Description of SINO_1

[Spica99]

Skin aging is influenced by the general intrinsic aging process and extrinsic environmental factors. In our study, we aim to investigate whether long-term air pollution exposure is a key risk factor for skin-related outcomes in the elderly Chinese population. To examine susceptible subgroups in the elderly Chinese population, which show a stronger or extenuated effect of long-term air pollution exposure on skin-related outcomes than the general elderly Chinese population, we will conduct a genome-wide association study on skin-related outcomes. We will assess the different skin-related outcomes in an existing Chinese cohort study (Taizhou Cohort). This cohort study includes subjects in the age range from 30 to 80 years. We here will investigate study subjects above the age of 40 in order to have a cohort with long-term exposure to environmental pollutants.
There is vast ethnic difference in the manifestation of skin aging in Chinese and Caucasian. In collaboration with our German team, we will further evaluate the comparative skin aging, environmental and genetic data in SALIA, a Caucasian population cohort to understand the divergent skin aging process in different population. The SALIA study (Study on the influence of air pollution on lung function, inflammation and aging) was part of the Environmental Health surveys as an element of the Clean Air Plan introduced by the Government of North Rhine Westphalia in Germany. At the same time, we will investigate the role of systemic inflammation in the pathway from air pollution exposure to skin-related outcomes to figure out its biological mechanism. Markers of subclinical inflammation will be measured and its role in air pollution outcome association will also be elucidated.
Adverse effects of ambient particulate matter (PM) on human health currently become a great environmental threat and have been shown to be a high risk for cancer, pulmonary and cardiovascular diseases. Due to the normal intrinsic ageing process, even older persons in good health condition may experience increased health risks from environmental pollutants. Older persons also have accumulated a lifetime of environmental and occupational contaminants which are capable of remaining in their bodies. The skin as outermost barriers is in direct contact with various air pollutants, and it has been shown that airborne particulate matter (PM) exposure may contribute the increasing occurrence of prominent skin aging signs especially pigment spots and wrinkles in Caucasian by our German collaborators.
The growth of China’s elderly population is happening at a time of rapid increase in industrialization and urbanization. In developing countries like China, mainly consume fossil fuels with a fast growing auto-mobile market, industrial and traffic-related air pollution is a risk factor for ill-health.
The proposed joint analyses between the IUF and PICB/FTIHS, aim at exploring the effect of chronic exposure to ambient air pollution on the process of skin ageing in the elderly Chinese population. We hypothesize that the role of ambient air pollution in the course and development of chronic skin conditions varies depending on specific underlying factors, including genetic markers. Furthermore, the IUF is owner of data regarding the same objectives than addressed here, but for a cohort of German women, the SALIA study cohort. We see unique advantages of investigating the Taizhou cohort to address these hypotheses and to make comparative analysis with the SALIA study cohort.