Maybe you've heard about epigenetics in biology class, or you've seen the Netflix series about the twin experiment. Be that as it may, the term epigenetics has gained a lot of reach outside of the scientific community in recent years. It seems as if the old dogma that everything is in the genes no longer applies.
Rather, research into epigenetics shows that we can influence some processes through our behavior, our diet or through exercise. In this article we will show you what epigenetics is, how epigenetics contributes to aging research and what our grandparents have to do with it.
What is epigenetics?
Before we get into the topic, we need to clarify the definition: Epigenetics explores how changes beyond the genetic code affect – a concept that which is expressed in the word part “epi”, from the ancient Greek for “over” or “on top of”. The focus here is not on mutations as such, but rather on modifications that determine how active certain genes are in our cells.
A classic example of such modifications is DNA Methylation. A methyl group (CH3) is attached to specific sections of the DNA. This can result in certain cellular processes being prevented, for example by stopping the production of proteins. Epigenetics is e.g.b responsible for the fact that a muscle cell differs from a kidney cell, even though both contain exactly the same DNA sequence.
Epigenetics – a little easier
Unless you have just studied biochemistry, terms like methylations, chromatin or non-coding RNA won't really mean anything to you. Don't worry, we'll explain epigenetics to you more clearly and use this analogy to try to make the more complicated mechanisms behind it understandable:
First of all, we have to take a closer look into the cells . Each of our cells has the same strand of DNA, our genetic material. This contains all information, e.g.b how a heart muscle cell is structured, what proteins it contains or what enzymes a stomach cell must contain so that it can produce stomach acid and much more. If all of this information were “read” at the same time, there would be huge chaos. For this reason, our DNA is full of chemical structures that can turn sections “on” or “off” like the switches on a volume control.
How “loud” are your genes?
Imagine that every gene in your DNA has a volume control like this. Using this volume control, your epigenetics can turn certain areas “loud” so that the gene is active or turn other areas “quiet” which makes that gene inactive. This fine adjustment is carried out by Methylations . These small hydrocarbon groups determine how “loud” or “quiet” certain sections of the DNA in our genome are.
Another possibility is the so-called histone modifications. Histones are structural proteins around which the DNA is wrapped. Very similar to a hair curler. These proteins are also influenced by epigenetics. If these are modified, entire sections of the DNA can be more difficult to extract and therefore read. Large parts remain “mute” (inactive).
How is epigenetics influenced?
These epigenetic changes are influenced by various factors, such as environment, diet, stress and lifestyle. Some of these “volume settings” can even be passed on to future generations, meaning that the experiences and conditions of your ancestors influence your life could have, namely which genes in your body are easier or are more difficult to access. Epigenetics ensures that, despite unchangeable genetic information, the accessibility and use of this information can be made dynamic and adaptable.
This explains how identical DNA in different cell types can lead to such diverse functions and characteristics. But this also explains why identical twins, which have exactly the same DNA, have different characteristics. The exact settings of your “volume controls” are individual and can change constantly. This is known as epigenetic pattern. You can take advantage of this if you use the epigenetic or biological age want to measure.
DNA and epigenetics – what is inherited?
Every single cell consists of 46 chromosomes. The genetic information is stored here in the form of DNA. The chromosomes are arranged in pairs, so we have 23 pairs of chromosomes in each cell. We receive 50 percent of the chromosomes from our mother and the other 50 percent from our biological father.
Factor V Leiden: One of the most common genetic diseases
Imagine that one of your genes for a certain topic (in this case Factor V) is defective. This defective gene comes from your father, but fortunately your mother passed on a whole copy to you. So you have two genes on the subject, but one of them is defective. In medicine, this is referred to as a heterozygous expression.
This specific expression, a defective gene for factor V and a healthy one, is one of the most common “genetic diseases” in Europe. Approximately one in 20. has a defective gene for factor V, which leads to a higher risk of thrombosis. If both genes are defective, one would speak of a homozygous expression .
DNA and epigenetics – what is inherited?
The example with the defective factor V gene is a typical one for a hereditary diseaseg. Epigenetics plays no role in this case because the underlying information regarding the gene is defective. For a long time it was believed that we only inherit the genes from our parents and only acquire epigenetics (i.e. the volume adjustment) later. According to current research, this is not correct. So let's also inherit some volume control settings from our parents?
Can trauma be inherited?
The eye color from the mother, the hair from the father and the psychological trauma from the grandparents? Although this statement is quite bold, there are more and more indications that we are not the only ones We inherit DNA from our parents, but also epigenetic patterns and imprints – over several generations.
To stick with our analogy, it used to be assumed that volume control settings were not inheritable. The differences in DNA methylation would only be acquired later in life. This assumption does not seem to be correct. In this study on fruit flies, scientists from the Max Planck Institute were able to show that epigenetic patterns can be passed on from generation to generation.
It is reasonable to assume that this is also the case in humans and perhaps new therapies can be developed from these findings in the future.
Can excess weight be inherited?
Now that we have already seen that certain epigenetic patterns can be inherited over several generations in fruit flies, the question arises as to what effects this can have. On the one hand, it is assumed that traumatic experiences can cause epigenetic changes that are also inherited and appear in later generations. You can find an interesting article for example: b in this ZDF Terra-Xplore documentation.
Another question is whether overweight parents pass on their epigenetic patterns to their children and thus make them more susceptible to obesity. Here too, direct evidence is still lacking, but there are certainly indications that this is possible. In a study in rats, for example, b It can be found that the exposure to a pesticide (DDT = dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane) in subsequent generations results in a 50 percent Incidence of obesity resulted.
This shows that environmental factors have the power to change epigenetic patterns and, moreover, to promote obesity in subsequent generations. There is also evidence in humans that susceptibility to obesity is partly hereditary.
Do you know your biological age? The epiAge test has the answer.
Epigenetics and biological age
Each of us has our own epigenetic patterns and yet we also have similarities. One of the first to recognize this is Steve Horvath. He looked into the question of how biological age can be measured, using epigenetics. The researcher developed the Horvath Clock named after him, which can be used to measure the biological age of cells very accurately.
Over the course of our lives, typical markings accumulate on our DNA. The spots are characteristic and the same for every person. On this basis, the first epigenetic age test was developed.
The key to longevity?
The discovery of the Horvath Clock was so groundbreaking that he received the Nobel Prize for it in 2017. For the first time, it was possible to measure the influence that various parameters have on our cell health and age. Together with the Hallmarks of Aging the basis for epigenetic aging research was created. If we can reverse the epigenetic markers, we may be able to slow or even stop aging.
Researchers like the Harvard professor David Sinclair or the American millionaire Bryan Johnson are already one step further and have tried out some molecules for age reduction (some of them on themselves). Both have a significantly younger biological age, and new studies on the topic appear almost daily. In a study in humans the biological age was reduced by an impressive 8 years.
The secret? In the study, the test subjects took alpha-ketoglutarate, a molecule from energy metabolism, . If you want to find out more about it, you can find out more about it in our article about Alpha-Ketoglutarate . Further exciting research is being carried out in the area NAD metabolism . The Sirtuins, nicknamed “longevity genes”, are also a central topic.
The combination with calcium ensures better AKG bioavailability in the organism.
Proteomics – the next step?
DNA, epigenetics, longevity genes – aging research is quite complex. Somewhere in this intricate network of metabolic pathways will be the explanation for disease or aging itself. To add another level, we would like to introduce you to proteomics, because without this field of research our picture is not complete.
To bring you closer to proteomics we need to introduce a new analogy. The cell as a wardrobe. While epigenetics uses its volume controls to determine which genes are active and which are inactive, proteomics looks at the result. Which proteins (clothes) are in your cell (wardrobe)?
We can see what happens to the proteins after they are translated and how they interact with each other. You can find out more about this in our article about proteomics.
