Ancestry and geography linked to molecular differences in adults
An observational study of 322 healthy adults across continents linked ancestry and place of residence to differences in metabolism, immune function and biological aging.
Our read
AI & data- Studied:
- Cross-sectional study of 322 healthy adults of varied ancestry
- What changed:
- Metabolism, immune function, and gut microbes differed across ancestry groups and places of residence
- The catch:
- Biological aging was represented by an algorithm-based age estimate
- Stake:
- Human Genomics for CEHG Postdoctoral Fellowship funded the study. An author founded Crosshair Therapeutics. Authors also declare ties to 4 more companies.
- Why it’s aging research:
- Biological age, frailty, function, multimorbidity or death.
Editor of record: Boris Djordjevic · AgingResearch.News
An observational study compared molecular profiles from 322 healthy adults of European, East Asian and South Asian ancestry across multiple continents. Participants ranged from 20 to over 70 years old. Researchers collected blood, urine and stool samples between 2016 and 2019 and examined DNA, gene activity, proteins and other biological measures.
Ancestry and geography were associated with differences in metabolism, immune function and gut microbes. Researchers also used an algorithm to estimate biological age, a measure intended to reflect how the body is aging. East Asians living in their ancestral regions had lower biological age estimates than those living elsewhere. People of European ancestry had lower estimates in the US and Canada than in Europe. Links between diet, gut microbes and metabolism also differed by ethnicity.
Why it matters
The authors presented these molecular profiles as a resource for understanding how ancestry and environment interact, including in biological aging, and for supporting care tailored to individual differences.
Caveats
The observational comparisons cannot establish cause and effect, and biological age was an algorithm-based estimate. Participants were generally healthy adults; the findings do not establish patterns in children, pregnant people or people with severe medical conditions.
Comments
Be the first to comment.