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Olova, Nelly N., Zhou, Tianchi, Boner, Winnie, Gillespie, Robert, Ivimey-Cook, Edward R. 
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4910-0443, Marioni, Riccardo, Cunningham, Emma J. A., Chandra, Tamir, Little, Tom J., Monaghan, Pat and Dominoni, Davide M.
(2026)
Increased stress in early life epigenetically rewires pathways related to aging and longevity.
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Abstract
Environmental conditions experienced early in life have profound consequences for vertebrate health, yet the molecular pathways linking developmental stress to aging and reduced lifespan remain poorly understood. Through a novel highly accurate epigenetic clock, developed from RRBS-based blood DNA methylation profiles, we show that experimental lifespan-reducing early-life stress rapidly accelerates epigenetic age in zebra finch chicks (Taeniopygia guttata). Corticosterone-treated 29-day-old chicks share differentially methylated loci with non-treated aged birds and cluster with 6-month-old birds. The transcriptional repressor ZBTB16 emerges as an epigenetically top age-correlated gene and is strongest affected by corticosterone. Elevated developmental corticosterone causes rapid epigenetic remodelling of metabolic pathways well-established in aging and longevity. Our results demonstrate epigenetic rewiring of the aging trajectory through conserved stress-survival mechanisms immediately following elevated early-life stress exposure.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Faculty \ School: | Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences > Norwich Medical School Faculty of Science Faculty of Science > School of Biological Sciences |
| Related URLs: | |
| Depositing User: | LivePure Connector |
| Date Deposited: | 05 Oct 2026 23:05 |
| Last Modified: | 05 Oct 2026 23:05 |
| URI: | https://ueaeprints.uea.ac.uk/id/eprint/104730 |
| DOI: | 10.64898/2026.09.30.755600 |
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