Aging-related inflammation is not universal across human populations

10 months ago

Inflammation associated with aging, known as 'inflammaging,' may not be universal and varies across populations.
Industrialized populations show clear links between inflammaging and chronic diseases, unlike Indigenous groups where inflammation is driven by infections.
Indigenous populations like the Tsimane and Orang Asli have high inflammation levels but do not experience the same chronic diseases as industrialized societies.
The study suggests that inflammation and aging mechanisms are context-dependent, influenced by environment, lifestyle, and infection rates.
Researchers used 19 cytokines to assess inflammation, finding different patterns between industrialized and Indigenous populations.
Key findings include high infection rates in Indigenous groups and no link between inflammaging markers and chronic diseases in these populations.
The study challenges the idea of universal aging biomarkers, highlighting the role of the exposome in immune-aging processes.
The authors call for reevaluating how aging and inflammation are measured, emphasizing the need for context-aware tools.

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