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CHICAGO, April 5 (Xinhua) – A study published Friday on the Northwestern University (NU) website revealed that poverty left a trace on nearly 10 percent of the genes in the human genome.
As part of this study, UN researchers have shown that poverty can take root in large parts of the genome. They found that lower socio-economic status was badociated with DNA methylation levels (DNAm), a key epigenetic mark likely to shape gene expression, at more than 2,500 sites and over 1500 genes.
Previous studies have shown that socio-economic status (SES) is a powerful determinant of human health and disease, and lower SES is badociated with physiological processes that contribute to disease development, including chronic inflammation, resistance to insulin and dysregulation of cortisol.
"We have long known that socio-economic status is a powerful determinant of health, but the underlying mechanisms through which our body" remembers "experiences of poverty are not known," said the report. lead author Thomas McDade, professor of anthropology at Weinberg College. arts and sciences in the UN.
"Our results suggest that DNA methylation could play an important role, and the wide range of badociations between SES and DNAm is consistent with the wide range of biological systems and health outcomes we know to be shaped by SES, "said McDade.
In addition, experiences during development are embodied in the genome to literally shape structure and function. "There is no nature against feeding," he added.
"This trend highlights a potential mechanism by which poverty can have a lasting impact on a wide range of physiological systems and processes," he said.
Follow-up studies will be needed to determine the health consequences of differential methylation at the sites identified by the researchers.
The study was published in the American Journal of Physical Anthropology.
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