Search Results for: IL-6

Effects of advanced glycation end products on quality of life and lifespan

gettingwell4 2-3 stars Needed further work, Epigenetics, Immune system, Stress ,

This 2018 Chinese review concerned advanced glycation end products (AGE) mobility interventions: “Only a limited number of studies have focused on measuring the effects of low AGEs levels or AGEs inhibitors on mobility, although many observational human studies and in vitro studies have reported the correlation of AGEs with and the contribution of AGEs to … Continue reading Effects of advanced glycation end products on quality of life and lifespan

A trio of epigenetic clock studies

gettingwell4 2-3 stars Needed further work, Brain development, Epigenetics, Stress, Telomeres , , , ,

We’ll start with a 2018 epigenetic clock human study from Finland: “We evaluated the association between maternal antenatal depression and a novel biomarker of aging at birth, namely epigenetic gestational age (GA) based on fetal cord blood methylation data. We also examined whether this biomarker prospectively predicts and mediates maternal effects on early childhood psychiatric … Continue reading A trio of epigenetic clock studies

Gene therapy by DNA methylation using CRISPR-Cas9

gettingwell4 2-3 stars Needed further work, Epigenetics, Immune system ,

This 2016 Croatian human cell study was a proof-of-concept to induce specific DNA methylation of two genes: “In this work we have created and characterized a novel CRISPR-Cas9-based epigenome editing tool, the dCas9-DNMT3A, which enabled targeted and specific CpG methylation at the promoter of two loci, the BACH2 and the IL6ST. We have demonstrated the … Continue reading Gene therapy by DNA methylation using CRISPR-Cas9

Problematic research into epigenetic effects of paternal stress on male offspring

gettingwell4 0-1 star Wasted resources, Cortisol, Epigenetics, Neurochemicals, Stress ,

This 2016 Chinese rodent study and its accompanying commentary Don’t stress dad — it’s bad for your kids’ health were caught up in an agenda. The first problem I noticed was that the hyperglycemic effects found only in the male offspring weren’t consistently labelled as sex-specific. Try to find that fact in the paywalled commentary … Continue reading Problematic research into epigenetic effects of paternal stress on male offspring

Mitochondria interface genetic/epigenetic responses to psychological stress

gettingwell4 2-3 stars Needed further work, Cortisol, Dopamine, Epigenetics, Glutamate, Hippocampus, Hypothalamus, Limbic system, Neurochemicals, Serotonin, Stress , , ,

This 2015 Pennsylvania rodent study found: “Mitochondria can regulate complex whole-body physiological responses, impacting stress perception at the cellular and organismal levels. Mitochondrial dysfunctions altered the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal [HPA] axis, sympathetic adrenal–medullary activation and catecholamine levels, the inflammatory cytokine IL-6, circulating metabolites, and hippocampal gene expression responses to stress. Stress-induced neuroendocrine, inflammatory, metabolic, and transcriptional responses … Continue reading Mitochondria interface genetic/epigenetic responses to psychological stress

If research treats “Preexisting individual differences” as a black box, how can it find causes for stress and depression?

gettingwell4 0-1 star Wasted resources, Epigenetics, Immune system, Stress ,

This 2014 research studied both humans and rodents to provide further evidence on the physiology of defeat. The researchers demonstrated that with mice: “Bone marrow transplants of stem cells that produce leucocytes lacking IL-6 (the cytokine interleukin 6) or when injected with antibodies that block IL-6 prior to stress exposure, the development of social avoidance … Continue reading If research treats “Preexisting individual differences” as a black box, how can it find causes for stress and depression?