Social disadvantage accelerates aging
Social disadvantage, like advanced age, is a risk factor for a broad range of health conditions; however, whether it influences the aging process remains unclear. Here, using a multicohort approach, we investigated the associations of social disadvantage with age-related plasma proteins and age-related diseases. We found proteomic signatures of accelerated immune aging and 14 specific age-related proteins linked to social disadvantage during both early and later life. Individuals experiencing social disadvantage had an increased risk of 66 age-related diseases, with up to 39% of these associations mediated by the 14 age-related proteins (for example, DNAJB9, F2, HSPA1A, BGN). The main enriched pathway involved the upregulation of the pro-inflammatory regulator NF-κB24 and its downstream factor interleukin-8. Our findings support the hypothesis that social disadvantage throughout the life course may accelerate aging, a biological mechanism that could explain why social stratification plays such a fundamental role in determining human health.
Authors
- Philipp Frank (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8824-8673)
- Joni V. Lindbohm (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9820-2692)
- Jaana Pentti
- Alexandre Blake (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1627-4992)
- Tony Wyss‐Coray (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5893-0831)
- Mika Kivimaki B (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4699-5627)
- Solja T. Nyberg (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5181-2402)
- Jussi Vahtera (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6036-061X)
- Linda Partridge (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9615-0094)
- Archana Singh‐Manoux (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1244-5037)
- Keenan A. Walker (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5989-9853)
- Fangyu Liu (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1554-1478)
Institutions
- Broad Institute (US)
- National Institutes of Health (US)
- University of Helsinki (FI)
- Harvard University (US)
- Inserm (FR)
- University of Turku (FI)
- Neurosciences Institute (US)
- Université Paris Cité (FR)
- Turku University Hospital (FI)
- Sorbonne Paris Cité (FR)
- Mathematical Institute of the Slovak Academy of Sciences (SK)
- National Institute on Aging (US)
- MRC Unit for Lifelong Health and Ageing (GB)
- University College London (GB)
- Stanford University (US)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Nature Medicine
- Published
- 2025-03-14
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1038/s41591-025-03563-4
- Citations
- 22
- Primary Topic
- Tryptophan and brain disorders
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 12.71
Funders
- Wellcome Trust
- Päivikki ja Sakari Sohlbergin Säätiö
- Medical Research Council
- National Institute on Aging
- National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute