Scientists analyze how aging is "plastic" and we can manipulate it to stop aging
Scientists analyze how aging is "plastic" and we can manipulate it to stop aging
- The facts:
It's amazing how much information can be passed on to our offspring. Scientists have discovered that our DNA has memories, and these can also be transmitted. We are talking about thoughts, feelings, emotions and perceptions.
- Reflect on:
Biological changes are shaped by our environment, as well as our thoughts, feelings, emotions and reactions to that environment. Our DNA can be changed with belief, the placebo is a great example. The thoughts and emotions are huge in biology.
This article was written by the Greenmedinfo research group, Greenmedinfo.com. Published here with permission.
Until recently, it was believed that our genes dictate our destiny. That we are programmed for the diseases Ultimately, this will haunt us on the basis of the undecipherable pre-wired code written in stone in our genetic material. However, the growing field of epigenetics is turning these principles, and ushering in a school of thought where nutrition, not nature, is the predominant influence when it comes to gene expression and our freedom or affliction from diseases. Chronicles.
Epigenetics: the disappearance of biological determinism
Epigenetics, or the study of the physiological mechanisms that silence or activate genes, encompasses processes that alter the function of genes without changing the sequence of base pairs of nucleotides in our DNA. Translated literally as "in addition to the changes in the genetic sequence", epigenetics includes processes such as methylation, acetylation, phosphorylation, sumolization and ubiquitylation, which can be transmitted to daughter cells after cell division (1). Methylation, for example, is the binding of simple methyl group labels to DNA molecules, which can repress the transcription of a gene when it occurs in the region of a genetic promoter. This simple methyl group, or a carbon bonded to three hydrogen molecules, effectively deactivates the gene.
Posttranslational modifications of histone proteins are another epigenetic process. Histones help pack and condense the double helix of DNA in the cell nucleus into a complex called chromatin, which can be modified by enzymes, acetyl groups and RNA forms called small interfering RNAs. microRNAs (one). These chemical modifications of chromatin influence its three-dimensional structure, which in turn governs its accessibility to DNA transcription and determines whether genes are expressed or not.
We inherit one allele, or variant, of each gene from our mother and the other from our father. If the result of the epigenetic processes is the imprint, a phenomenon in which one of the two alleles of a pair of genes is deactivated, this can generate a detrimental result for health if the allele expressed is defective or increases our susceptibility to infections or toxic (1). The studies relate cancers of almost all types, neurobehavioral and cognitive dysfunctions, respiratory diseases, autoimmune disordersreproductive anomalies, and cardiovascular disease To the epigenetic mechanisms (1). For example, the cardiac antiarrhythmic drug procainamide and the antihypertensive agent hydralazine can cause lupus in some people by causing aberrant patterns of DNA methylation and altering signaling pathways (1).
The genes load the gun, the environment pulls the trigger
Pharmaceutical products, however, are not the only agents that can induce epigenetic alterations. If you were born by vaginal delivery or Caesarean section, breastfed or bottle fed, raised with a pet at home or infected with certain childhood diseases, all influence their epigenetic expression. Whether you are sedentary, pray, smoke, meditate, do yoga, have an extensive social support network or are far from your community, all your lifestyle choices play with your risk of disease operating through epigenetic mechanisms.
In fact, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) say that genetics represent only 10% of diseases, while the remaining 90% is due to environmental variables (2). An article published in the Science One Public Library (PLoS One) entitled "Genetic factors are not the main causes of chronic diseases"These statements are echoed, citing that the chronic disease is only 16.4% genetic and 84.6% environmental (3). These concepts make sense in light of exposure research, the cumulative measure of all environmental insults incurred by an individual during their life cycle that determines susceptibility to disease (4)
By delineating the totality of exposures to which an individual is subject throughout his life, the exposom can be subdivided into three overlapping and interlaced domains. A segment of the exhibition called internal environment is composed of processes innate to the body that affect the cellular environment. This includes hormones and other cellular messengers, oxidative stress, inflammation, lipid peroxidation, body morphology, intestinal microbiota, aging and biochemical stress (5).
Another part of the exposure, the specific external environment, consists of exposures that include pathogens, radiation, chemical contaminants and contaminants, and medical interventions, as well as dietary, lifestyle and occupational elements (5). At an even wider socio-cultural and ecological level is the exposure segment called the general external environment, which can circumscribe factors such as psychological stress, socioeconomic status, geopolitical variables, educational attainment, urban or rural residence and climate ( 5).
Transgenerational inheritance of epigenetic change: endocrine disruptors trigger infertility in future generations
Scientists previously speculated that epigenetic changes disappear with each new generation during gametogenesis, the formation of sperm and eggs, and after fertilization. However, this theory was challenged for the first time by research published in the journal. Science which showed that the transient exposure of pregnant rats to the insecticide methoxychlor, an estrogenic compound, or the fungicide vinclozolin, an antiandrogenic compound, resulted in a higher incidence of sterility and decreased sperm production and viability in 90% of the males of four subsequent generations that were tracked (1).
In particular, these reproductive effects were associated with mismatches in DNA methylation patterns in the germ line, suggesting that epigenetic changes are transmitted to future generations. The authors concluded: "The ability of an environmental factor (eg, an endocrine disruptor) to reprogram the germline and promote a transgenerational disease state has significant implications for evolutionary biology and the etiology of the disease" (6, p. 1466). This may suggest that personal care products with endocrine fragrances and commercial cleaning products that we are all exposed to can cause fertility problems in many future generations.
Transgenerational inheritance of traumatic episodes: the experience of the parents shapes the traits of the offspring
In addition, traumatic experiences can be transmitted to future generations through epigenetics as a way of informing progeny about the relevant information necessary for their survival (7). In one study, the researchers Cherry- like the chemical acetophenone in the cameras of the mice while administering electric shocks, conditioning the mice to fear the smell (7). This reaction was transmitted to two successive generations, which shivered significantly more in the presence of acetophenone despite not having found it in comparison with the descendants of mice that had not received this conditioning (7).
The study suggests that certain characteristics of the parental sensory environment experienced before conception can reshape the sensory nervous system and neuroanatomy in generations conceived later (7). Alterations were observed in the cerebral structures that process the olfactory stimuli, as well as an improved representation of the receptor that perceives the odor in comparison with the control mice and their progeny (7). These changes were transmitted by epigenetic mechanisms, as evidenced by the evidence that genes sensitive to acetophenone in fearful mice were hypomethylated, which may have increased the expression of the odorant receptor genes during development, leading to sensitivity to acetophenone (7).
The human experience of famine and tragedy spans generations
The study with mice, which illustrates how germ cells (ovules and spermatozoa) exhibit dynamic plasticity and adaptability in response to environmental signals, is reflected in human studies. For example, exposures to certain stressors, such as starvation during the gestational period, are associated with poor health outcomes for children. It has been shown that women who suffer hunger before the conception of their offspring give birth to children with lower mental health and quality of life and self-reported, for example (8).
Similar studies highlight that, "exposure to maternal famine around the time of conception has been related to the prevalence of major affective disorders, antisocial personality disorders, schizophrenia, decreased intracranial volume and congenital anomalies of the central nervous system "(8). Gestational exposure to the Dutch famine of the mid-twentieth century is also associated with a lower perception of health (9), as well as a higher incidence of cardiovascular diseases, hypertension and obesity in children (8). Maternal malnutrition during pregnancy leads to neonatal adiposity, which is a predictor of future obesity (10), in grandchildren (11).
The impact of epigenetics is also exemplified by research on the intergenerational effects of trauma, which illuminates that the descendants of people who survived the Holocaust exhibit an abnormal presentation. stressHormonal profiles, and low production of cortisol in particular (12). Because of their altered cortisol response and reactivity to altered stress, children of Holocaust survivors are often at increased risk for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety and depression (13)
Intrauterine exposure to maternal stress in the form of violence by the couple during pregnancy can also cause changes in the methylation status of the glucocorticoid receptor (GR) of their adolescent children (14). These studies suggest that the individual experience of a trauma may predispose their descendants to mental illness, behavioral problems and psychological abnormalities due to the "transgenerational epigenetic programming of genes that operate in the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis", a complex set of Interactions between the endocrine glands. that determine the response to stress and resistance (14).
The body cells pass the genetic information directly to the sperm cells
Not only that, but studies reveal that genetic information can be transferred through the germline cells of a species in real time. These paradigm-changing findings override the conventional logic that postulates that genetic change occurs over the long time scale of hundreds of thousands or even millions of years. In a relatively recent study, it was found that exosomes were the medium through which information was transferred from somatic cells to gametes.
This experiment involved a xenotransplantation, a process in which the living cells of one species are grafted onto a receptor of another species. Specifically, human melanoma Tumor cells genetically engineered to express genes for a fluorescent tracer enzyme called plasmid encoding EGFP were transplanted into mice. The experimenters found that molecules containing information containing the EGFP tracer were released into the animals' blood (15). Among the traceable EGFP molecules were exosomes, or "specialized membranous vesicles of nanometric size derived from endocytic compartments that are released by many cell types" (16, p.447).
The exosomes, which are synthesized by all the cells of plants and animals, contain different repertoires of proteins and are created when an internal sprouting occurs from the membrane of the multivesicular bodies (MVB), a type of organelle that serves as a compartment of classification attached to the membrane within eukaryotic cells (sixteen). Exosomes contain microRNA (miRNA) and small RNA, types of non-coding RNA involved in the regulation of gene expression (16). In this study, exosomes supplied RNA to mature sperm cells (sperm) and remained stored there (15).
The researchers emphasize that this type of RNA can behave as a "transgenerational determinant of hereditary epigenetic variations and that sperm RNA can transport and deliver information that causes phenotypic variations in progeny" (15). In other words, RNA carried to sperm by exosomes can preside gene expression in a way that changes the observable traits and risk of offspring disease, as well as its morphology, development and physiology.
This study was the first to elucidate the transfer of information mediated by RNA from somatic cells to germ cells, which fundamentally cancels what is known as Weisman's barrier, a principle that establishes that the movement of hereditary information from genes to The cells of the body is unidirectional, and that the information transmitted by the egg and sperm to future generations remains independent of the somatic cells and the experience of the parents (15).
In addition, this may have implications for cancer risk, since exosomes contain large amounts of genetic information that can be a source of lateral gene transfer (17) and are abundantly released from tumor cells (18). This can be reconciled with the fact that vesicles resembling exosomes have been observed in several mammals (15), including humans, very close to sperm in anatomical structures such as the epididymis and seminal fluid (19). These exosomes can then spread to future generations with fertilization and increase Cancer Risk in offspring (20).
The researchers concluded that the sperm cells can act as final reservoirs of information derived from somatic cells, suggesting that epigenetic attacks on the cells of our body can be transmitted to future generations. This notion confirms the evolutionary theory of the "soft inheritance" proposed by the French naturalist Jean-Baptiste Lamarck, according to which the characteristics acquired during the life of an organism are transmitted to offspring, a concept that modern genetics rejected beforehand. that epigenetics came to the scene. . In this way, the sperm are able to assimilate spontaneously exogenous DNA and RNA molecules, behaving as vectors of their native genome and extrachromosomal foreign genetic material that "is delivered to the oocytes in the fertilization with the subsequent generation of phenotypically modified animals" ( fifteen).
Epigenetic changes last longer than predicted
In a recent study, nematode worms were engineered to harbor a transgene for a fluorescent protein, which caused the worms to glow low. ultraviolet light when the gene was activated (21). When the worms were incubated at an ambient temperature of 20 ° C (68 ° Fahrenheit), a negligible brightness was observed, indicating a low activity of the transgene (21). However, transferring the worms to a warmer climate of 25 ° C (77 ° F) stimulated the expression of the gene, since the worms shone brightly (21).
In addition, it was observed that this temperature-induced alteration in gene expression persisted for at least 14 generations, representing the preservation of epigenetic memories of environmental change in an unprecedented number of generations (21). In other words, the worms transmitted memories of past environmental conditions to their descendants, through the vehicle of epigenetic change, as a way to prepare their descendants for the prevailing environmental conditions and ensure their survival.
Future directions: Where do we go from here?
Taken together, the aforementioned research challenges the traditional Mendelian laws of genetics, which postulate that genetic inheritance occurs exclusively through sexual reproduction and that traits are transmitted to descendants through the chromosomes found in cells. from the germ line and never through the somatic (body) cells. Indeed, this proves the existence of non-Mendelian transgenerational inheritance, where the separate features of the chromosomal genes are transmitted to the progeny, resulting in persistent phenotypes that persist through the generations (22).
This research imparts a new meaning to the principle of the administration of seven generations taught by the Native Americans, which demands that we consider the welfare of the seven generations to come in each of our decisions. Not only should we incorporate this focus into environmental sustainability practices, but we should also consider the conditions to which we subject our bodies: pollution and toxins that permeate the landscape and invade our bodies, the soil lacking the nutrients it engenders. Food poor in micronutrients, the interruptions of our circadian rhythm Due to the ubiquity of electronic devices, our divorce from the nature and the disappearance of our tribal affiliations can translate into effects of poor health and diminished quality of life for a number of subsequent generations without precedent.
The dangers of modern agriculture, the industrial revolution and contemporary life are the "known or supposed drivers behind the epigenetic processes ... including heavy metals, pesticides, diesel exhaust, tobacco smokepolycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, hormones, radioactivity, viruses, bacteria and basic nutrients "(1, p.A160). However, fortuitously, many inputs such as exercise, attention and bioactive components in fruits and vegetables such as sulforaphane in cruciferous vegetables, red grapes resveratrol, soy genistein, garlic diallyl sulphide, turmeric curcumin, beet betaine and Green Tea the catechin can favorably modify epigenetic phenomena "either by directly inhibiting enzymes that catalyze DNA methylation or histone modifications, or by altering the availability of substrates necessary for these enzymatic reactions" (23, p.8).
This par excellence emphasizes that the air we breathe, the food we eat, the thoughts we allow, the toxins we are exposed to and the experiences we experience can persevere in our descendants and stay with our progeny long after we are gone. We must be aware of the effects of our actions, as they provoke a domino effect through the proverbial sands of time.
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References
1. Weinhold, B. (2006). Epigenetics: the science of change. Perspectives on environmental health, 114 (3), A160-A167.
2. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2014). Exposomics and Exposomics. Recovered from https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/exposome/
3. Rappaport, S.M. (2016). Genetic factors are not the main causes of chronic diseases. PLoS One, 11 (4), e0154387.
4. Vrijheid, M. (2014). The exhibition: a new paradigm to study the impact of the environment on health. Thorax, 69 (9), 876-878. doi: 10.1136 / thoraxjnl-2013-204949.
5. Wild, C.P. (2012). The exposed: from the concept to the utility. International Journal of Epidemiology, 41, 24-32. doi: 10.1093 / ije / dyr236
6. Anway, M.D. et al. (2005). Epigenetic transgenerational actions of endocrine disruptors and male fertility. Science, 308 (5727), 1466-1469.
7. Days, B.G., and Ressler, K.J. (2014). The olfactory experience of the parents influences the behavior and the neural structure in later generations. Nature Neuroscience, 17 (1), 89-98.
8. Stein, A.D. et al. (2009). Maternal exposure to Dutch famine before conception and during pregnancy: quality of life and depressive symptoms in adult children. Epidemiology, 20 (6), doi: 10.1097 / EDE.0b013e3181b5f227.
9. Roseboom, T.J. et al. (2003). Perceived health of adults after prenatal exposure to the Dutch famine. Perinatal Epidemiology of Pediatrics, 17, 391-397.
10. Badon, S.E. et al. (2014). Gestational weight gain and neonatal adiposity in the study of hyperglycemia and adverse pregnancy outcomes in the North America region. Obesity (Silver Spring), 22 (7), 1731-1738.
11. Veenendaal, M.V. et al. (2013). Transgenerational effects of prenatal exposure to the Dutch famine of 1944-45. BJOG, 120 (5), 548-53. Doi: 10.1111 / 1471-0528.
12. Yehuda, R., and Bierer, L.M. (2008). Transgenerational transmission of cortisol and risk of PTSD. Progress in Brain Research, 167, 121-135.
13. Aviad-Wilcheck, Y. et al. (2013). The effects of the survival characteristics of the surviving parents of the Holocaust on the symptoms of anxiety and depression of the children. The Israel Journal of Psychiatry and Related Sciences, 50 (3), 210-216.
14. Radke, K.M. et al. (2011). Transgenerational impact of partner violence on methylation in the glucocorticoid receptor promoter. Translational psychiatry, 1, e21. doi: 10.1038 / tp.2011.21.
15. Cossetti, C. et al. (2014). Transmission of RNA from soma to germ line in xenografted mice with human tumor cells: possible transport by exosomes. Plus one, https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0101629.
16. Zomer, A. et al. (2010). Exosomes: suitable for delivering small RNA. Communicative and integrative biology, 3 (5), 447-450.
17. Balaj, L. et al. (2011) Tumor microvesicles contain retrotransposon elements and amplified oncogene sequences. Natural communications, 2, 180.
18. Azmi, A.S., Bao, B., and Sarkar, F.H. (2013). Exosomes in the development of cancer, metastasis and drug resistance: an exhaustive review. Cancer Metastasis Review, 32, 623-643.
19. Poliakov, A. et al. (2009). Structural heterogeneity and protein composition of vesicles similar to exosomes (prostasomes) in human semen. Prostate, 69, 159-167.
20. Cheng, R.Y. et al. (2004) Epigenetic and gene expression changes related to transgenerational carcinogenesis. Molecular carcinogenesis, 40, 1-11.
21. Klosin, A. et al. (2017). Transgenerational transmission of environmental information in C. elegans. Science, 356 (6335).
22. Lim, J.P., and Brunet, A. (2013). Saving the transgenerational gap with epigenetic memory. Trends in Genetics, 29 (3), 176-186. doi: 10.1016 / j.tig.2012.12.008
23. Choi, S.-W., & Friso, S. (2010). Epigenetics: a new bridge between nutrition and health Advances in nutrition: an international review journal, 1 (1), 8-16. doi: 10.3945 / an.110.1004.
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