Genomic Counter-Stress Changes Induced by the Relaxation Response

Authors

Jeffery A. Dusek, Benson-Henry Institute for Mind Body Medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital
Hasan H. Otu, Harvard Medical SchoolFollow
Ann L. Wohlhueter, Benson-Henry Institute for Mind Body Medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital
Manoj Bhasin, Harvard Medical School
Luiz F. Zerbini, Harvard Medical School
Marie G. Joseph, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
Herbert Benson, Benson-Henry Institute for Mind Body Medicine at Massachusetts General HospitalFollow
Towia A. Libermann, Harvard Medical SchoolFollow

ORCID IDs

Hasan H. Otu

Date of this Version

2008

Citation

PLoS ONE 3(7): e2576

Comments

Copyright 2008 Dusek et al.

Open access

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0002576

Abstract

Background: Mind-body practices that elicit the relaxation response (RR) have been used worldwide for millennia to prevent and treat disease. The RR is characterized by decreased oxygen consumption, increased exhaled nitric oxide, and reduced psychological distress. It is believed to be the counterpart of the stress response that exhibits a distinct pattern of physiology and transcriptional profile. We hypothesized that RR elicitation results in characteristic gene expression changes that can be used to measure physiological responses elicited by the RR in an unbiased fashion.

Methods/Principal Findings: We assessed whole blood transcriptional profiles in 19 healthy, long-term practitioners of daily RR practice (group M), 19 healthy controls (group N₁), and 20 N₁ individuals who completed 8 weeks of RR training (group N₂). 2209 genes were differentially expressed in group M relative to group N₁ (p2 compared to group N₁ (p-10) of 2209 and 1561 differentially expressed genes were shared among long-term (M) and short-term practitioners (N₂). Gene ontology and gene set enrichment analyses revealed significant alterations in cellular metabolism, oxidative phosphorylation, generation of reactive oxygen species and response to oxidative stress in long-term and short-term practitioners of daily RR practice that may counteract cellular damage related to chronic psychological stress. A significant number of genes and pathways were confirmed in an independent validation set containing 5 N₁ controls, 5 N₂ short-term and 6 M long-term practitioners.

Conclusions/Significance: This study provides the first compelling evidence that the RR elicits specific gene expression changes in short-term and long-term practitioners. Our results suggest consistent and constitutive changes in gene expression resulting from RR may relate to long term physiological effects. Our study may stimulate new investigations into applying transcriptional profiling for accurately measuring RR and stress related responses in multiple disease settings.