, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina
| | - Kim M Huffman
- Department of Medicine, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina.,Center for the Study of Aging and Human Development, Durham, North Carolina.,Duke Molecular Physiology Institute, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina
| | - Carl F Pieper
- Department of Medicine, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina.,Center for the Study of Aging and Human Development, Durham, North Carolina.,Department of Biostatistics, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina
| | - Idan Shalev
- Department of Biobehavioral Health, Pennsylvania State University, State College
| | - William E Kraus
- Department of Medicine, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina.,Center for the Study of Aging and Human Development, Durham, North Carolina.,Duke Molecular Physiology Institute, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina
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36
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Hastings WJ, Shalev I, Belsky DW. Translating Measures of Biological Aging to Test Effectiveness of Geroprotective Interventions: What Can We Learn from Research on Telomeres? Front Genet 2017; 8:164. [PMID: 29213278 PMCID: PMC5702647 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2017.00164] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2017] [Accepted: 10/16/2017] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Intervention studies in animals suggest molecular changes underlying age-related disease and disability can be slowed or reversed. To speed translation of these so-called "geroprotective" therapies to prevent age-related disease and disability in humans, biomarkers are needed that can track changes in the rate of human aging over the course of intervention trials. Algorithm methods that measure biological processes of aging from combinations of DNA methylation marks or clinical biomarkers show promise. To identify next steps for establishing utility of these algorithm-based measures of biological aging for geroprotector trials, we considered the history a candidate biomarker of aging that has received substantial research attention, telomere length. Although telomere length possesses compelling biology to recommend it as a biomarker of aging, mixed research findings have impeded clinical and epidemiologic translation. Strengths of telomeres that should be established for algorithm biomarkers of aging are correlation with chronological age across the lifespan, prediction of disease, disability, and early death, and responsiveness to risk and protective exposures. Key challenges in telomere research that algorithm biomarkers of aging must address are measurement precision and reliability, establishing links between longitudinal rates of change across repeated measurements and aging outcomes, and clarity over whether the biomarker is a causal mechanism of aging. These strengths and challenges suggest a research agenda to advance translation of algorithm-based aging biomarkers: establish validity in young-adult and midlife individuals; test responsiveness to exposures that shorten or extend healthy lifespan; and conduct repeated-measures longitudinal studies to test differential rates of change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Waylon J Hastings
- Department of Biobehavioral Health, Pennsylvania State University, State College, PA, United States
| | - Idan Shalev
- Department of Biobehavioral Health, Pennsylvania State University, State College, PA, United States
| | - Daniel W Belsky
- Department of Population Health Sciences, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, United States.,Center for the Study of Aging and Human Development, Duke University, Durham, NC, United States
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37
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Thierry A, Shalev I, Wray L. IS TELOMERE LENGTH ASSOCIATED WITH PHYSICAL DISABILITY IN U.S. MIDLIFE AND OLDER ADULTS? Innov Aging 2017. [DOI: 10.1093/geroni/igx004.2342] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- A. Thierry
- The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania
| | - I. Shalev
- The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania
| | - L.A. Wray
- The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania
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Vadas L, Bloch B, Levin R, Shalev I, Israel S, Uzefovsky F, Bachner-Melman R, Reshef A, Ebstein R, Kremer I. Sex-specific effect of intranasal vasopressin, but not oxytocin, on emotional recognition and perception in schizophrenia patients. Eur Psychiatry 2017. [DOI: 10.1016/j.eurpsy.2017.02.430] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
BackgroundImpairments in social behavior and cognition, such as the ability to identify others’ emotional state, are important features in schizophrenia. Arginine vasopressin (AVP) and oxytocin (OXT) and are nonapeptides that influence social cognition and behavior. Previous studies have shown that the administration of intranasal AVP or OXT may affect the ability to recognize facial emotions. The primary objective of this study was to investigate the effects of a single dose of AVP or OXT on social cognition in patients with schizophrenia. The secondary objective of the study was to test for sex-specific effects of intranasal AVP and OXT administration on social cognition.MethodsIn this double-blind, placebo-control, cross-over study, 34 patients diagnosed with schizophrenia or schizo-affective disorder, received a dose of AVP, OXT or placebo in three separate meetings. Forty-five minutes after administration, subjects performed facial emotion recognition tasks.ResultsThere were no significant main effects of hormone administration on the ability to recognize facial emotions between treatment conditions. However, AVP administration resulted in sex-specific differences in emotion recognition. Specifically, in men, AVP administration reduced the ability to recognize angry faces. In women, AVP administration reduced the ability to recognize sad faces and improved the ability to recognize fearful faces.ConclusionsThese findings indicate that intranasal AVP may affect the recognition of facial emotions differently in men and women. Thus, AVP may increase the differences between men and women on social cognition.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.
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Noll JG, Trickett PK, Long JD, Negriff S, Susman EJ, Shalev I, Li JC, Putnam FW. Childhood Sexual Abuse and Early Timing of Puberty. J Adolesc Health 2017; 60:65-71. [PMID: 27836531 DOI: 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2016.09.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2016] [Revised: 08/31/2016] [Accepted: 09/06/2016] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE The purpose was to examine whether the timing of puberty, indexed by breast development and pubic hair development, was earlier for sexually abused females compared with a matched comparison group of nonabused females, controlling for key alternative confounds. METHODS A cohort of sexually abused females and matched comparisons was followed longitudinally at mean ages 11 through 20 years. Sexually abused participants (N = 84) were referred by protective services. Comparison participants (N = 89) were recruited to be comparable in terms of age, ethnicity, income level, family constellation, zip codes, and nonsexual trauma histories. Stage of puberty was indexed at each assessment by nurse and participant ratings of breast and pubic hair development using Tanner staging-the gold standard for assessing pubertal onset and development. Cumulative logit mixed models were used to estimate the association between sexual abuse status and the likelihood of transitioning from earlier to later Tanner stage categories controlling for covariates and potential confounds. RESULTS Sexual abuse was associated with earlier pubertal onset: 8 months earlier for breasts (odds ratio: 3.06, 95% CI: 1.11-8.49) and 12 months earlier for pubic hair (odds ratio: 3.49, 95% CI: 1.34-9.12). Alternative explanations including ethnicity, obesity, and biological father absence did not eradicate these findings. CONCLUSIONS This study confirms an association between exposure to childhood sexual abuse and earlier pubertal onset. Results highlight the possibility that, due to this early onset, sexual abuse survivors may be at increased risk for psychosocial difficulties, menstrual and fertility problems, and even reproductive cancers due to prolonged exposure to sex hormones.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennie G Noll
- Department of Human Development and Family Studies, The Pennsylvania State University College of Health and Human Development, University Park, Pennsylvania.
| | - Penelope K Trickett
- School of Social Work, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California
| | - Jeffrey D Long
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, Iowa; Department of Biostatistics, University of Iowa College of Public Health, Iowa City, Iowa
| | - Sonya Negriff
- School of Social Work, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California
| | - Elizabeth J Susman
- Department of Biobehavioral Health, The Pennsylvania State University College of Health and Human Development, University Park, Pennsylvania
| | - Idan Shalev
- Department of Biobehavioral Health, The Pennsylvania State University College of Health and Human Development, University Park, Pennsylvania
| | - Jacinda C Li
- Department of Human Development and Family Studies, The Pennsylvania State University College of Health and Human Development, University Park, Pennsylvania
| | - Frank W Putnam
- Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
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Brody GH, Yu T, Shalev I. Risky family processes prospectively forecast shorter telomere length mediated through negative emotions. Health Psychol 2016; 36:438-444. [PMID: 27831704 DOI: 10.1037/hea0000443] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE This study was designed to examine prospective associations of risky family environments with subsequent levels of negative emotions and peripheral blood mononuclear cell telomere length (TL), a marker of cellular aging. A second purpose was to determine whether negative emotions mediate the hypothesized link between risky family processes and diminished telomere length. METHOD Participants were 293 adolescents (age 17 years at the first assessment) and their primary caregivers. Caregivers provided data on risky family processes when the youths were age 17 years, youths reported their negative emotions at age 18 years, and youths' TL was assayed from a blood sample at age 22 years. RESULTS The results revealed that (a) risky family processes forecast heightened negative emotions (β = .316, p < .001) and diminished TL (β = -.199, p = .003) among youths, (b) higher levels of negative emotions forecast shorter TL (β = -.187, p = .012), and (c) negative emotions served as a mediator connecting risky family processes with diminished TL (indirect effect = -0.012, 95% CI [-0.036, -0.002]). CONCLUSIONS These findings are consistent with the hypothesis that risky family processes presage premature cellular aging through effects on negative emotions, with potential implications for lifelong health. (PsycINFO Database Record
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Affiliation(s)
- Gene H Brody
- Center for Family Research, University of Georgia
| | - Tianyi Yu
- Center for Family Research, University of Georgia
| | - Idan Shalev
- Department of Biobehavioral Health, Pennsylvania State University
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Shalev I, Heim CM, Noll JG. Child Maltreatment as a Root Cause of Mortality Disparities: A Call for Rigorous Science to Mobilize Public Investment in Prevention and Treatment. JAMA Psychiatry 2016; 73:897-8. [PMID: 27552469 DOI: 10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2016.1748] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Idan Shalev
- Department of Biobehavioral Health, Pennsylvania State University, University Park2The Network on Child Protection and Well-Being, Social Science Research Institute, Pennsylvania State University, State College
| | - Christine M Heim
- The Network on Child Protection and Well-Being, Social Science Research Institute, Pennsylvania State University, State College3Institute of Medical Psychology, Charité-University Medicine, Medical Centre, Berlin, Germany
| | - Jennie G Noll
- The Network on Child Protection and Well-Being, Social Science Research Institute, Pennsylvania State University, State College4Department of Human Development and Family Studies, Pennsylvania State University, University Park
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Thomson WM, Zeng J, Broadbent JM, Foster Page LA, Shalev I, Moffitt TE, Caspi A, Williams SM, Braithwaite AW, Robertson SP, Poulton R. Telomere length and periodontal attachment loss: a prospective cohort study. J Clin Periodontol 2016; 43:121-7. [PMID: 26713854 DOI: 10.1111/jcpe.12499] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/22/2015] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
AIM The aim of the study was to examine the association between telomere erosion and periodontitis in a long-standing prospective cohort study of New Zealand adults. Specific hypotheses tested were as follows: (i) that exposure to periodontitis at ages 26 and 38 was associated with accelerated leucocyte telomere erosion and (ii) that accelerated leucocyte telomere erosion was associated with higher rates of periodontitis by ages 26 and 38. MATERIALS AND METHODS Periodontal attachment loss data were collected at ages 26 and 38. Blood samples taken at the same ages were analysed to obtain estimates of leucocyte telomere length and erosion over a 12-year period. RESULTS Overall, the mean telomere length was reduced by 0.15 T/S ratio (adjusted) from age 26 to 38 among the 661 participants reported on here. During the same period, the mean attachment loss increased by 10%, after adjusting for sex, socio-economic status and smoking. Regression models showed that attachment loss did not predict telomere length, and that telomere erosion did not predict attachment loss. CONCLUSIONS Although both periodontitis and telomere length are age-dependent, they do not appear to be linked, suggesting that determination of leucocyte telomere length may not be a promising clinical approach at this age for identifying people who are at risk for periodontitis.
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Affiliation(s)
- William Murray Thomson
- Sir John Walsh Research Institute, School of Dentistry, The University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | - Jiaxu Zeng
- Department of Preventive and Social Medicine, Dunedin School of Medicine, The University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | - Jonathan M Broadbent
- Sir John Walsh Research Institute, School of Dentistry, The University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | - Lyndie A Foster Page
- Sir John Walsh Research Institute, School of Dentistry, The University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | - Idan Shalev
- Department of Biobehavioral Health, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
| | - Terrie E Moffitt
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA.,Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA.,Social, Genetic, and Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, King's College, London, UK
| | - Avshalom Caspi
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA.,Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA.,Social, Genetic, and Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, King's College, London, UK
| | - Sheila M Williams
- Department of Preventive and Social Medicine, Dunedin School of Medicine, The University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | - Antony W Braithwaite
- Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | - Stephen P Robertson
- Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, Dunedin School of Medicine, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | - Richie Poulton
- Dunedin Multidisciplinary Health and Development Research Unit, Department of Psychology, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
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Sugden K, Danese A, Shalev I, Williams BS, Caspi A. Blood Substrate Collection and Handling Procedures under Pseudo-Field Conditions: Evaluation of Suitability for Inflammatory Biomarker Measurement. Biodemography Soc Biol 2015; 61:273-84. [PMID: 26652682 PMCID: PMC4699675 DOI: 10.1080/19485565.2015.1062717] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
Routine incorporation of blood-based biomarker measurements in population studies has been hampered by challenges in obtaining samples suitable for biomarker assessment outside of laboratory settings. Here, we assessed the suitability of venous blood left unprocessed for 4, 24, or 48 hours post-collection at either room temperature or 4°C for quantification of two biomarkers, Interleukin-6 (IL-6) and C-reactive protein (CRP). Blood samples were collected in both K2EDTA tubes and a dedicated plasma-preservation tube, P100. Dried blood spot (DBS) samples from the same subjects were also collected in order to compare delayed-processing plasma performance against a popular alternative collection method. We found that K2EDTA mean plasma concentrations of both IL-6 and CRP were not significantly different from concentrations in plasma processed immediately; this was observed for tubes stored up to 48 hours pre-processing at either temperature. Concentrations of IL-6 measured in P100 tubes showed significant time-dependent increases when stored at room temperature; otherwise, levels of IL-6 and CRP were similar to those found in samples processed immediately. Levels of CRP in DBS were correlated with plasma CRP levels, even when pre-processed blood was stored for up to 48 hours. These data indicate that plasma is suitable for IL-6 and CRP estimation under data collection conditions that involve processing delays.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karen Sugden
- a Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Duke University, Durham, NC, U.S.A, Center for Genomic and Computational Biology , Duke University , Durham , NC , U.S.A
| | - Andrea Danese
- b Institute of Psychiatry , King's College London , London , United Kingdom
| | - Idan Shalev
- c Department of Biobehavioral Health, Network on Child Protection and Well-Being, Social Science Research Institute , Pennsylvania State University , University Park , PA , U.S.A
| | - Benjamin S Williams
- d Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Duke University, Durham, NC, U.S.A., Center for Genomic and Computational Biology , Duke University , Durham , NC , U.S.A
| | - Avshalom Caspi
- e Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA, Center for Genomic and Computational Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC, U.S.A., Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA, Social, Genetic, and Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry , King's College London , London , United Kingdom
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Uzefovsky F, Shalev I, Israel S, Edelman S, Raz Y, Mankuta D, Knafo-Noam A, Ebstein RP. Oxytocin receptor and vasopressin receptor 1a genes are respectively associated with emotional and cognitive empathy. Horm Behav 2015; 67:60-5. [PMID: 25476609 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2014.11.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 80] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2014] [Revised: 10/28/2014] [Accepted: 11/08/2014] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Empathy is the ability to recognize and share in the emotions of others. It can be considered a multifaceted concept with cognitive and emotional aspects. Little is known regarding the underlying neurochemistry of empathy and in the current study we used a neurogenetic approach to explore possible brain neurotransmitter pathways contributing to cognitive and emotional empathy. Both the oxytocin receptor (OXTR) and the arginine vasopressin receptor 1a (AVPR1a) genes contribute to social cognition in both animals and humans and hence are prominent candidates for contributing to empathy. The following research examined the associations between polymorphisms in these two genes and individual differences in emotional and cognitive empathy in a sample of 367 young adults. Intriguingly, we found that emotional empathy was associated solely with OXTR, whereas cognitive empathy was associated solely with AVPR1a. Moreover, no interaction was observed between the two genes and measures of empathy. The current findings contribute to our understanding of the distinct neurogenetic pathways involved in cognitive and emotional empathy and underscore the pervasive role of both oxytocin and vasopressin in modulating human emotions.
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Affiliation(s)
- F Uzefovsky
- Psychology Department, Hebrew University, Jerusalem 91501, Israel; Autism Research Centre, Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom.
| | - I Shalev
- Department of Biobehavioral Health, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
| | - S Israel
- Psychology Department, Hebrew University, Jerusalem 91501, Israel
| | - S Edelman
- Psychology Department, Hebrew University, Jerusalem 91501, Israel
| | - Y Raz
- Neurobiology, Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - D Mankuta
- Hadassah Medical Organization, Department of Labor and Delivery, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - A Knafo-Noam
- Psychology Department, Hebrew University, Jerusalem 91501, Israel
| | - R P Ebstein
- Psychology Department, National University of Singapore, Singapore
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Shalev I, Caspi A, Ambler A, Belsky DW, Chapple S, Cohen HJ, Israel S, Poulton R, Ramrakha S, Rivera CD, Sugden K, Williams B, Wolke D, Moffitt TE. Perinatal complications and aging indicators by midlife. Pediatrics 2014; 134:e1315-23. [PMID: 25349321 PMCID: PMC4210799 DOI: 10.1542/peds.2014-1669] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Perinatal complications predict increased risk for morbidity and early mortality. Evidence of perinatal programming of adult mortality raises the question of what mechanisms embed this long-term effect. We tested a hypothesis related to the theory of developmental origins of health and disease: that perinatal complications assessed at birth predict indicators of accelerated aging by midlife. METHODS Perinatal complications, including both maternal and neonatal complications, were assessed in the Dunedin Multidisciplinary Health and Development Study cohort (N = 1037), a 38-year, prospective longitudinal study of a representative birth cohort. Two aging indicators were assessed at age 38 years, objectively by leukocyte telomere length (TL) and subjectively by perceived facial age. RESULTS Perinatal complications predicted both leukocyte TL (β = -0.101; 95% confidence interval, -0.169 to -0.033; P = .004) and perceived age (β = 0.097; 95% confidence interval, 0.029 to 0.165; P = .005) by midlife. We repeated analyses with controls for measures of family history and social risk that could predispose to perinatal complications and accelerated aging, and for measures of poor health taken in between birth and the age-38 follow-up. These covariates attenuated, but did not fully explain the associations observed between perinatal complications and aging indicators. CONCLUSIONS Our findings provide support for early-life developmental programming by linking newborns' perinatal complications to accelerated aging at midlife. We observed indications of accelerated aging "inside," as measured by leukocyte TL, an indicator of cellular aging, and "outside," as measured by perceived age, an indicator of declining tissue integrity. A better understanding of mechanisms underlying perinatal programming of adult aging is needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Idan Shalev
- Department of Biobehavioral Health and The Network on Child Protection and Well-Being, Social Science Research Institute, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania;
| | - Avshalom Caspi
- Departments of Psychology & Neuroscience and Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Institute for Genome Sciences and Policy, and Social, Genetic, and Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Antony Ambler
- Social, Genetic, and Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, London, United Kingdom; Dunedin Multidisciplinary Health and Development Research Unit, Department of Preventive and Social Medicine, Dunedin School of Medicine, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | - Daniel W Belsky
- Center for the Study of Aging and Human Development, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina; Social Science Research Institute, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina
| | - Simon Chapple
- Dunedin Multidisciplinary Health and Development Research Unit, Department of Preventive and Social Medicine, Dunedin School of Medicine, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | - Harvey Jay Cohen
- Center for the Study of Aging and Human Development, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina
| | | | - Richie Poulton
- Dunedin Multidisciplinary Health and Development Research Unit, Department of Preventive and Social Medicine, Dunedin School of Medicine, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | - Sandhya Ramrakha
- Dunedin Multidisciplinary Health and Development Research Unit, Department of Preventive and Social Medicine, Dunedin School of Medicine, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | - Christine D Rivera
- Center for Developmental Science, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina; and
| | | | | | - Dieter Wolke
- Department of Psychology, Lifespan Health and Wellbeing Group and Division of Mental Health and Wellbeing, Warwick Medical School, The University of Warwick, Coventry, United Kingdom
| | - Terrie E Moffitt
- Departments of Psychology & Neuroscience and Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Institute for Genome Sciences and Policy, and Social, Genetic, and Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
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Shalev I, Moffitt TE, Braithwaite AW, Danese A, Fleming NI, Goldman-Mellor S, Harrington H, Houts RM, Israel S, Poulton R, Robertson SP, Sugden K, Williams B, Caspi A. Internalizing disorders and leukocyte telomere erosion: a prospective study of depression, generalized anxiety disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder. Mol Psychiatry 2014; 19:1163-70. [PMID: 24419039 PMCID: PMC4098012 DOI: 10.1038/mp.2013.183] [Citation(s) in RCA: 128] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2013] [Revised: 11/06/2013] [Accepted: 11/12/2013] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
There is evidence that persistent psychiatric disorders lead to age-related disease and premature mortality. Telomere length has emerged as a promising biomarker in studies that test the hypothesis that internalizing psychiatric disorders are associated with accumulating cellular damage. We tested the association between the persistence of internalizing disorders (depression, generalized anxiety disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder) and leukocyte telomere length (LTL) in the prospective longitudinal Dunedin Study (n=1037). Analyses showed that the persistence of internalizing disorders across repeated assessments from ages 11 to 38 years predicted shorter LTL at age 38 years in a dose-response manner, specifically in men (β=-0.137, 95% confidence interval (CI): -0.232, -0.042, P=0.005). This association was not accounted for by alternative explanatory factors, including childhood maltreatment, tobacco smoking, substance dependence, psychiatric medication use, poor physical health or low socioeconomic status. Additional analyses using DNA from blood collected at two time points (ages 26 and 38 years) showed that LTL erosion was accelerated among men who were diagnosed with internalizing disorder in the interim (β=-0.111, 95% CI: -0.184, -0.037, P=0.003). No significant associations were found among women in any analysis, highlighting potential sex differences in internalizing-related telomere biology. These findings point to a potential mechanism linking internalizing disorders to accelerated biological aging in the first half of the life course, particularly in men. Because internalizing disorders are treatable, the findings suggest the hypothesis that treating psychiatric disorders in the first half of the life course may reduce the population burden of age-related disease and extend health expectancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Idan Shalev
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
- Institute for Genome Sciences & Policy, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Terrie E. Moffitt
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
- Institute for Genome Sciences & Policy, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
- Social, Genetic, and Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, King’s College, London, UK
| | - Antony W. Braithwaite
- Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
- Children’s Medical Research Institute, University of Sydney, Wentworthville, Australia
| | - Andrea Danese
- Social, Genetic, and Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, King’s College, London, UK
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry, King’s College London, London, UK
| | - Nicholas I. Fleming
- Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, Dunedin School of Medicine, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | - Sidra Goldman-Mellor
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
- Institute for Genome Sciences & Policy, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - HonaLee Harrington
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
- Institute for Genome Sciences & Policy, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Renate M. Houts
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
- Institute for Genome Sciences & Policy, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Salomon Israel
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
- Institute for Genome Sciences & Policy, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Richie Poulton
- Dunedin Multidisciplinary Health and Development Research Unit, Department of Preventive and Social Medicine, Dunedin School of Medicine, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | - Stephen P. Robertson
- Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, Dunedin School of Medicine, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | - Karen Sugden
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
- Institute for Genome Sciences & Policy, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
- Social, Genetic, and Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, King’s College, London, UK
| | - Benjamin Williams
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
- Institute for Genome Sciences & Policy, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
- Social, Genetic, and Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, King’s College, London, UK
| | - Avshalom Caspi
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
- Institute for Genome Sciences & Policy, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
- Social, Genetic, and Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, King’s College, London, UK
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Belsky DW, Shalev I, Sears MR, Hancox RJ, Lee Harrington H, Houts R, Moffitt TE, Sugden K, Williams B, Poulton R, Caspi A. Is chronic asthma associated with shorter leukocyte telomere length at midlife? Am J Respir Crit Care Med 2014; 190:384-91. [PMID: 24956257 DOI: 10.1164/rccm.201402-0370oc] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
RATIONALE Asthma is prospectively associated with age-related chronic diseases and mortality, suggesting the hypothesis that asthma may relate to a general, multisystem phenotype of accelerated aging. OBJECTIVES To test whether chronic asthma is associated with a proposed biomarker of accelerated aging, leukocyte telomere length. METHODS Asthma was ascertained prospectively in the Dunedin Multidisciplinary Health and Development Study cohort (n = 1,037) at nine in-person assessments spanning ages 9-38 years. Leukocyte telomere length was measured at ages 26 and 38 years. Asthma was classified as life-course-persistent, childhood-onset not meeting criteria for persistence, and adolescent/adult-onset. We tested associations between asthma and leukocyte telomere length using regression models. We tested for confounding of asthma-leukocyte telomere length associations using covariate adjustment. We tested serum C-reactive protein and white blood cell counts as potential mediators of asthma-leukocyte telomere length associations. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS Study members with life-course-persistent asthma had shorter leukocyte telomere length as compared with sex- and age-matched peers with no reported asthma. In contrast, leukocyte telomere length in study members with childhood-onset and adolescent/adult-onset asthma was not different from leukocyte telomere length in peers with no reported asthma. Adjustment for life histories of obesity and smoking did not change results. Study members with life-course-persistent asthma had elevated blood eosinophil counts. Blood eosinophil count mediated 29% of the life-course-persistent asthma-leukocyte telomere length association. CONCLUSIONS Life-course-persistent asthma is related to a proposed biomarker of accelerated aging, possibly via systemic eosinophilic inflammation. Life histories of asthma can inform studies of aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel W Belsky
- 1 Center for The Study of Aging and Human Development, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina
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Zozulinsky P, Greenbaum L, Brande-Eilat N, Braun Y, Shalev I, Tomer R. Dopamine system genes are associated with orienting bias among healthy individuals. Neuropsychologia 2014; 62:48-54. [PMID: 25038551 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2014.07.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2014] [Revised: 07/01/2014] [Accepted: 07/09/2014] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Healthy individuals display subtle orienting bias, manifested as a tendency to direct greater attention toward one hemispace, and evidence suggests that this bias reflects an individual trait, which may be modulated by asymmetric dopamine signaling in striatal and frontal regions. The current study examined the hypothesis that functional genetic variants within dopaminergic genes (DAT1 3' VNTR, dopamine D2 receptor Taq1A (rs1800497) and COMT Val158Met (rs4680)) contribute to individual differences in orienting bias, as measured by the greyscales paradigm, in a sample of 197 young healthy Israeli Jewish participants. For the Taq1A variant, homozygous carriers of the A2 allele displayed significantly increased leftward orienting bias compared to the carriers of the A1 allele. Additionally, and as previously reported by others, we found that bias towards leftward orienting of attention was significantly greater among carriers of the 9-repeat allele of the DAT1 3' VNTR as compared to the individuals who were homozygous for the 10-repeat allele. No significant effect of the COMT Val158Met on orienting bias was found. Taken together, our findings support the potential influence of genetic variants on inter-individual differences in orienting bias, a phenotype relevant to both normal and impaired cognitive processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Polina Zozulinsky
- Department of Psychology, University of Haifa, 199 Abba Khoushy Ave., Mount Carmel Haifa 3498838, Israel
| | - Lior Greenbaum
- Department of Neurology, Chaim Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer, Hashomer, Israel; The Josheph Sagol Neuroscience center (JSNC), Chaim Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer, Israel
| | - Noa Brande-Eilat
- Department of Psychology, University of Haifa, 199 Abba Khoushy Ave., Mount Carmel Haifa 3498838, Israel
| | - Yair Braun
- Department of Psychology, University of Haifa, 199 Abba Khoushy Ave., Mount Carmel Haifa 3498838, Israel
| | - Idan Shalev
- Department of Biobehavioral Health, Pennsylvania State University, United States
| | - Rachel Tomer
- Department of Psychology, University of Haifa, 199 Abba Khoushy Ave., Mount Carmel Haifa 3498838, Israel.
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Uzefovsky F, Shalev I, Israel S, Edelman S, Raz Y, Perach-Barzilay N, Mankuta D, Shamay-Tsoory SG, Knafo A, Ebstein RP. The Dopamine D4 receptor gene shows a gender-sensitive association with cognitive empathy: Evidence from two independent samples. Emotion 2014; 14:712-21. [DOI: 10.1037/a0036555] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
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Affiliation(s)
- Idan Shalev
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Duke University Durham, NC, USA
| | - Richard P Ebstein
- Department of Psychology, National University of Singapore Singapore
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