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Wong ZQ, Deng L, Cengnata A, Abdul Rahman T, Mohd Ismail A, Hong Lim RL, Xu S, Hoh BP. Expression quantitative trait loci (eQTL): from population genetics to precision medicine. J Genet Genomics 2025; 52:449-459. [PMID: 39986349 DOI: 10.1016/j.jgg.2025.02.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2024] [Revised: 02/11/2025] [Accepted: 02/12/2025] [Indexed: 02/24/2025]
Abstract
Evidence has shown that differential transcriptomic profiles among human populations from diverse ancestries, supporting the role of genetic architecture in regulating gene expression alongside environmental stimuli. Genetic variants that regulate gene expression, known as expression quantitative trait loci (eQTL), are primarily shaped by human migration history and evolutionary forces, likewise, regulation of gene expression in principle could have been influenced by these events. Therefore, a comprehensive understanding of how human evolution impacts eQTL offers important insights into how phenotypic diversity is shaped. Recent studies, however, suggest that eQTL is enriched in genes that are selectively constrained. Whether eQTL is minimally affected by selective pressures remains an open question and requires comprehensive investigations. In addition, such studies are primarily dominated by the major populations of European ancestry, leaving many marginalized populations underrepresented. These observations indicate there exists a fundamental knowledge gap in the role of genomics variation on phenotypic diversity, which potentially hinders precision medicine. This article aims to revisit the abundance of eQTL across diverse populations and provide an overview of their impact from the population and evolutionary genetics perspective, subsequently discuss their influence on phenomics, as well as challenges and opportunities in the applications to precision medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhi Qi Wong
- Faculty of Applied Sciences, UCSI University, Kuala Lumpur 56000, Malaysia
| | - Lian Deng
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Center for Evolutionary Biology, Collaborative Innovation Center for Genetics and Development, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, China
| | - Alvin Cengnata
- Faculty of Applied Sciences, UCSI University, Kuala Lumpur 56000, Malaysia
| | - Thuhairah Abdul Rahman
- Clinical Pathology Diagnostic Centre Research Laboratory, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Teknologi MARA, 47000, Malaysia
| | - Aletza Mohd Ismail
- Clinical Pathology Diagnostic Centre Research Laboratory, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Teknologi MARA, 47000, Malaysia
| | - Renee Lay Hong Lim
- Faculty of Applied Sciences, UCSI University, Kuala Lumpur 56000, Malaysia
| | - Shuhua Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Center for Evolutionary Biology, Collaborative Innovation Center for Genetics and Development, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, China; Key Laboratory of Computational Biology, Shanghai Institute of Nutrition and Health, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200031, China; Department of Liver Surgery and Transplantation Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, China; Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Contemporary Anthropology, School of Life Sciences, Human Phenome Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, China; School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China; Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Phylogenomics and Comparative Genomics, School of Life Sciences, Jiangsu Normal University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu 221008, China; Henan Institute of Medical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan 450001, China; Center for Excellence in Animal Evolution and Genetics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan 650223, China
| | - Boon-Peng Hoh
- Division of Applied Biomedical Sciences and Biotechnology, School of Health Sciences, IMU University, Kuala Lumpur 57000, Malaysia.
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Schooling CM, Yang G, Soliman GA, Leung GM. A Hypothesis That Glucagon-like Peptide-1 Receptor Agonists Exert Immediate and Multifaceted Effects by Activating Adenosine Monophosphate-Activate Protein Kinase (AMPK). Life (Basel) 2025; 15:253. [PMID: 40003662 PMCID: PMC11857512 DOI: 10.3390/life15020253] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2024] [Revised: 01/20/2025] [Accepted: 01/31/2025] [Indexed: 02/27/2025] Open
Abstract
Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs) reduce bodyweight and blood glucose. Extensive evidence from randomized controlled trials has indicated that GLP-1RAs have benefits well beyond weight loss and glucose control, extending from reductions in cardiovascular mortality to reductions in prostate cancer risk. Notably, some benefits of GLP-1RAs for the cardiovascular-kidney-metabolic (CKM) system arise before weight loss occurs for reasons that are not entirely clear but are key to patient care and drug development. Here, we hypothesize that GLP-1RAs act by inducing calorie restriction and by activating adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK), which not only provides an explanation for the unique effectiveness of GLP-1RAs but also indicates a common mechanism shared by effective CKM therapies, including salicylates, metformin, statins, healthy diet, and physical activity. Whether AMPK activation is obligatory for effective CKM therapies should be considered. As such, we propose a mechanism of action for GLP-1RAs and explain how it provides an overarching framework for identifying means of preventing and treating cardiovascular, kidney, metabolic and related diseases, as well as informing the complementary question as to the components of a healthy lifestyle.
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Affiliation(s)
- C. Mary Schooling
- School of Public Health, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China; (G.Y.)
- School of Public Health and Health Policy, City University of New York, Graduate School of Public Health and Health Policy, 55 W 125th St, New York, NY 10027, USA;
| | - Guoyi Yang
- School of Public Health, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China; (G.Y.)
| | - Ghada A. Soliman
- School of Public Health and Health Policy, City University of New York, Graduate School of Public Health and Health Policy, 55 W 125th St, New York, NY 10027, USA;
| | - Gabriel M. Leung
- School of Public Health, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China; (G.Y.)
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Xiang Y, Tanwar V, Singh P, Follette LL, Narayan V, Kapahi P. Early menarche and childbirth accelerate aging-related outcomes and age-related diseases: Evidence for antagonistic pleiotropy in humans. MEDRXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR HEALTH SCIENCES 2025:2024.09.23.24314197. [PMID: 39398990 PMCID: PMC11469407 DOI: 10.1101/2024.09.23.24314197] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/15/2024]
Abstract
Aging can be understood as a consequence of the declining force of natural selection with age. Consistent with this, the antagonistic pleiotropy theory of aging proposes that aging arises from trade-offs that favor early growth and reproduction. However, evidence supporting antagonistic pleiotropy in humans remains limited. Using Mendelian Randomization (MR), we demonstrated that later ages of menarche or first childbirth were genetically associated with longer parental lifespan, decreased frailty index, slower epigenetic aging, later menopause, and reduced facial aging. Moreover, later menarche or first childbirth were also genetically associated with a lower risk of several age-related diseases, including late-onset Alzheimer's disease (LOAD), type 2 diabetes, heart disease, essential hypertension, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). We validated the associations between the age of menarche, childbirth, and the number of childbirths with several age-related outcomes in the UK Biobank by conducting regression analysis of nearly 200,000 subjects. Our results demonstrated that menarche before the age 11 and childbirth before 21 significantly accelerated the risk of several diseases, and almost doubled the risk for diabetes, heart failure, and quadrupled the risk of obesity, supporting the antagonistic pleiotropy theory. We identified 126 significant single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) that influenced age-related outcomes, some of which were involved in known longevity pathways, including IGF1, growth hormone, AMPK, and mTOR signaling. Our study also identified higher BMI as a mediating factor in causing the increased risk of certain diseases, such as type 2 diabetes and heart failure, in women with early menarche or early pregnancy, emphasizing the importance of the thrifty gene hypothesis in explaining in part the mechanisms behind antagonistic pleiotropy. Our study highlights the complex relationship between genetic legacies and modern diseases, emphasizing the need for gender-sensitive healthcare strategies that consider the unique connections between female reproductive health and aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yifan Xiang
- The Buck Institute for Research on Aging, 8001 Redwood Blvd, Novato, CA 94945
| | - Vineeta Tanwar
- The Buck Institute for Research on Aging, 8001 Redwood Blvd, Novato, CA 94945
| | - Parminder Singh
- The Buck Institute for Research on Aging, 8001 Redwood Blvd, Novato, CA 94945
| | | | - Vikram Narayan
- The Buck Institute for Research on Aging, 8001 Redwood Blvd, Novato, CA 94945
| | - Pankaj Kapahi
- The Buck Institute for Research on Aging, 8001 Redwood Blvd, Novato, CA 94945
- Department of Urology, University of California, San Francisco, 400 Parnassus Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94143
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Benonisdottir S, Straub VJ, Kong A, Mills MC. Genetics of female and male reproductive traits and their relationship with health, longevity and consequences for offspring. NATURE AGING 2024; 4:1745-1759. [PMID: 39672892 DOI: 10.1038/s43587-024-00733-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2024] [Accepted: 09/26/2024] [Indexed: 12/15/2024]
Abstract
Substantial shifts in reproductive behaviors have recently taken place in many high-income countries including earlier age at menarche, advanced age at childbearing, rising childlessness and a lower number of children. As reproduction shifts to later ages, genetic factors may become increasingly important. Although monogenic genetic effects are known, the genetics underlying human reproductive traits are complex, with both causal effects and statistical bias often confounded by socioeconomic factors. Here, we review genome-wide association studies (GWASs) of 44 reproductive traits of both female and male individuals from 2007 to early 2024, examining reproductive behavior, reproductive lifespan and aging, infertility and hormonal concentration. Using the GWAS Catalog as a basis, from 159 relevant studies, we isolate 37 genes that harbor association signals for four or more reproductive traits, more than half of which are linked to rare Mendelian disorders, including ten genes linked to reproductive-related disorders: FSHB, MCM8, DNAH2, WNT4, ESR1, IGSF1, THRB, BRWD1, CYP19A1 and PTPRF. We also review the relationship of reproductive genetics to related health and behavioral traits, aging and longevity and the effect of parental age on offspring outcomes as well as reflecting on limitations, open questions and challenges in this fast-moving field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefania Benonisdottir
- Leverhulme Centre for Demographic Science, Nuffield Department of Population Health, University of Oxford and Nuffield College, Oxford, UK
- Institute of Physical Science, University of Iceland, Reykjavik, Iceland
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Iceland, Reykjavik, Iceland
| | - Vincent J Straub
- Leverhulme Centre for Demographic Science, Nuffield Department of Population Health, University of Oxford and Nuffield College, Oxford, UK
| | - Augustine Kong
- Leverhulme Centre for Demographic Science, Nuffield Department of Population Health, University of Oxford and Nuffield College, Oxford, UK
| | - Melinda C Mills
- Leverhulme Centre for Demographic Science, Nuffield Department of Population Health, University of Oxford and Nuffield College, Oxford, UK.
- Department of Genetics, University Medical Centre Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands.
- Department of Economics, Econometrics and Finance, University of Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands.
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Mitchell SE, Simpson M, Coulet L, Gouedard S, Hambly C, Morimoto J, Allison DB, Speakman JR. Reproduction has immediate effects on female mortality, but no discernible lasting physiological impacts: A test of the disposable soma theory. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2408682121. [PMID: 39374394 PMCID: PMC11494338 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2408682121] [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: 06/04/2024] [Accepted: 08/24/2024] [Indexed: 10/09/2024] Open
Abstract
The disposable soma theory (DST) posits that organisms age and die because of a direct trade-off in resource allocation between reproduction and somatic maintenance. DST predicts that investments in reproduction accentuate somatic damage which increase senescence and shortens lifespan. Here, we directly tested DST predictions in breeding and nonbreeding female C57BL/6J mice. We measured reproductive outputs, body composition, daily energy expenditure, and oxidative stress at peak lactation and over lifetime. We found that reproduction had an immediate and negative effect on survival due to problems encountered during parturition for some females. However, there was no statistically significant residual effect on survival once breeding had ceased, indicating no trade-off with somatic maintenance. Instead, higher mortality appeared to be a direct consequence of reproduction without long-term physiological consequences. Reproduction did not elevate oxidative stress. Our findings do not provide support for the predictions of the DST.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sharon E. Mitchell
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Aberdeen, AberdeenAB24 2TZ, Scotland, United Kingdom
| | - Megan Simpson
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Aberdeen, AberdeenAB24 2TZ, Scotland, United Kingdom
| | - Lena Coulet
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Aberdeen, AberdeenAB24 2TZ, Scotland, United Kingdom
- L'Institut Agro Dijon, Dijon Cedex21079, France
| | - Solenn Gouedard
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Aberdeen, AberdeenAB24 2TZ, Scotland, United Kingdom
- L'Institut Agro Dijon, Dijon Cedex21079, France
| | - Catherine Hambly
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Aberdeen, AberdeenAB24 2TZ, Scotland, United Kingdom
| | - Juliano Morimoto
- Institute of Mathematics, School of Natural and Computer Sciences, University of Aberdeen, AberdeenAB24 3UE, Scotland, United Kingdom
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ecologia e Conservação, Department of Ecology, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Centro Politécnico, Curitiba, Paraná81531-980, Brazil
| | - David B. Allison
- School of Public Health, Indiana University-Bloomington, Bloomington, IN47405
| | - John R. Speakman
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Aberdeen, AberdeenAB24 2TZ, Scotland, United Kingdom
- Shenzhen key laboratory of metabolic health, Center for Energy metabolism and Reproduction, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, Guangdong province1068, China
- Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing100101, China
- Institute of Health Sciences, China Medical University, Liaoning Province, Shenyang110052, China
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Cole JM, Scott CB, Johnson MM, Golightly PR, Carlson J, Ming MJ, Harpak A, Kirkpatrick M. The battle of the sexes in humans is highly polygenic. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2412315121. [PMID: 39302970 PMCID: PMC11441502 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2412315121] [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: 06/21/2024] [Accepted: 08/21/2024] [Indexed: 09/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Sex-differential selection (SDS), which occurs when the fitness effects of alleles differ between males and females, can have profound impacts on the maintenance of genetic variation, disease risk, and other key aspects of natural populations. Because the sexes mix their autosomal genomes each generation, quantifying SDS is not possible using conventional population genetic approaches. Here, we introduce a method that exploits subtle sex differences in haplotype frequencies resulting from SDS acting in the current generation. Using data from 300K individuals in the UK Biobank, we estimate the strength of SDS throughout the genome. While only a handful of loci under SDS are individually significant, we uncover highly polygenic signals of genome-wide SDS for both viability and fecundity. Selection coefficients of [Formula: see text] may be typical. Despite its ubiquity, SDS may impose a mortality load of less than 1%. An interesting life-history tradeoff emerges: Alleles that increase viability more strongly in females than males tend to increase fecundity more strongly in males than in females. Finally, we find marginal evidence of SDS on fecundity acting on alleles affecting arm fat-free mass. Taken together, our findings connect the long-standing evidence of SDS acting on human phenotypes with its impact on the genome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jared M. Cole
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX78712
- Department of Population Health, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX78712
| | - Carly B. Scott
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC27599
| | - Mackenzie M. Johnson
- Computational Biology Program, Public Health Sciences Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, WA98109
| | - Peter R. Golightly
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX78712
| | - Jedidiah Carlson
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX78712
- Department of Population Health, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX78712
| | - Matthew J. Ming
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX78712
- Department of Population Health, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX78712
| | - Arbel Harpak
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX78712
- Department of Population Health, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX78712
| | - Mark Kirkpatrick
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX78712
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Meitern R, Gortfelder M, Puur A, Hõrak P. Mothers of twins had higher old-age survival than mothers of singletons in Estonian 19th-century birth cohorts. Hum Reprod 2024; 39:2124-2133. [PMID: 39067454 DOI: 10.1093/humrep/deae166] [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: 04/09/2024] [Revised: 06/21/2024] [Indexed: 07/30/2024] Open
Abstract
STUDY QUESTION Do the mothers of twins and singletons differ regarding post-partum and old-age mortality? SUMMARY ANSWER Twin deliveries were associated with higher post-partum maternal mortality than singleton deliveries, but the lifetime post-partum mortality risk was similar for mothers of twins and singletons; survival of twinners was higher than survival of the mothers of singletons after the 67th lifespan percentile. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY Twinning is typically associated with higher post-partum maternal mortality. The evidence about whether twinning incurs long-term survival costs of reproduction or is a trait pertinent to long-lived women is scarce and contradictory. STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATION The study is based on the data of the Estonian Family Register (operating from 1926 to 1943) and involves 5565 mothers of twins and 119 613 mothers of singletons born between 1850 and 1899. The subset for comparing maternal lifespans included 1703-1884 mothers of twins and 19 747-36 690 mothers of singletons. PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTING, METHODS Post-partum maternal mortality was analyzed in the whole sample (including mothers of a single child) by logistic regression. Most of the analyses were performed in samples where each mother of twins was matched against mothers of singletons based on parity (or number of deliveries), urban versus rural and inland versus coastal origin, whether their lifespan was known, date of birth and age at first birth. Lifespans were compared in linear mixed models. Quantile regression was used to analyze age-dependent variations in maternal mortality rates. All models were adjusted for relevant biodemographic covariates. MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE The twinning rate in the whole sample was 4.4%. During the year after giving birth, maternal mortality for twin deliveries was 0.75% (17/2273) and 0.37% (449/122 750) for singleton deliveries (OR = 2.05, 95% CI = 1.21-3.23). However, the lifetime post-partum mortality risk for mothers of twins (0.51%; 28/5557) and singletons (0.37%; 438/119 466) did not differ significantly (OR = 1.38, 95% CI = 0.91-1.98). The life spans of the mothers of twins and singletons did not differ in matched samples. Past the 67th lifespan percentile, the odds of survival were significantly higher for mothers of twins than mothers of singletons, as indicated by non-overlapping 95% confidence intervals. LIMITATIONS, REASONS FOR CAUTION Relatively low number of individuals (22 802-28 335) with known age at death in matched datasets due to discontinuation of the register after 1943. WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS The finding that mothers of twins had higher odds of old-age survival than mothers of singletons is consistent with the contention that twinners represent a non-random subset of women whose robust phenotypic quality allows them to outlive the mothers of singletons in old age. STUDY FUNDING/COMPETING INTEREST(S) The study was funded by the Estonian Research Council grants PRG1137, PRG2248, and PSG669. The authors declare no competing interests. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER N/A.
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Affiliation(s)
- R Meitern
- Department of Zoology, Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
| | - M Gortfelder
- Estonian Institute for Population Studies, Tallinn University, Tallinn, Estonia
| | - A Puur
- Estonian Institute for Population Studies, Tallinn University, Tallinn, Estonia
| | - P Hõrak
- Department of Zoology, Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
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Unger Avila P, Padvitski T, Leote AC, Chen H, Saez-Rodriguez J, Kann M, Beyer A. Gene regulatory networks in disease and ageing. Nat Rev Nephrol 2024; 20:616-633. [PMID: 38867109 DOI: 10.1038/s41581-024-00849-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/15/2024] [Indexed: 06/14/2024]
Abstract
The precise control of gene expression is required for the maintenance of cellular homeostasis and proper cellular function, and the declining control of gene expression with age is considered a major contributor to age-associated changes in cellular physiology and disease. The coordination of gene expression can be represented through models of the molecular interactions that govern gene expression levels, so-called gene regulatory networks. Gene regulatory networks can represent interactions that occur through signal transduction, those that involve regulatory transcription factors, or statistical models of gene-gene relationships based on the premise that certain sets of genes tend to be coexpressed across a range of conditions and cell types. Advances in experimental and computational technologies have enabled the inference of these networks on an unprecedented scale and at unprecedented precision. Here, we delineate different types of gene regulatory networks and their cell-biological interpretation. We describe methods for inferring such networks from large-scale, multi-omics datasets and present applications that have aided our understanding of cellular ageing and disease mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paula Unger Avila
- Cluster of Excellence on Cellular Stress Responses in Aging-associated Diseases (CECAD), University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Tsimafei Padvitski
- Cluster of Excellence on Cellular Stress Responses in Aging-associated Diseases (CECAD), University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Ana Carolina Leote
- Cluster of Excellence on Cellular Stress Responses in Aging-associated Diseases (CECAD), University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - He Chen
- Cluster of Excellence on Cellular Stress Responses in Aging-associated Diseases (CECAD), University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
- Department II of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Julio Saez-Rodriguez
- Faculty of Medicine and Heidelberg University Hospital, Institute for Computational Biomedicine, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Martin Kann
- Department II of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
- Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Andreas Beyer
- Cluster of Excellence on Cellular Stress Responses in Aging-associated Diseases (CECAD), University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.
- Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.
- Institute for Genetics, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.
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9
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Guo Y, Xu K, Cai J, Wang Z. Decoding aging: examining the non-evolutionary event from an evolutionary perspective. SCIENCE CHINA. LIFE SCIENCES 2024; 67:2026-2029. [PMID: 38691266 DOI: 10.1007/s11427-023-2579-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2024] [Accepted: 03/26/2024] [Indexed: 05/03/2024]
Affiliation(s)
- Yannan Guo
- Protein Science Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
| | - Kang Xu
- Protein Science Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
| | - Jianping Cai
- Beijing Institute of Geriatrics, Beijing Hospital, National Center of Gerontology, National Health Commission, Beijing, 100730, China
| | - Zhao Wang
- Protein Science Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China.
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10
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Lockwood C, Vo AS, Bellafard H, Carter AJR. More evidence for widespread antagonistic pleiotropy in polymorphic disease alleles. Front Genet 2024; 15:1404516. [PMID: 38952711 PMCID: PMC11215129 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2024.1404516] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2024] [Accepted: 05/29/2024] [Indexed: 07/03/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction Many loci segregate alleles classified as "genetic diseases" due to their deleterious effects on health. However, some disease alleles have been reported to show beneficial effects under certain conditions or in certain populations. The beneficial effects of these antagonistically pleiotropic alleles may explain their continued prevalence, but the degree to which antagonistic pleiotropy is common or rare is unresolved. We surveyed the medical literature to identify examples of antagonistic pleiotropy to help determine whether antagonistic pleiotropy appears to be rare or common. Results We identified ten examples of loci with polymorphisms for which the presence of antagonistic pleiotropy is well supported by detailed genetic or epidemiological information in humans. One additional locus was identified for which the supporting evidence comes from animal studies. These examples complement over 20 others reported in other reviews. Discussion The existence of more than 30 identified antagonistically pleiotropic human disease alleles suggests that this phenomenon may be widespread. This poses important implications for both our understanding of human evolutionary genetics and our approaches to clinical treatment and disease prevention, especially therapies based on genetic modification.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Ashley J. R. Carter
- California State University Long Beach, Department of Biological Sciences, Long Beach, CA, United States
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11
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Thalén A, Ledberg A. Parental age at death is associated with age at first birth in offspring. Exp Gerontol 2024; 189:112396. [PMID: 38479685 DOI: 10.1016/j.exger.2024.112396] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2024] [Revised: 03/06/2024] [Accepted: 03/07/2024] [Indexed: 03/17/2024]
Abstract
PURPOSE People age at different rates and the available evidence suggests that the rate of aging is partly inherited from previous generations. This heterogeneity in aging is evident already in midlife, but to what extent aging is associated with the timing of events earlier in life is not fully known. Here we aim to shed light on this topic by investigating the trade-off between reproduction and aging postulated by evolutionary theories of aging. METHODS Drawing on the inheritance of aging we use parental age at death as a proxy for aging-rates in the offspring, and study how age at first birth depends on this variable. We use data from an almost complete Swedish birth cohort comprising 92,359 individuals. Accelerated failure time models are used to estimate the association between parental age at death and age at first birth while adjusting for parental occupational class, educational attainment, and income. RESULTS Longer parental lifespans were consistently associated with older age at first births, both in men and women. CONCLUSION Our findings suggest that aging-related processes may be interrelated with the processes underlying the timing of reproduction and are in general agreement with evolutionary theories of aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Thalén
- Department of Public Health Sciences, Stockholm University SE-106 91, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Anders Ledberg
- Department of Public Health Sciences, Stockholm University SE-106 91, Stockholm, Sweden.
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12
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Sapolsky R. Making sense of the costs of adversity throughout the lifespan on aging in humans and other animals. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2024; 159:105571. [PMID: 38316195 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2024.105571] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2024] [Accepted: 01/31/2024] [Indexed: 02/07/2024]
Abstract
Social adversity, particularly early in life, can cause lifelong damage to health; by now, numerous studies examine this relationship in non-human species, producing some important themes: A) Captive animals readily lack ethological validity, giving a special place to studies of natural populations; one must appreciate though, that animal studies typically benefit humans who themselves lack ecological validity, namely Westernized subjects. B) Animal studies of the links between social adversity and psychiatric maladies potentially produce anthropomorphism; however, long-term study of our closest relatives demonstrates how convincingly another primate can, for example, experience grief, rather than display "grief-like" behavior. C) Are long-term consequences of social adversity best viewed as maladaptive and pathological, or as adaptive preparation for similar adversity later in life?; the growing literature casts light on when adversity's consequences are the purview of medicine or natural history. D) Studies examining sustained adversity and aging can increasingly distinguish between aging versus diseases of aging or cohort effects, and between aging effects arising from direct physiological mechanisms or indirect behavioral ones.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert Sapolsky
- Departments of Biology, Neurology and Neurosurgery, Stanford University, United States.
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Zhang J. Patterns and evolutionary consequences of pleiotropy. ANNUAL REVIEW OF ECOLOGY, EVOLUTION, AND SYSTEMATICS 2023; 54:1-19. [PMID: 39473988 PMCID: PMC11521367 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-ecolsys-022323-083451] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/02/2024]
Abstract
Pleiotropy refers to the phenomenon of one gene or one mutation affecting multiple phenotypic traits. While the concept of pleiotropy is as old as Mendelian genetics, functional genomics has finally allowed the first glimpses of the extent of pleiotropy for a large fraction of genes in a genome. After describing conceptual and operational difficulties in quantifying pleiotropy and the pros and cons of various methods for measuring pleiotropy, I review empirical data on pleiotropy, which generally show an L-shaped distribution of the degree of pleiotropy (i.e., the number of traits affected) with most genes having low pleiotropy. I then review the current understanding of the molecular basis of pleiotropy. The rest of the review discusses evolutionary consequences of pleiotropy, focusing on advances in topics including the cost of complexity, regulatory vs. coding evolution, environmental pleiotropy and adaptation, evolution of ageing and other seemingly harmful traits, and evolutionary resolution of pleiotropy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianzhi Zhang
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, USA
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