Exposure to tobacco smoke in early life is associated with accelerated biological aging, study finds

Date:
August 26, 2021
Source:
Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal)
Summary:
A new study analyzes the association between more than 100
environmental exposures and the 'epigenetic clock' of over 1,000
children in six European countries.



FULL STORY ========================================================================== Accelerated biological ageing is associated with exposure to tobacco smoke during pregnancy and early childhood, as well as with indoor exposure
to black carbon. These are the conclusions of an analysis led by the
Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), an institution supported
by the "la Caixa" Foundation, the first to evaluate associations between
a large number of early- life environmental exposures and epigenetic
age in children.


========================================================================== Exposure to environmental factors during pregnancy and early childhood
can significantly -- and sometimes irreversibly -- alter our metabolism
and physiology, thereby determining our health status later in
life. It can also accelerate the process of biological ageing, which
has been associated with a higher risk of metabolic, cardiovascular or neurodegenerative diseases. At the cellular level, ageing is a continuous process that starts early in life, and which can be measured thanks to
of epigenetic clocks. Epigenetic clocks use the levels of DNA methylation
in certain regions of the genome to infer biological aging of a person.

"The epigenetic clock allows us to assess whether someone's biological age
is older or younger than his or her chronological age," explains Mariona Bustamante, ISGlobal researcher and last author of the study. Several
studies have shown an association between an acceleration in epigenetic
ageing and certain environmental exposures, but most were performed in
adults and focusing on single exposures. In this study, the team led by Bustamante investigated for the first time the association between the early-life exposome (83 prenatal exposures and 103 in early childhood)
and the epigenetic age of 1,173 children between 6 and 11 years of age
from the Human Early Life Exposome (HELIX) project, based on six birth
cohorts in six European countries, including Spain, and coordinated by
ISGlobal researcher Martine Vrijheid.

After selecting the best suited epigenetic clock for the study and
adjusting for multiple factors, the research team found that exposure
to maternal tobacco smoke during pregnancy was associated with an
acceleration in epigenetic ageing. Regarding the postnatal exposome,
the analysis showed association with two exposures: parental smoking and indoors levels of black carbon, an air pollutant which results from the incomplete combustion of fuels (and is indirectly measured by particulate matter absorbance or PMabs).

Intriguingly, two other variables were associated with a slowing in
biological ageing: the organic pesticide DMDTP and a persistent organic pollutant (polychlorinated biphenyl-138). "Further research is needed
to explain these results, but the former could be due to a higher
intake of fruits and vegetables while the latter could be explained by
its correlation with body mass index," says Paula de Prado-Bert, first
author of the study.

"The positive association between epigenetic age acceleration and exposure
to tobacco smoke during pregnancy and early childhood go in line with
previous results obtained in the adult population," says Bustamante. The epigenetic modifications could affect pathways involved in inflammation,
toxin elimination, and cell cycle, with a subsequent impact on health.

Admittedly, these associations do not prove a causality, but this and
future early life exposome studies will help guide health policies to
reduce certain environmental exposures and promote a "healthy ageing"
from early life stages.

========================================================================== Story Source: Materials provided by Barcelona_Institute_for_Global_Health_(ISGlobal). Note: Content may be
edited for style and length.


========================================================================== Journal Reference:
1. Paula de Prado-Bert, Carlos Ruiz-Arenas, Marta Vives-Usano, Sandra
Andrusaityte, Sole`ne Cadiou, A'ngel Carracedo, Maribel Casas, Leda
Chatzi, Payam Dadvand, Juan R. Gonza'lez, Regina Grazuleviciene,
Kristine B. Gutzkow, Line S. Haug, Carles Hernandez-Ferrer,
Hector C. Keun, Johanna Lepeule, Le'a Maitre, Rosie McEachan,
Mark J. Nieuwenhuijsen, Dolors Pelegri', Oliver Robinson,
Re'my Slama, Marina Vafeiadi, Jordi Sunyer, Martine Vrijheid,
Mariona Bustamante. The early-life exposome and epigenetic age
acceleration in children. Environment International, 2021; 155:
106683 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2021.106683 ==========================================================================

Link to news story: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/08/210825143100.htm

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