# Project 4 - Psychosocial Influences on Gene Expressioin in a National Sample

> **NIH NIH U19** · UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-MADISON · 2020 · $283,186

## Abstract

Abstract – Project 4 – Gene Expression Project
Twin research has shown that aggregate genetic effects on health are systematically modified by factors such
as socioeconomic status (SES) and social relationships. In this new MIDUS project, we will begin identifying the
specific pathways that integrate the effects of genes and psychosocial environments to jointly influence targeted
biological risk factors for aging-related diseases. Specifically, we aim to harness new methods for genome-wide
transcriptional profiling and related bioinformatic interpretive strategies to study how the expression profiles of
genes central to the body's immune-inflammatory response are affected by socioeconomic standing and social
relational experience. Preliminary studies show how adverse psychosocial conditions such as low SES and
social isolation affect the expression of several specific sets of genes relevant to health outcomes. These studies
have identified a “Conserved Transcriptional Response to Adversity” (CTRA) marked by up-regulation of pro-
inflammatory genes and down-regulation of genes involved in Type I interferon responses and production of
specific antibody isotypes. Although provocative, this research has yet to be conducted in nationally
representative samples and needs to be expanded to a broader range of potentially relevant psychosocial risk
factors. Of particular importance is the need to examine whether psychosocial advantages might ameliorate the
impact of adverse life experience. The overarching aim of this new project is to integrate gene expression
profiling and related bioinformatic assessment of CTRA transcriptome profiles into the rich knowledge of
psychosocial aging afforded by MIDUS.
The specific aims are the following: (1) Obtain genome-wide transcriptional profiles of peripheral blood
mononuclear cells (PBMCs) for participants in the MIDUS Biomarker Project; (2) Examine how cumulative
socioeconomic and social relational profiles impact gene expression in this group of participants; (3) Determine
if psychosocial advantage or disadvantage directly impacts gene expression, net of genetic endowment, by
conducting an identical co-twin control study within this group.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9955139
- **Project number:** 5U19AG051426-05
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-MADISON
- **Principal Investigator:** CAROL D. RYFF
- **Activity code:** U19 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $283,186
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** — → 2022-09-29

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9955139

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9955139, Project 4 - Psychosocial Influences on Gene Expressioin in a National Sample (5U19AG051426-05). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-06-01 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9955139. Licensed CC0.

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