Natural disasters can accelerate aging: A new study on non-human primates

Recently, extreme weather events have been on the rise. Survivors of these cataclysms often have to cope with the aftermath, like the financial, physical, and mental repercussions. These adverse situations could potentially worsen morbidity, lead to new diseases, or even increase the rate of death. Literature highlights that survivors of extreme natural events have an increased risk of developing cardiovascular disease and chronic inflammation.

Research suggests that extreme weather events have an effect that reaches the molecular level of the organism. For example, environmental conditions can induce a chronic defect in gene transcription that propagates with time to the point it becomes biologically embedded within the host. The outcome of the latter is manifested in alteration of gene expression of immune cells, leading to premature aging of the defense system (T cell population). The result of this process is accelerated aging of the whole organism.

To test the hypothesis linking extreme weather conditions to accelerated aging, Watowich et al. conducted their research using samples obtained from free-ranging rhesus macaques, living on an isolated island. The non-human primates were sampled 1 to 4 years (n=435) prior to Hurricane Maria and one year (n=108) after it. The sequenced ribonucleic acid extracted from these blood samples was used to assess the molecular impact of the hurricane on immune cell gene expression.

The researchers identified 260 genes differentially expressed between animals sampled before and after Hurricane Maria. Their study revealed that exposure to the hurricane resulted in an alteration in immune cell gene expression. In this context, genes implicated in inflammation (like those involved in interleukin-8 regulation) were highly expressed, while others, like those involved in protein folding, were under-expressed. When viewed together, these disruptions were found to negatively affect proteostasis (its loss is a hallmark of aging). Additionally, the expression of genes related to the heat shock protein-70 (HSP70) family was two times lower after exposure to the hurricane. Reduction in the expression of these genes has been suggested to exacerbate cardiovascular disorders and Alzheimer’s disease, both of which appear to be more prominent in survivors of adverse situations. The authors concluded that extreme natural disasters tend to induce differences in immune cell gene expression similar to those of the natural aging process, hence accelerating it.

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