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Strath LJ, Peterson JA, Meng L, Rani A, Huo Z, Foster TC, Fillingim RB, Cruz-Almeida Y. Socioeconomic Status, Knee Pain, and Epigenetic Aging in Community-Dwelling Middle-to-Older Age Adults. THE JOURNAL OF PAIN 2024; 25:293-301. [PMID: 37315728 PMCID: PMC10713866 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpain.2023.06.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2022] [Revised: 05/22/2023] [Accepted: 06/06/2023] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Chronic musculoskeletal pain is often associated with lower socioeconomic status (SES). SES correlates with psychological and environmental conditions that could contribute to the disproportionate burden of chronic stress. Chronic stress can induce changes in global DNA methylation and gene expression, which increases risk of chronic pain. We aimed to explore the association of epigenetic aging and SES in middle-to-older age individuals with varying degrees of knee pain. Participants completed self-reported pain, a blood draw, and answered demographic questions pertaining to SES. We used an epigenetic clock previously associated with knee pain (DNAmGrimAge) and the subsequent difference of predicted epigenetic age (DNAmGrimAge-Diff). Overall, the mean DNAmGrimAge was 60.3 (±7.6), and the average DNAmGrimAge-diff was 2.4 years (±5.6 years). Those experiencing high-impact pain earned less income and had lower education levels compared to both low-impact and no pain groups. Differences in DNAmGrimAge-diff across pain groups were found, whereby individuals with high-impact pain had accelerated epigenetic aging (∼5 years) compared to low-impact pain and no pain control groups (both ∼1 year). Our main finding was that epigenetic aging mediated the associations of income and education with pain impact, as such the relationship between SES and pain outcomes may occur through potential interactions with the epigenome reflective of accelerated cellular aging. PERSPECTIVE: Socioeconomic status (SES) has previously been implicated in the pain experience. The present manuscript aims to present a potential social-biological link between SES and pain via accelerated epigenetic aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Larissa J. Strath
- Pain Research & Intervention Center of Excellence (PRICE), University of Florida, Gainesville, FL
- Department of Community Dentistry and Behavioral Science, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL
| | - Jessica A. Peterson
- Pain Research & Intervention Center of Excellence (PRICE), University of Florida, Gainesville, FL
- Department of Community Dentistry and Behavioral Science, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL
| | - Lingsong Meng
- Department of Biostatistics, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL
| | - Asha Rani
- Department of Neuroscience, McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville FL
| | - Zhiguang Huo
- Department of Biostatistics, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL
| | - Thomas C. Foster
- Genetics and Genomics Program, University of Florida, Gainesville Florida
| | - Roger B. Fillingim
- Pain Research & Intervention Center of Excellence (PRICE), University of Florida, Gainesville, FL
- Department of Community Dentistry and Behavioral Science, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL
| | - Yenisel Cruz-Almeida
- Pain Research & Intervention Center of Excellence (PRICE), University of Florida, Gainesville, FL
- Department of Community Dentistry and Behavioral Science, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL
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Cruz-Almeida Y, Tamargo J, Strath LJ. Epigenetic Aging: A Socio-Biological Link to Chronic Pain? THE JOURNAL OF PAIN 2024; 25:572-573. [PMID: 37984508 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpain.2023.11.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2023] [Accepted: 11/10/2023] [Indexed: 11/22/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Yenisel Cruz-Almeida
- Pain Research & Intervention Center of Excellence (PRICE), University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida; Department of Community Dentistry and Behavioral Science, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida; Department of Neuroscience, McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida
| | - Javier Tamargo
- Pain Research & Intervention Center of Excellence (PRICE), University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida; Department of Community Dentistry and Behavioral Science, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida
| | - Larissa J Strath
- Pain Research & Intervention Center of Excellence (PRICE), University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida; Department of Community Dentistry and Behavioral Science, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida
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Jackson P, Spector AL, Strath LJ, Antoine LH, Li P, Goodin BR, Hidalgo BA, Kempf MC, Gonzalez CE, Jones AC, Foster TC, Peterson JA, Quinn T, Huo Z, Fillingim R, Cruz-Almeida Y, Aroke EN. Epigenetic age acceleration mediates the relationship between neighborhood deprivation and pain severity in adults with or at risk for knee osteoarthritis pain. Soc Sci Med 2023; 331:116088. [PMID: 37473540 PMCID: PMC10407756 DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2023.116088] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2023] [Revised: 06/08/2023] [Accepted: 07/08/2023] [Indexed: 07/22/2023]
Abstract
An estimated 250 million people worldwide suffer from knee osteoarthritis (KOA), with older adults having greater risk. Like other age-related diseases, residents of high-deprivation neighborhoods experience worse KOA pain outcomes compared to their more affluent neighbors. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between neighborhood deprivation and pain severity in KOA and the influence of epigenetic age acceleration (EpAA) on that relationship. The sample of 128 participants was mostly female (60.9%), approximately half non-Hispanic Black (49.2%), and had a mean age of 58 years. Spearman bivariate correlations revealed that pain severity positively correlated with EpAA (ρ = 0.47, p ≤ 0.001) and neighborhood deprivation (ρ = 0.25, p = 0.004). We found a positive significant relationship between neighborhood deprivation and EpAA (ρ = 0.47, p ≤ 0.001). Results indicate a mediating relationship between neighborhood deprivation (predictor), EpAA (mediator), and pain severity (outcome variable). There was a significant indirect effect of neighborhood deprivation on pain severity through EpAA, as the mediator accounted for a moderate portion of the total effect, PM = 0.44. Epigenetic age acceleration may act as a mechanism through which neighborhood deprivation leads to worse KOA pain outcomes and may play a role in the well-documented relationship between the neighborhood of residence and age-related diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pamela Jackson
- School of Public Health, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 1720 2nd Avenue South, Birmingham, AL, 35294, USA.
| | - Antoinette L Spector
- School of Rehabilitation Sciences and Technology, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, PO Box 413, Milwaukee, WI, 53201, USA; Pain Research and Intervention Center of Excellence (PRICE), University of Florida, 2004 Mowry Road, Gainesville, FL, 32610, USA.
| | - Larissa J Strath
- Department of Community Dentistry and Behavioral Science, University of Florida, 1329 16th Street Southwest, Gainesville, FL, 32608, USA; Pain Research and Intervention Center of Excellence (PRICE), University of Florida, 2004 Mowry Road, Gainesville, FL, 32610, USA.
| | - Lisa H Antoine
- Department of Psychology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 1720 2nd Avenue South, Birmingham, AL, 35294, USA.
| | - Peng Li
- School of Nursing, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 1720 2nd Avenue South, Birmingham, AL, 35294, USA.
| | - Burel R Goodin
- Washington University Pain Center, Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, USA.
| | - Bertha A Hidalgo
- School of Public Health, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 1720 2nd Avenue South, Birmingham, AL, 35294, USA.
| | - Mirjam-Colette Kempf
- School of Nursing, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 1720 2nd Avenue South, Birmingham, AL, 35294, USA.
| | - Cesar E Gonzalez
- Department of Psychology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 1720 2nd Avenue South, Birmingham, AL, 35294, USA.
| | - Alana C Jones
- School of Public Health, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 1720 2nd Avenue South, Birmingham, AL, 35294, USA.
| | - Thomas C Foster
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Florida, 1149 Newell Dr, Gainesville, FL, 32610, USA.
| | - Jessica A Peterson
- Pain Research and Intervention Center of Excellence (PRICE), University of Florida, 2004 Mowry Road, Gainesville, FL, 32610, USA.
| | - Tammie Quinn
- Department of Psychology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 1720 2nd Avenue South, Birmingham, AL, 35294, USA.
| | - Zhiguang Huo
- Department of Biostatistics, University of Florida, 2004 Mowry Road, Gainesville, FL, 32603, USA.
| | - Roger Fillingim
- Department of Community Dentistry and Behavioral Science, University of Florida, 1329 16th Street Southwest, Gainesville, FL, 32608, USA; Pain Research and Intervention Center of Excellence (PRICE), University of Florida, 2004 Mowry Road, Gainesville, FL, 32610, USA.
| | - Yenisel Cruz-Almeida
- Department of Community Dentistry and Behavioral Science, University of Florida, 1329 16th Street Southwest, Gainesville, FL, 32608, USA; Pain Research and Intervention Center of Excellence (PRICE), University of Florida, 2004 Mowry Road, Gainesville, FL, 32610, USA; Department of Neuroscience, University of Florida, 1149 Newell Dr, Gainesville, FL, 32610, USA.
| | - Edwin N Aroke
- School of Nursing, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 1720 2nd Avenue South, Birmingham, AL, 35294, USA.
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Peterson JA, Crow JA, Johnson AJ, Meng L, Rani A, Huo Z, Foster TC, Fillingim RB, Cruz-Almeida Y. Pain interference mediates the association between epigenetic aging and grip strength in middle to older aged males and females with chronic pain. Front Aging Neurosci 2023; 15:1122364. [PMID: 37032822 PMCID: PMC10077493 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2023.1122364] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2022] [Accepted: 02/20/2023] [Indexed: 04/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Chronic pain is one of the leading causes of disability that may accelerate biological aging and reduce physical function. Epigenetic clocks provide an estimate of how the system ages and can predict health outcomes such as physical function. Physical function declines may be attributed to decreases in muscle quality due to disuse that can be measured quickly and noninvasively using grip strength. The purpose of this study was to explore the associations among self-reported pain, grip strength, and epigenetic aging in those with chronic pain. Methods Participants (57.91 ± 8.04 years) completed pain questionnaires, a blood draw and hand grip strength task. We used an epigenetic clock previously associated with knee pain (DNAmGrimAge), and used the subsequent difference of predicted epigenetic age from chronological age (DNAmGrimAge-Difference). Results Exploratory pathway analyses revealed that pain intensity mediated the association between DNAmGrimAge-difference and handgrip strength in males only (β = -0.1115; CI [-0.2929, -0.0008]) and pain interference mediated the association between DNAmGrimAge-difference and handgrip strength in males β = -0.1401; CI [-0.3400, -0.0222]), and females (β = -0.024; CI [-0.2918, -0.0020]). Discussion Chronic knee pain may accelerate epigenetic aging processes that may influence handgrip strength in older age adults. Chronic pain could be a symptom of the aging body thus contributing to declines in musculoskeletal function in later life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica A. Peterson
- Pain Research and Intervention Center of Excellence, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
- Department of Community Dentistry and Behavioral Science, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Joshua A. Crow
- Pain Research and Intervention Center of Excellence, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
- Department of Community Dentistry and Behavioral Science, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Alisa J. Johnson
- Pain Research and Intervention Center of Excellence, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
- Department of Community Dentistry and Behavioral Science, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Lingsong Meng
- Department of Biostatistics, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Asha Rani
- Department of Neuroscience, McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Zhiguang Huo
- Department of Biostatistics, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Thomas C. Foster
- Department of Neuroscience, McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
- Genetics and Genomics Program, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Roger B. Fillingim
- Pain Research and Intervention Center of Excellence, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
- Department of Community Dentistry and Behavioral Science, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Yenisel Cruz-Almeida
- Pain Research and Intervention Center of Excellence, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
- Department of Community Dentistry and Behavioral Science, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
- Department of Neuroscience, McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
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Strath LJ, Meng L, Rani A, Huo Z, Foster TC, Fillingim RB, Cruz-Almeida Y. Vitamin D Metabolism Genes Are Differentially Methylated in Individuals with Chronic Knee Pain. Lifestyle Genom 2023; 16:98-105. [PMID: 36854277 PMCID: PMC10493864 DOI: 10.1159/000529823] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2022] [Accepted: 02/01/2023] [Indexed: 03/02/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Recent evidence suggests that vitamin D may interact with the epigenome and play a role in the pain experience. In order for proper functioning to occur, there must be an adequate level of vitamin D present, made possible by enzymatic reactions that allow vitamin D to be biologically active. The purpose of this study was to explore the epigenetic landscape of genes involved in vitamin D metabolism in individuals with and without chronic knee pain. METHODS Community-dwelling individuals recruited as part of a larger study focused on knee pain provided demographic, clinical, and pain-related information, as well as an intravenous blood sample to determine DNA methylation levels at CpG sites. RESULTS There were differences in DNA methylation between those with and without pain in genes that code for enzymes related to vitamin D metabolism: CYP27B1 (1-α-hydroxylase). There was also hypermethylation on the gene that codes for the vitamin D receptor (VDR). CONCLUSIONS The presence of chronic pain is associated with epigenetic modifications in genes responsible for the expression of enzymes involved in vitamin D metabolism and cellular function. These results lay groundwork in understanding the mechanism underlying the association between vitamin D and chronic pain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Larissa J Strath
- Pain Research and Intervention Center of Excellence (PRICE) at the University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA,
- Department of Community Dentistry and Behavioral Science, The University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA,
| | - Lingsong Meng
- Department of Biostatistics, The University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
| | - Asha Rani
- Department of Biostatistics, The University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
| | - Zhiguang Huo
- Department of Biostatistics, The University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
| | - Thomas C Foster
- Department of Neuroscience, The University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
| | - Roger B Fillingim
- Pain Research and Intervention Center of Excellence (PRICE) at the University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
- Department of Community Dentistry and Behavioral Science, The University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
| | - Yenisel Cruz-Almeida
- Pain Research and Intervention Center of Excellence (PRICE) at the University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
- Department of Community Dentistry and Behavioral Science, The University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, The University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
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Strath LJ, Hernandez PV, Nodarse CL, Johnson AJ, Edberg JD, Fillingim RB, Cruz-Almeida Y. Clinical vitamin D levels are associated with insular volume and inferior temporal gyrus white matter surface area in community-dwelling individuals with knee pain. Front Neurosci 2022; 16:882322. [PMID: 36117614 PMCID: PMC9470941 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2022.882322] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2022] [Accepted: 07/29/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Context Vitamin D is an essential, fat soluble micronutrient long-known for its effects on calcium homeostasis and bone health. With advances in technology, it is being discovered that Vitamin D exerts its effects beyond the musculoskeletal system. Vitamin D has since been noted in nervous system health and functioning, and is becoming a target of interest in brain health, aging, and chronic pain outcomes. Objectives We and others have previously shown that deficient Vitamin D status is associated with greater pain severity across a variety of conditions, however the reason as to why this relationship exists is still being understood. Here, we sought to examine associations between Vitamin D status and brain structure in those with chronic knee pain. Methods Structural MRI imaging techniques and whole brain analyses were employed and serum Vitamin D were collected on 140 participants with chronic pain. Covariates included age, sex, race and site, as these data were collected at two separate institutions. ANOVAs using the clinical cut points for Vitamin D status (deficient, insufficient, and optimal) as well as continuous regression-based Vitamin D effects were employed to observe differences in brain volume. P-value was set to 0.017 after correction for multiple comparisons. Results We discovered that individuals in our sample (age = 50+; 63.6% female; 52.1% Non-Hispanic Black) who were either clinically deficient (<20 ng/mL) or insufficient (20-30 ng/mL) in serum Vitamin D had significant differences in the gray matter of the left circular insular cortex, left inferior temporal gyrus, right middle temporal gyrus, as well as decreased white matter surface area in the right inferior temporal gyrus compared to those considered to have optimal levels (>30 ng/mL) of serum Vitamin D. Conclusion Evidence from these data suggests that Vitamin D, or lack thereof, may be associated with pain outcomes by mediating changes in regions of the brain known to process and interpret pain. More research understanding this phenomenon as well as the effects of Vitamin D supplementation is warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Larissa J. Strath
- Pain Research and Intervention Center of Excellence, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States,Department of Community Dentistry and Behavioral Science, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Pedro Valdes Hernandez
- Pain Research and Intervention Center of Excellence, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States,Department of Community Dentistry and Behavioral Science, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Chavier Laffitte Nodarse
- Pain Research and Intervention Center of Excellence, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States,Department of Community Dentistry and Behavioral Science, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Alisa J. Johnson
- Pain Research and Intervention Center of Excellence, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States,Department of Community Dentistry and Behavioral Science, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Jeffrey D. Edberg
- School of Medicine, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States
| | - Roger B. Fillingim
- Pain Research and Intervention Center of Excellence, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States,Department of Community Dentistry and Behavioral Science, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Yenisel Cruz-Almeida
- Pain Research and Intervention Center of Excellence, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States,Department of Community Dentistry and Behavioral Science, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States,*Correspondence: Yenisel Cruz-Almeida,
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He L. Editorial: Epigenetic Clock: A Novel Tool for Nutrition Studies of Healthy Ageing. J Nutr Health Aging 2022; 26:316-317. [PMID: 35450985 DOI: 10.1007/s12603-022-1773-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- L He
- Lingxiao He, School of Public Health, Xiamen University, Xiang'an South Road, 361104 Xiamen, China
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