Immune-mediated inflammatory diseases are a health burden for approximately seven percent of the population of Western nations. Preliminary data suggest variations in ethnic identity and/or geography influence discrimination experiences and inflammatory response trends. This study investigates how geography, ethnicity, and laboratory manipulation of discrimination experiences affect immune cell function and genomic regulation. Flow cytometry and immune cell stimulation will test monocytes collected from peripheral blood for functional effects. Next-generation transcriptomics and epigenomics will assess genomic and epigenetic mechanisms. The hypothesis is that geography, self-identified race, and ethnicity, interacting with laboratory discrimination conditions during the virtual ballgame Cyberballâ„¢, significantly affect immune cell function through genomic and epigenetic mechanisms, with perceived discrimination as a moderating factor on the immune outcomes. The transdisciplinary nature of the proposed study aims to provide valuable insights into differential susceptibility to immune-mediated inflammatory diseases across diverse populations. Uncovering these insights will better inform population-relevant interventions for immune-mediated inflammatory diseases.
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Frequency of Perceived Discrimination Experiences
Timeframe: Survey response collected before the first Cyberball Sequence within 30 minutes of arriving at the lab) and score calculated during data analysis
Type, Timing and Frequency of Lifetime Discrimination Experiences
Timeframe: Survey response collected within 30 minutes after completing the first Cyberball Sequence and score calculated during data analysis]
Recent Discrimination and Perceived Ethnic Discrimination Score
Timeframe: Survey responses collected within 30 minutes after completing the Second Cyberball Sequence and score calculated during data analysis]
Recent and Lifetime Discrimination Stress Score
Timeframe: Survey responses collected within 30 minutes after completing the Second Cyberball Sequence and score calculated during data analysis
Relationship between salivary and serum immune responses
Timeframe: Samples used in assay are saliva collected at baseline (30 mins before) and 40 minutes after the first Cyberball sequence, and serum is purified from whole blood collected 30 minutes after the first and second Cyberball sequence.
Distribution and Quantity of Immune Cells in Whole blood
Timeframe: These data will be from whole blood samples collected 30 minutes after the first and 30 minutes after the second Cyberball sequence. The sequences are between 90 to 120 minutes apart separated by a washout period.
Stimulated PBMC Cytokine Release
Timeframe: PMBCs purified from whole blood collected collected 30 minutes after the first and 30 minutes after the second Cyberball sequence are compared at 0, 2, 24 and 26 hours after incubation in LPS
Gene expression levels
Timeframe: PMBCs purified from whole blood collected collected 30 minutes after the first and 30 minutes after the second Cyberball sequence