Dan T A Eisenberg1,2, Judith B Borja3,4, M Geoffrey Hayes5,6,7, Christopher W Kuzawa7,8. 1. Department of Anthropology, University of Washington. 2. Center for Studies in Demography and Ecology, University of Washington. 3. USC-Office of Population Studies Foundation, University of San Carlos, Cebu City, Philippines. 4. Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, University of San Carlos, Cebu City, Philippines. 5. Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism and Molecular Medicine, Department of Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois. 6. Center for Genetic Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois. 7. Department of Anthropology, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois. 8. Institute for Policy Research, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois.
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: Telomeres are repetitive DNA at chromosomes ends that shorten with age due to cellular replication and oxidative stress. As telomeres shorten, this can eventually place limits on cell replication and contribute to senescence. Infections are common during early development and activate cellular immune responses that involve clonal expansion and oxidative stress. As such, a high infectious disease burden might shorten blood telomere length (BTL) and accelerate the pace of immune senescence. METHODS: To test this, BTL measured in young adults (21.7 ± 0.3 years old) from the Philippines (N = 1,759) were linked to prospectively collected early life data on infectious burden. RESULTS: As predicted, increased early life diarrheal prevalence was associated with shorter adult BTL. The association was most marked for infections experienced from 6 to 12 months, which corresponds with weaning and maximal diarrheal burden. A standard deviation increase in infections at 6-12 m predicts a 45 bp decrease in BTL, equivalent to 3.3 years of adult telomeric aging in this population. Contrary to expectations, breastfeeding duration was not associated with BTL, nor did effects vary by sex. CONCLUSIONS: These findings show that infancy diarrheal disease predicts a marker of cellular aging in adult immune cells. These findings suggest that early life infectious burden may influence late life health, or alternatively, that short TL in early life increases infectious disease susceptibility.
OBJECTIVES: Telomeres are repetitive DNA at chromosomes ends that shorten with age due to cellular replication and oxidative stress. As telomeres shorten, this can eventually place limits on cell replication and contribute to senescence. Infections are common during early development and activate cellular immune responses that involve clonal expansion and oxidative stress. As such, a high infectious disease burden might shorten blood telomere length (BTL) and accelerate the pace of immune senescence. METHODS: To test this, BTL measured in young adults (21.7 ± 0.3 years old) from the Philippines (N = 1,759) were linked to prospectively collected early life data on infectious burden. RESULTS: As predicted, increased early life diarrheal prevalence was associated with shorter adult BTL. The association was most marked for infections experienced from 6 to 12 months, which corresponds with weaning and maximal diarrheal burden. A standard deviation increase in infections at 6-12 m predicts a 45 bp decrease in BTL, equivalent to 3.3 years of adult telomeric aging in this population. Contrary to expectations, breastfeeding duration was not associated with BTL, nor did effects vary by sex. CONCLUSIONS: These findings show that infancy diarrheal disease predicts a marker of cellular aging in adult immune cells. These findings suggest that early life infectious burden may influence late life health, or alternatively, that short TL in early life increases infectious disease susceptibility.
Authors: J P Pommier; L Gauthier; J Livartowski; P Galanaud; F Boué; A Dulioust; D Marcé; C Ducray; L Sabatier; J Lebeau; F D Boussin Journal: Virology Date: 1997-04-28 Impact factor: 3.616
Authors: Dan T A Eisenberg; Nanette R Lee; Peter H Rej; M Geoffrey Hayes; Christopher W Kuzawa Journal: Proc Biol Sci Date: 2019-05-29 Impact factor: 5.349
Authors: Dan T A Eisenberg; Peter H Rej; Paulita Duazo; Delia Carba; M Geoffrey Hayes; Christopher W Kuzawa Journal: Am J Phys Anthropol Date: 2019-12-16 Impact factor: 2.868
Authors: Robert L Tennyson; Lee T Gettler; Christopher W Kuzawa; M Geoffrey Hayes; Sonny S Agustin; Dan T A Eisenberg Journal: Am J Hum Biol Date: 2018-08-20 Impact factor: 1.937
Authors: Peter H Rej; Madison H Bondy; Jue Lin; Aric A Prather; Brandon A Kohrt; Carol M Worthman; Dan T A Eisenberg Journal: Am J Hum Biol Date: 2020-03-18 Impact factor: 1.937
Authors: Erin E Masterson; M Geoffrey Hayes; Christopher W Kuzawa; Nanette R Lee; Dan T A Eisenberg Journal: Am J Hum Biol Date: 2019-08-05 Impact factor: 1.937
Authors: Elisabeth A Goldman; Geeta N Eick; Devan Compton; Paul Kowal; J Josh Snodgrass; Dan T A Eisenberg; Kirstin N Sterner Journal: Am J Hum Biol Date: 2017-09-26 Impact factor: 1.937
Authors: Audrie Lin; Benjamin F Arnold; Andrew N Mertens; Jue Lin; Jade Benjamin-Chung; Shahjahan Ali; Alan E Hubbard; Christine P Stewart; Abul K Shoab; Md Ziaur Rahman; Md Saheen Hossen; Palash Mutsuddi; Syeda L Famida; Salma Akther; Mahbubur Rahman; Leanne Unicomb; Firdaus S Dhabhar; Lia C H Fernald; John M Colford; Stephen P Luby Journal: Elife Date: 2017-10-05 Impact factor: 8.140
Authors: Calen P Ryan; M Geoffrey Hayes; Nanette R Lee; Thomas W McDade; Meaghan J Jones; Michael S Kobor; Christopher W Kuzawa; Dan T A Eisenberg Journal: Sci Rep Date: 2018-07-23 Impact factor: 4.379