Physical activity affects DNA methylation-derived inflammation markers in a community-based Parkinson's disease study

Introduction: Past studies have connected physical activity (PA) and Parkinson's disease (PD) to chronic inflammation. We use DNA methylation-derived (DNAm) proxies for inflammation to investigate the relationship between PA and chronic inflammation among PD patients. Methods: We collected demo...

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Main Authors: Yang Cheng Hu, Keren Zhang, Kimberly C. Paul, Jin Zhou, Jeff M. Bronstein, Cynthia D.J. Kusters, Beate R. Ritz
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-07-01
Series:Brain, Behavior, & Immunity - Health
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666354625000729
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author Yang Cheng Hu
Keren Zhang
Kimberly C. Paul
Jin Zhou
Jeff M. Bronstein
Cynthia D.J. Kusters
Beate R. Ritz
author_facet Yang Cheng Hu
Keren Zhang
Kimberly C. Paul
Jin Zhou
Jeff M. Bronstein
Cynthia D.J. Kusters
Beate R. Ritz
author_sort Yang Cheng Hu
collection DOAJ
description Introduction: Past studies have connected physical activity (PA) and Parkinson's disease (PD) to chronic inflammation. We use DNA methylation-derived (DNAm) proxies for inflammation to investigate the relationship between PA and chronic inflammation among PD patients. Methods: We collected demographics, lifestyle, and PA status information by interviewing 555 PD patients enrolled in the Parkinson's Environment and Gene (PEG) studies. We used the epigenetic clock website to generate DNAm proxies and performed principal component analysis (PCA) of 22 DNAm cytokine proxies. Using the Mann-Whitney U test, we compared the PC scores of active and sedentary patients. For PCs associated with PA status, we examine associations between PA status, the amount of PA, and PCs for DNAm cytokines using permutation-based tests. Results: Compared to sedentary PD patients, those who reported strenuous PA have lower levels of c-reactive protein (CRP; p < 0.01) and higher levels of Fc receptor-like 2 (FcRL2; p = 0.02). Patients who engaged in moderate PA have lower levels of C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 9 (CXCL9; p = 0.03), 10 (CXCL10; p = 0.02), and 11 (CXCL11; p = 0.01). Among active patients, strenuous PA is non-linearly (convex-shape) associated with the proportions of natural killer cells (NK; p = 0.02) and CD8T cells (p = 0.05) and negatively associated with CRP levels (p = 0.02). We also observe a non-linear association between moderate PA and monocyte counts (p = 0.02). Conclusion: PA may benefit PD patients by reducing chronic inflammation. We also found that strenuous PA may increase the proportions of NK and CD8T cells, though further effort is needed to confirm potential shifts in immune cell subtypes.
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spelling doaj-art-c993defbdc89491e8ae63bf88bbd073c2025-08-20T02:06:12ZengElsevierBrain, Behavior, & Immunity - Health2666-35462025-07-014610101410.1016/j.bbih.2025.101014Physical activity affects DNA methylation-derived inflammation markers in a community-based Parkinson's disease studyYang Cheng Hu0Keren Zhang1Kimberly C. Paul2Jin Zhou3Jeff M. Bronstein4Cynthia D.J. Kusters5Beate R. Ritz6Department of Epidemiology, UCLA Fielding School of Public Health, Los Angeles, CA, USADepartment of Epidemiology, UCLA Fielding School of Public Health, Los Angeles, CA, USADepartment of Neurology, UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine, Los Angeles, CA, USADepartment of Epidemiology, UCLA Fielding School of Public Health, Los Angeles, CA, USADepartment of Neurology, UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine, Los Angeles, CA, USADepartment of Epidemiology, UCLA Fielding School of Public Health, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Cousins Center for Psychoneuroimmunology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Jane and Terry Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, Department of Psychiatry &amp; Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USADepartment of Epidemiology, UCLA Fielding School of Public Health, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Department of Neurology, UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Department of Environmental Health Sciences, UCLA Fielding School of Public Health, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Corresponding author. Department of Epidemiology, UCLA Fielding School of Public Health, Los Angeles, CA, USA.Introduction: Past studies have connected physical activity (PA) and Parkinson's disease (PD) to chronic inflammation. We use DNA methylation-derived (DNAm) proxies for inflammation to investigate the relationship between PA and chronic inflammation among PD patients. Methods: We collected demographics, lifestyle, and PA status information by interviewing 555 PD patients enrolled in the Parkinson's Environment and Gene (PEG) studies. We used the epigenetic clock website to generate DNAm proxies and performed principal component analysis (PCA) of 22 DNAm cytokine proxies. Using the Mann-Whitney U test, we compared the PC scores of active and sedentary patients. For PCs associated with PA status, we examine associations between PA status, the amount of PA, and PCs for DNAm cytokines using permutation-based tests. Results: Compared to sedentary PD patients, those who reported strenuous PA have lower levels of c-reactive protein (CRP; p < 0.01) and higher levels of Fc receptor-like 2 (FcRL2; p = 0.02). Patients who engaged in moderate PA have lower levels of C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 9 (CXCL9; p = 0.03), 10 (CXCL10; p = 0.02), and 11 (CXCL11; p = 0.01). Among active patients, strenuous PA is non-linearly (convex-shape) associated with the proportions of natural killer cells (NK; p = 0.02) and CD8T cells (p = 0.05) and negatively associated with CRP levels (p = 0.02). We also observe a non-linear association between moderate PA and monocyte counts (p = 0.02). Conclusion: PA may benefit PD patients by reducing chronic inflammation. We also found that strenuous PA may increase the proportions of NK and CD8T cells, though further effort is needed to confirm potential shifts in immune cell subtypes.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666354625000729Parkinson's diseasePhysical activityExerciseDNA methylation proxiesChronic inflammation
spellingShingle Yang Cheng Hu
Keren Zhang
Kimberly C. Paul
Jin Zhou
Jeff M. Bronstein
Cynthia D.J. Kusters
Beate R. Ritz
Physical activity affects DNA methylation-derived inflammation markers in a community-based Parkinson's disease study
Brain, Behavior, & Immunity - Health
Parkinson's disease
Physical activity
Exercise
DNA methylation proxies
Chronic inflammation
title Physical activity affects DNA methylation-derived inflammation markers in a community-based Parkinson's disease study
title_full Physical activity affects DNA methylation-derived inflammation markers in a community-based Parkinson's disease study
title_fullStr Physical activity affects DNA methylation-derived inflammation markers in a community-based Parkinson's disease study
title_full_unstemmed Physical activity affects DNA methylation-derived inflammation markers in a community-based Parkinson's disease study
title_short Physical activity affects DNA methylation-derived inflammation markers in a community-based Parkinson's disease study
title_sort physical activity affects dna methylation derived inflammation markers in a community based parkinson s disease study
topic Parkinson's disease
Physical activity
Exercise
DNA methylation proxies
Chronic inflammation
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666354625000729
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