Socioeconomic inequalities in early adulthood disrupt the immune transcriptomic landscape via upstream regulators

Citation

Ravi, Sudharshan; Shanahan, Michael J.; Levitt, Brandt; Harris, Kathleen Mullan; & Cole, Steven W. (2024). Socioeconomic inequalities in early adulthood disrupt the immune transcriptomic landscape via upstream regulators. Scientific Reports. vol. 14 (1) , PMCID: PMC10787749

Abstract

Disparities in socio-economic status (SES) predict many immune system-related diseases, and previous research documents relationships between SES and the immune cell transcriptome. Drawing on a bioinformatically-informed network approach, we situate these findings in a broader molecular framework by examining the upstream regulators of SES-associated transcriptional alterations. Data come from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health (Add Health), a nationally representative sample of 4543 adults in the United States. Results reveal a network—of differentially expressed genes, transcription factors, and protein neighbors of transcription factors—that shows widespread SES-related dysregulation of the immune system. Mediational models suggest that body mass index (BMI) plays a key role in accounting for many of these associations. Overall, the results reveal the central role of upstream regulators in socioeconomic differences in the molecular basis of immunity, which propagate to increase risk of chronic health conditions in later-life.

URL

https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-51517-6

Keyword(s)

Socioeconomic status

Reference Type

Journal Article

Journal Title

Scientific Reports

Author(s)

Ravi, Sudharshan
Shanahan, Michael J.
Levitt, Brandt
Harris, Kathleen Mullan
Cole, Steven W.

Year Published

2024

Volume Number

14

Issue Number

1

Edition

January 13, 2024

ISSN/ISBN

2045-2322

DOI

10.1038/s41598-024-51517-6

PMCID

PMC10787749

Reference ID

10264