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

摘要 人际和结构性歧视可以通过增加母亲的压力从母亲转移到孩子身上 在儿童早期敏感的发育窗口期：子宫内和幼儿期。作为拉丁裔家庭 在美国，母亲经历的歧视可能会在生物学上嵌入母亲的歧视中。 幼儿，增加了她的孩子对慢性炎症性疾病的易感性（例如，抑郁症、肥胖症） 在整个生命周期中。免疫途径失调可能为幼儿期提供生物学解释 健康状况代际增加，包括慢性儿童疾病和社会情绪 困难然而，多层次的背景影响，如累积歧视，可能会推动一个 孕产妇和儿童健康恶化的趋势仍然难以捉摸。这项拟议的研究将审查 母亲的歧视经历可能会通过以下方式在母亲和孩子中诱发促炎状态： 免疫失调--一个连接压力和慢性疾病的关键途径。这一建议从理论上 框架（童年逆境模型和社会安全理论的生物嵌入），以了解 通过两种途径， 具体目标：目标1a：确定人际歧视和结构性歧视的关联程度 妊娠期间母体免疫谱（20种炎性血浆蛋白）; 1b：探索母体 文化适应调节了人际歧视和结构性歧视与母性歧视之间的关系， 免疫特征目标2a：探讨母亲是否经历过人际歧视和结构性歧视 与儿童的免疫调节有关（免疫调节基因的DNA甲基化，TNF-α，IL-6， NR 3C 1）和社会情绪功能在3-5岁; 2b：探索母亲的社会支持是否适度 母亲的人际关系和结构性歧视与儿童免疫调节之间的关系， 社会情绪功能随附的职业发展计划将为a） 提高我在幼儿社会情感发展方面的知识; B）发展技能和知识整合 与人类发展有关的社会背景下的生物机制; c）发展社区技能 参与战略和拉丁裔人口的主要数据收集; d）发展高级技能， 定量分析方法。我强大的导师团队将在整个颁奖过程中指导我。总的来说， 职业发展和研究计划将支持我成长为一名独立的护理科学家， 拉丁裔家庭妇幼健康的社会和生物决定因素。该提案与NINR的一致 战略计划，以确定不利于特定人口群体的多层次健康社会决定因素。 在发育的早期理解生物机制和社会背景之间的相互作用 级联反应可能会为预防性干预提供信息，以抵消情绪和生物后果， 对拉丁裔母亲及其子女的歧视。

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.