Programming of potential longevity in early ontogenesis as a sign of epigenetic adaptation

Recently, a cluster of new hypotheses of aging has been suggested, which explicitly predict the importance of early-life events in health and life span modulations. It has been widely assumed that these long-lasting consequences of early-life exposures may depend on the same mechanisms as those underlying 'cellular memory' i.e. epigenetic inheritance systems. There is growing body of evidence that environmentally-induced perturbations in the epigenetic processes (which involve alterations of gene expression without a change in DNA sequence) can determine different aspects of aging, as well as etiology and pathogenesis of age-related diseases. Long-term beneficial effects (epigenetic adaptation) can also occur under some conditions. Changes in gene expression were detected by the life-extending hormetic interventions, such as irradiation, both heat and cold shocks, dietary restriction and hypergravity, as well as by geroprotectors (e.g., antioxidants). It might be hypothesized that life-extending effects are most likely a consequence of unspecific (hormetic) action, rather then specific (geroprotective) action, and induced transcriptional changes may be a common mechanism for all anti-aging treatments. The epigenetic interventions (e.g., pre- and postnatal mild stresses), it seems, can be specifically useful in the modulation of aging processes and healthy life extension.