From Mouse to Human, Aging Leaves Shared Marks in Gene Activity
Graded Preliminary — computer models built from over 11,000 samples and tested mostly in mice; the human data show only links, and an estimated age is not a measured lifespan.
Animal study. Findings may not carry over to people, which is why the grade is capped at Preliminary.
- Design
- Animal study
- Participants
- 11,000
- Duration
- —
- Funding
- US National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NIH)
Age-related changes in gene activity follow a shared pattern in mice, rats, macaques and humans.
As we age, the set of genes that are switched on in our tissues shifts. That shift looks strikingly similar in mice, rats, macaques and humans. Researchers used it to build computer models called aging clocks. They read gene activity and estimate age and expected risk of death.
The team drew on more than 11,000 samples from over 25 tissues. One test used 170 old mice given 20 different treatments, including rapamycin, a drug that extends lifespan in mice. The death-risk clock rated mice on life-extending drugs as younger and mice in harmful conditions as older. When old mice shared a blood supply with young ones, their estimated age also dropped. In the UK Biobank, people with higher blood levels of two flagged proteins died more often.
The clocks also show which parts of the cell age faster. Chronic diseases mainly sped up gene groups tied to inflammation. Eating fewer calories acted instead on gene groups for the cell's power plants and metabolism. Still, an estimated age is not a measured lifespan. Clocks for single cell systems were only moderately accurate, and some experiments used very few animals.
Conflict of Interest Disclosure: Two authors have filed a US patent application related to this work.
Disclaimer: Research summaries are provided for informational purposes only and do not constitute medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making changes to your health routine.