The Role of Structural and Interpersonal Discrimination on Latina Mother and Child Immune Pathways

摘要 通过增加母亲的压力，人际和结构性歧视可以从母亲传给孩子。 在儿童早期敏感的发育阶段：宫内和儿童早期。作为拉丁裔家庭 适应美国的文化，母亲经历的歧视可能会在生物学上根植于母亲的 幼儿，增加了孩子对慢性炎症性疾病(如抑郁症、肥胖症)的易感性 在整个生命周期内。调节失调的免疫途径可能为儿童早期提供生物学解释 代际增加的健康状况，包括儿童慢性疾病和社会情绪 困难。然而，多层次的背景影响，如累积的歧视，可能会推动 孕产妇和儿童健康恶化的轨迹仍然难以捉摸。这项拟议的研究将审查以下程度 哪种母亲的歧视经历可能通过以下途径在母亲和孩子中诱导促炎状态 免疫失调--将压力与慢性病联系起来的关键途径。这一建议综合了理论上的 框架(儿童逆境的生物嵌入模型和社会安全理论) 孕期和幼儿期辨别能力与免疫途径的关系 具体目标：目标1a：确定人际和结构性歧视的程度 孕期母体免疫状况(20种炎性血浆蛋白)；1b：探讨母体 文化适应缓和人际和结构性歧视与母性歧视之间的关系 免疫档案。目标2a：探讨人际关系和结构性歧视的母性经历 与儿童的免疫调节有关(免疫调节基因的DNA甲基化，肿瘤坏死因子-α，IL-6， NR3C1)和3-5岁的社会情绪功能；2b：探索母亲的社会支持是否有所缓和 母亲人际歧视和结构性歧视与儿童免疫调节的关系 社会情绪功能。随附的职业发展计划将为 增进我在早期儿童社会情绪发展方面的知识；b)培养整合技能和知识 与人类发展有关的社会背景下的生物机制；c)在社区中发展技能 拉丁裔人口的参与战略和主要数据收集；d)在以下方面发展高级技能 定量分析方法。我强大的指导团队将在整个奖项中指导我。总而言之， 职业发展和研究计划将支持我成长为一名独立的护士科学家 拉丁裔家庭母婴健康的社会和生物决定因素。这项建议与NINR的建议一致 确定对特定人口群体不利的多层次健康社会决定因素的战略计划。 在发育早期理解生物机制和社会背景之间的相互作用 CASCADE可以提供预防干预措施，抵消糖尿病的情感和生物后遗症 拉美裔母亲及其年幼子女的歧视。

ABSTRACT Interpersonal and structural discrimination can be transferred from mother to child by heightening maternal stress during a child’s early sensitive developmental windows: in-utero and early childhood. As Latinx families acculturate to the US, maternally experienced discrimination may become biologically embedded in a mother’s young child, increasing her child’s vulnerability to chronic inflammatory conditions (e.g., depression, obesity) across the lifespan. Dysregulated immune pathways may provide biological explanations for early childhood health conditions that increase intergenerationally, including chronic childhood diseases and socioemotional difficulties. Yet, the multi-level contextual influences, such as cumulative discrimination, which may drive a trajectory of worsened maternal and child health remain elusive. This proposed study will examine the degree to which maternal experiences of discrimination may induce a pro-inflammatory state in both mother and child via immune dysregulation—a critical pathway linking stress to chronic disease. This proposal integrates theoretical frameworks (Biological Embedding of Childhood Adversity Model and Social Safety Theory) to understand the relationship between discrimination and immune pathways during pregnancy and early childhood through two specific aims: Aim 1a: Determine the extent to which interpersonal and structural discrimination is associated with maternal immune profiles (20 inflammatory plasma proteins) during pregnancy; 1b: Explore if maternal acculturation moderates the relationships between interpersonal and structural discrimination and maternal immune profiles. Aim 2a: Explore whether maternal experiences of interpersonal and structural discrimination are associated with a child’s immune regulation (DNA methylation of immune-regulatory genes, TNF-a, IL-6, NR3C1) and socioemotional functioning at 3-5 years old; 2b: Explore whether maternal social support moderates relationships between maternal interpersonal and structural discrimination and child immune regulation and socioemotional functioning. The accompanying career development plan will provide a foundation to a) advance my knowledge in early child socioemotional development; b) develop skills and knowledge integrating biological mechanisms within social contexts related to human development; c) develop skills in community engagement strategies and primary data collection in Latinx populations; d) develop advanced skills in quantitative analytical methods. My strong mentorship team will guide me throughout this award. Collectively, the career development and research plan will support my growth as an independent nurse scientist examining social and biological determinants of maternal and child health in Latinx families. This proposal aligns with NINR’s Strategic Plan to identify multi-level social determinants of health that disadvantage specific population groups. Understanding interactions between biological mechanisms and social contexts early in the developmental cascade may inform preventive interventions that counteract the emotional and biological sequalae of discrimination in Latina mothers and their young children.