Facts about Antagonistic Pleiotropy Theory
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In antagonistic pleiotropy theory, the p53 tumor suppressor gene is a frequently cited example, as it suppresses cancer early in life but may accelerate aging.
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A key prediction of antagonistic pleiotropy theory is that organisms with longer pre-reproductive periods should show steeper rates of aging afterward.
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Antagonistic pleiotropy theory offers a genetic explanation for why human diseases like cardiovascular disease and cancer increase in prevalence after reproductive age.
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The theory predicts that natural selection cannot remove alleles that cause late-life harm if those same alleles confer reproductive advantages early in life.
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George C. Williams proposed antagonistic pleiotropy theory in 1957 to explain aging as a byproduct of genes beneficial early in life but harmful later.