Environment, Epigenetics, and the Pace of Human Aging

Abstract

The trajectory of human aging varies widely from one individual to the next due to complex interactions between the genome and the environment that influence the aging process. Such differences in age-specific mortality and disease risk among same-aged individuals reflect variation in the pace of biological aging. Certain mechanisms involved in the progression of biological aging originate in the epigenome, where chemical modifications to the genome are able to alter gene expression without modifying the underlying DNA sequence. The epigenome serves as an interface for environmental signals, which are able to “get under the skin” to influence health and aging. A number of the molecular mechanisms involved in the aging process have been identified, although few aging phenotypes have been definitively traced to their underlying molecular causes thus far. In this review, we discuss variation in human biological aging and the epigenome's role in promoting heterogeneity in human longevity and healthspan.