1
|
Li C, Lumey LH. Early-Life Exposure to the Chinese Famine of 1959-1961 and Type 2 Diabetes in Adulthood: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Nutrients 2022; 14:nu14142855. [PMID: 35889812 PMCID: PMC9317968 DOI: 10.3390/nu14142855] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2022] [Revised: 07/07/2022] [Accepted: 07/08/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The fast-growing literature suggests that the Chinese famine of 1959-1961 drives current and future type 2 diabetes (T2D) epidemics in China. This conclusion may be premature, as many Chinese famine studies have major methodological problems. We examine these problems, demonstrate how they bias the study results, and formulate recommendations to improve the quality of future studies. METHODS We searched English and Chinese databases for studies that examined the relationship between prenatal exposure to the Chinese famine and adult T2D from inception to 8 February 2022. We extracted information on T2D cases and study populations of individuals born during the famine (famine births), before the famine (prefamine births), and after the famine (postfamine births). We used random-effects models to compare the odds of T2D in famine births to several control groups, including postfamine births, combined pre- and postfamine births, and prefamine births. We used meta-regressions to examine the impacts of age differences between comparison groups on famine effect estimates and the role of other characteristics, including participant sex, age, and T2D assessments; famine intensity; residence; and publication language. Potential sources of heterogeneity and study quality were also evaluated. RESULTS Twenty-three studies met our inclusion criteria. The sample sizes ranged from less than 300 to more than 360,000 participants. All studies defined the famine exposure based on the participants' dates of birth, and 18 studies compared famine births and postfamine births to estimate famine effects on T2D. The famine and postfamine births had an age difference of three years or more in all studies. The estimates of the famine effect varied by the selection of controls. Using postfamine births as controls, the OR for T2D among famine births was 1.50 (95% CI 1.34-1.68); using combined pre- and postfamine births as controls, the OR was 1.12 (95% CI 1.02-1.24); using prefamine births as controls, the OR was 0.89 (95% CI 0.79-1.00). The meta-regressions further showed that the famine effect estimates increased by over 1.05 times with each one-year increase in ignored age differences between famine births and controls. Other newly identified methodological problems included the poorly assessed famine intensity, unsuitable study settings for famine research, and poor confounding adjustment. INTERPRETATION The current estimates of a positive relationship between prenatal exposure to the Chinese famine and adult T2D are mainly driven by uncontrolled age differences between famine births and postfamine births. Studies with more rigorous methods, including age-balanced controls and robust famine intensity measures, are needed to quantify to what extent the famine exposure is related to current T2D patterns in China.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Chihua Li
- Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA;
- Department of Endocrinology, Zhengzhou Central Hospital Affiliated to Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450007, China
| | - L. H. Lumey
- Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA;
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +1-212-305-9222
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Gomez-Verjan JC, Esparza-Aguilar M, Martín-Martín V, Salazar-Perez C, Cadena-Trejo C, Gutierrez-Robledo LM, Martínez-Magaña JJ, Nicolini H, Arroyo P. Years of Schooling Could Reduce Epigenetic Aging: A Study of a Mexican Cohort. Genes (Basel) 2021; 12:1408. [PMID: 34573390 PMCID: PMC8469534 DOI: 10.3390/genes12091408] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2021] [Revised: 08/27/2021] [Accepted: 09/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Adverse conditions in early life, including environmental, biological and social influences, are risk factors for ill-health during aging and the onset of age-related disorders. In this context, the recent field of social epigenetics offers a valuable method for establishing the relationships among them However, current clinical studies on environmental changes and lifespan disorders are limited. In this sense, the Tlaltizapan (Mexico) cohort, who 52 years ago was exposed to infant malnutrition, low income and poor hygiene conditions, represents a vital source for exploring such factors. Therefore, in the present study, 52 years later, we aimed to explore differences in clinical/biochemical/anthropometric and epigenetic (DNA methylation) variables between individuals from such a cohort, in comparison with an urban-raised sample. Interestingly, only cholesterol levels showed significant differences between the cohorts. On the other hand, individuals from the Tlaltizapan cohort with more years of schooling had a lower epigenetic age in the Horvath (p-value = 0.0225) and PhenoAge (p-value = 0.0353) clocks, compared to those with lower-level schooling. Our analysis indicates 12 differentially methylated sites associated with the PI3-Akt signaling pathway and galactose metabolism in individuals with different durations of schooling. In conclusion, our results suggest that longer durations of schooling could promote DNA methylation changes that may reduce epigenetic age; nevertheless, further studies are needed.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Juan Carlos Gomez-Verjan
- Dirección de Investigación, Instituto Nacional de Geriatría, Mexico City 10200, Mexico; (C.C.-T.); (P.A.)
| | - Marcelino Esparza-Aguilar
- Departamento de Investigación en Epidemiología, Instituto Nacional de Pediatría, Mexico City 04530, Mexico; (M.E.-A.); (C.S.-P.)
| | - Verónica Martín-Martín
- Subdirección de Investigación Médica, Instituto Nacional de Pediatría, Mexico City 04530, Mexico;
| | - Cecilia Salazar-Perez
- Departamento de Investigación en Epidemiología, Instituto Nacional de Pediatría, Mexico City 04530, Mexico; (M.E.-A.); (C.S.-P.)
| | - Cinthya Cadena-Trejo
- Dirección de Investigación, Instituto Nacional de Geriatría, Mexico City 10200, Mexico; (C.C.-T.); (P.A.)
| | | | - José Jaime Martínez-Magaña
- Laboratorio de Genómica de Enfermedades Psiquiátricas y Neurodegenerativas, Instituto Nacional de Medicina Genómica, Mexico City 04809, Mexico; (J.J.M.-M.); (H.N.)
| | - Humberto Nicolini
- Laboratorio de Genómica de Enfermedades Psiquiátricas y Neurodegenerativas, Instituto Nacional de Medicina Genómica, Mexico City 04809, Mexico; (J.J.M.-M.); (H.N.)
| | - Pedro Arroyo
- Dirección de Investigación, Instituto Nacional de Geriatría, Mexico City 10200, Mexico; (C.C.-T.); (P.A.)
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Jiang W, Han T, Duan W, Dong Q, Hou W, Wu H, Wang Y, Jiang Z, Pei X, Chen Y, Li Y, Sun C. Prenatal famine exposure and estimated glomerular filtration rate across consecutive generations: association and epigenetic mediation in a population-based cohort study in Suihua China. Aging (Albany NY) 2020; 12:12206-12221. [PMID: 32554859 PMCID: PMC7343514 DOI: 10.18632/aging.103397] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2020] [Accepted: 05/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Prenatal malnutrition could promote renal dysfunction in adulthood, but it is unclear whether the detrimental effect could be transmitted to the next generation. We investigated whether famine exposure was associated with variation of estimated glomerular filtration rate(eGFR) in two generations and explored the mediation role of methylation alterations. The longitudinal analysis included 2909 participants from Suihua rural area. F1 and F2 generations were divided into non-famine and famine group based on their birth year and exposure status of their parents, respectively. The eGFR was calculated by using the chronic kidney disease epidemiology collaboration equation. We applied mixed-effect models to investigate the association between famine and ΔeGFR and tested blood DNA methylomes in 46 families across two generations. The mediation-analysis models were utilized to examine the mediation effect of methylation alterations on the famine-ΔeGFR association. In mixed-effect models, famine exposure was associated with declined ΔeGFR level in F1(β:-8.32;95%CI:-11.51,-5.12) and in F2(β:-6.11;95%CI:-11.88, -0.43). Methylation850K BeadChip data showed only 19 of 961 F1 differentially methylated sites showed concordant alterations in F2. The mediation-analysis results showed methylation alterations on AGTR1 and PRKCA might mediate the famine-ΔeGFR association. Overall, prenatal famine exposure may have long-term effects on eGFR decline across consecutive generations which might be partly mediated by methylation alterations on AGTR1 and PRKCA.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Wenbo Jiang
- Department of Nutrition and Food Hygiene, College of Public Health, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang Province 150081, P. R. China
| | - Tianshu Han
- Department of Nutrition and Food Hygiene, College of Public Health, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang Province 150081, P. R. China
| | - Wei Duan
- Department of Nutrition and Food Hygiene, College of Public Health, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang Province 150081, P. R. China
| | - Qiuying Dong
- Department of Nutrition and Food Hygiene, College of Public Health, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang Province 150081, P. R. China
| | - Wanying Hou
- Department of Nutrition and Food Hygiene, College of Public Health, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang Province 150081, P. R. China
| | - Huanyu Wu
- Department of Nutrition and Food Hygiene, College of Public Health, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang Province 150081, P. R. China
| | - Yue Wang
- Department of Nutrition and Food Hygiene, College of Public Health, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang Province 150081, P. R. China
| | - Zehui Jiang
- Department of Nutrition and Food Hygiene, College of Public Health, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang Province 150081, P. R. China
| | - Xinyi Pei
- Department of Nutrition and Food Hygiene, College of Public Health, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang Province 150081, P. R. China
| | - Yingying Chen
- The First Psychiatric Hospital of Harbin, Harbin, Heilongjiang Province 150081, P. R. China
| | - Ying Li
- Department of Nutrition and Food Hygiene, College of Public Health, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang Province 150081, P. R. China
| | - Changhao Sun
- Department of Nutrition and Food Hygiene, College of Public Health, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang Province 150081, P. R. China
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Gomez-Verjan JC, Barrera-Vázquez OS, García-Velázquez L, Samper-Ternent R, Arroyo P. Epigenetic variations due to nutritional status in early-life and its later impact on aging and disease. Clin Genet 2020; 98:313-321. [PMID: 32246454 DOI: 10.1111/cge.13748] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2020] [Revised: 03/11/2020] [Accepted: 03/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Epigenetics refers to changes in gene function, not resulting from the primary DNA sequence, influenced by the environment. It provides a link between the molecular regulation of the genome and the environmental signals exposed during the life of individuals (including lifestyle, social behavior, development, and nutrition). Notably, early development (intrauterine or postnatal) is highly influenced by the adverse socioeconomic status that leads to malnutrition or obesity; these conditions induce changes over the fetal epigenetic programming and can be transferred by transgenerational inheritance, inducing alterations of the transcription of genes related to several metabolic and neurological processes. Moreover, obesity during pregnancy, and excessive gestational weight gain are associated with an increased risk of fatal pregnancy complications, and adverse cardio-metabolic, respiratory and cognitive-related outcomes of the future child. However, most of our knowledge in this field comes from experimental animal models, that partially resemble the nutritional effects of humans. In this context, nutritional effects implicated in historical famines represent valuable information about the transgenerational effects of undernutrition and stress. In the present review, we attempt to describe the most outstanding results from the most studied famines about the impact of malnutrition on the epigenome.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Juan C Gomez-Verjan
- División de Ciencias Básicas, Instituto Nacional de Geriatría (INGER), Mexico City, Mexico
| | | | - Lizbeth García-Velázquez
- Departamento de Medicina Genómica y Toxicología Ambiental, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Rafael Samper-Ternent
- Geriatric/Sealy Center on Aging, The University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, USA
| | - Pedro Arroyo
- División de Epidemiología, Instituto Nacional de Geriatría (INGER), Mexico City, Mexico
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Vaiserman AM. Early-Life Nutritional Programming of Type 2 Diabetes: Experimental and Quasi-Experimental Evidence. Nutrients 2017; 9:nu9030236. [PMID: 28273874 PMCID: PMC5372899 DOI: 10.3390/nu9030236] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2017] [Revised: 02/11/2017] [Accepted: 02/23/2017] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Consistent evidence from both experimental and human studies suggest that inadequate nutrition in early life can contribute to risk of developing metabolic disorders including type 2 diabetes (T2D) in adult life. In human populations, most findings supporting a causative relationship between early-life malnutrition and subsequent risk of T2D were obtained from quasi-experimental studies (‘natural experiments’). Prenatal and/or early postnatal exposures to famine were demonstrated to be associated with higher risk of T2D in many cohorts around the world. Recent studies have highlighted the importance of epigenetic regulation of gene expression as a possible major contributor to the link between the early-life famine exposure and T2D in adulthood. Findings from these studies suggest that prenatal exposure to the famine may result in induction of persistent epigenetic changes that have adaptive significance in postnatal development but can predispose to metabolic disorders including T2D at the late stages of life. In this review, quasi-experimental data on the developmental programming of T2D are summarized and recent research findings on changes in DNA methylation that mediate these effects are discussed.
Collapse
|
6
|
McAllister LS, Pepper GV, Virgo S, Coall DA. The evolved psychological mechanisms of fertility motivation: hunting for causation in a sea of correlation. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2016; 371:20150151. [PMID: 27022078 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2015.0151] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/03/2016] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Cultural, ecological, familial and physiological factors consistently influence fertility behaviours, however, the proximate psychological mechanisms underlying fertility decisions in humans are poorly understood. Understanding the psychological mechanisms underlying human fertility may illuminate the final processes by which some of these known predictors have their influence. To date, research into the psychological mechanisms underlying fertility has been fragmented. Aspects of reproductive psychology have been examined by researchers in a range of fields, but the findings have not been systematically integrated in one review. We provide such a review, examining current theories and research on psychological mechanisms of fertility. We examine the methods and populations used in the research, as well as the disciplines and theoretical perspectives from which the work has come. Much of the work that has been done to date is methodologically limited to examining correlations between ecological, social and economic factors and fertility. We propose, and support with examples, the use of experimental methods to differentiate causal factors from correlates. We also discuss weaknesses in the experimental research, including limited work with non-WEIRD (western, educated, industrialized, rich and democratic) populations.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lisa S McAllister
- Department of Anthropology, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA
| | - Gillian V Pepper
- Evolutionary Demography Group, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London WC1E 7HT, UK
| | - Sandra Virgo
- Institute of Health and Society, Newcastle University, The Baddiley-Clark Building, Richardson Road, Newcastle upon Tyne NE2 4AX, UK
| | - David A Coall
- School of Medical and Health Sciences, Edith Cowan University, 270 Joondalup Drive, Joondalup, WA 6027, Australia School of Psychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences, University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA 6009, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Zhao Z, Reimondos A. Démographie de la famine de 1958 à 1961 en Chine : une nouvelle analyse. POPULATION 2012. [DOI: 10.3917/popu.1202.0329] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022]
|
8
|
Zheng X, Wang Y, Ren W, Luo R, Zhang S, Zhang JH, Zeng Q. Risk of metabolic syndrome in adults exposed to the great Chinese famine during the fetal life and early childhood. Eur J Clin Nutr 2011; 66:231-6. [DOI: 10.1038/ejcn.2011.161] [Citation(s) in RCA: 81] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
|