1
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Ren P, Zhang J, Vijg J. Somatic mutations in aging and disease. GeroScience 2024; 46:5171-5189. [PMID: 38488948 PMCID: PMC11336144 DOI: 10.1007/s11357-024-01113-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2023] [Accepted: 02/27/2024] [Indexed: 03/17/2024] Open
Abstract
Time always leaves its mark, and our genome is no exception. Mutations in the genome of somatic cells were first hypothesized to be the cause of aging in the 1950s, shortly after the molecular structure of DNA had been described. Somatic mutation theories of aging are based on the fact that mutations in DNA as the ultimate template for all cellular functions are irreversible. However, it took until the 1990s to develop the methods to test if DNA mutations accumulate with age in different organs and tissues and estimate the severity of the problem. By now, numerous studies have documented the accumulation of somatic mutations with age in normal cells and tissues of mice, humans, and other animals, showing clock-like mutational signatures that provide information on the underlying causes of the mutations. In this review, we will first briefly discuss the recent advances in next-generation sequencing that now allow quantitative analysis of somatic mutations. Second, we will provide evidence that the mutation rate differs between cell types, with a focus on differences between germline and somatic mutation rate. Third, we will discuss somatic mutational signatures as measures of aging, environmental exposure, and activities of DNA repair processes. Fourth, we will explain the concept of clonally amplified somatic mutations, with a focus on clonal hematopoiesis. Fifth, we will briefly discuss somatic mutations in the transcriptome and in our other genome, i.e., the genome of mitochondria. We will end with a brief discussion of a possible causal contribution of somatic mutations to the aging process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peijun Ren
- Center for Single-Cell Omics, School of Public Health, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, China.
| | - Jie Zhang
- Center for Single-Cell Omics, School of Public Health, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, China
| | - Jan Vijg
- Center for Single-Cell Omics, School of Public Health, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, China.
- Department of Genetics, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, 10461, USA.
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2
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Leote AC, Lopes F, Beyer A. Loss of coordination between basic cellular processes in human aging. NATURE AGING 2024:10.1038/s43587-024-00696-y. [PMID: 39227753 DOI: 10.1038/s43587-024-00696-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2023] [Accepted: 07/30/2024] [Indexed: 09/05/2024]
Abstract
Age-related loss of gene expression coordination has been reported for distinct cell types and may lead to impaired cellular function. Here we propose a method for quantifying age-related changes in transcriptional regulatory relationships between genes, based on a model learned from external data. We used this method to uncover age-related trends in gene-gene relationships across eight human tissues, which demonstrates that reduced co-expression may also result from coordinated transcriptional responses. Our analyses reveal similar numbers of strengthening and weakening gene-gene relationships with age, impacting both tissue-specific (for example, coagulation in blood) and ubiquitous biological functions. Regulatory relationships becoming weaker with age were established mostly between genes operating in distinct cellular processes. As opposed to that, regulatory relationships becoming stronger with age were established both within and between different cellular functions. Our work reveals that, although most transcriptional regulatory gene-gene relationships are maintained during aging, those with declining regulatory coupling result mostly from a loss of coordination between distinct cellular processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Carolina Leote
- Cologne Excellence Cluster on Cellular Stress Responses in Age-Associated Diseases (CECAD), University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Francisco Lopes
- Cologne Excellence Cluster on Cellular Stress Responses in Age-Associated Diseases (CECAD), University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
- Department II of Internal Medicine, University of Cologne, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Andreas Beyer
- Cologne Excellence Cluster on Cellular Stress Responses in Age-Associated Diseases (CECAD), University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.
- Institute for Genetics, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.
- Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne (CMMC), University of Cologne, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, Cologne, Germany.
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3
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Age-associated changes in gene regulatory relationships affect basic cellular processes. NATURE AGING 2024:10.1038/s43587-024-00706-z. [PMID: 39237810 DOI: 10.1038/s43587-024-00706-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/07/2024]
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4
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Unger Avila P, Padvitski T, Leote AC, Chen H, Saez-Rodriguez J, Kann M, Beyer A. Gene regulatory networks in disease and ageing. Nat Rev Nephrol 2024; 20:616-633. [PMID: 38867109 DOI: 10.1038/s41581-024-00849-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/15/2024] [Indexed: 06/14/2024]
Abstract
The precise control of gene expression is required for the maintenance of cellular homeostasis and proper cellular function, and the declining control of gene expression with age is considered a major contributor to age-associated changes in cellular physiology and disease. The coordination of gene expression can be represented through models of the molecular interactions that govern gene expression levels, so-called gene regulatory networks. Gene regulatory networks can represent interactions that occur through signal transduction, those that involve regulatory transcription factors, or statistical models of gene-gene relationships based on the premise that certain sets of genes tend to be coexpressed across a range of conditions and cell types. Advances in experimental and computational technologies have enabled the inference of these networks on an unprecedented scale and at unprecedented precision. Here, we delineate different types of gene regulatory networks and their cell-biological interpretation. We describe methods for inferring such networks from large-scale, multi-omics datasets and present applications that have aided our understanding of cellular ageing and disease mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paula Unger Avila
- Cluster of Excellence on Cellular Stress Responses in Aging-associated Diseases (CECAD), University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Tsimafei Padvitski
- Cluster of Excellence on Cellular Stress Responses in Aging-associated Diseases (CECAD), University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Ana Carolina Leote
- Cluster of Excellence on Cellular Stress Responses in Aging-associated Diseases (CECAD), University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - He Chen
- Cluster of Excellence on Cellular Stress Responses in Aging-associated Diseases (CECAD), University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
- Department II of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Julio Saez-Rodriguez
- Faculty of Medicine and Heidelberg University Hospital, Institute for Computational Biomedicine, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Martin Kann
- Department II of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
- Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Andreas Beyer
- Cluster of Excellence on Cellular Stress Responses in Aging-associated Diseases (CECAD), University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.
- Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.
- Institute for Genetics, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.
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5
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Coler-Reilly A, Pincus Z, Scheller EL, Civitelli R. Six drivers of aging identified among genes differentially expressed with age. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.08.02.606402. [PMID: 39149379 PMCID: PMC11326176 DOI: 10.1101/2024.08.02.606402] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/17/2024]
Abstract
Many studies have compared gene expression in young and old samples to gain insights on aging, the primary risk factor for most major chronic diseases. However, these studies only describe associations, failing to distinguish drivers of aging from compensatory geroprotective responses and incidental downstream effects. Here, we introduce a workflow to characterize the causal effects of differentially expressed genes on lifespan. First, we performed a meta-analysis of 25 gene expression datasets comprising samples of various tissues from healthy, untreated adult mammals (humans, dogs, and rodents) at two distinct ages. We ranked each gene according to the number of distinct datasets in which the gene was differentially expressed with age in a consistent direction. The top age-upregulated genes were TMEM176A, EFEMP1, CP, and HLA-A; the top age-downregulated genes were CA4, SIAH, SPARC, and UQCR10. Second, the effects of the top ranked genes on lifespan were measured by applying post-developmental RNA interference of the corresponding ortholog in the nematode C. elegans (two trials, with roughly 100 animals per genotype per trial). Out of 10 age-upregulated and 9 age-downregulated genes that were tested, two age-upregulated genes (csp-3/CASP1 and spch-2/RSRC1) and four age-downregulated genes (C42C1.8/DIRC2, ost-1/SPARC, fzy-1/CDC20, and cah-3/CA4) produced significant and reproducible lifespan extension. Notably, the data do not suggest that the direction of differential expression with age is predictive of the effect on lifespan. Our study provides novel insight into the relationship between differential gene expression and aging phenotypes, pilots an unbiased workflow that can be easily repeated and expanded, and pinpoints six genes with evolutionarily conserved, causal roles in the aging process for further study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ariella Coler-Reilly
- Division of Bone and Mineral Diseases, Musculoskeletal Research Center
- Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
- Department of Medical Scientist Training Program, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Zachary Pincus
- Department of Developmental Biology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
- Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Erica L. Scheller
- Division of Bone and Mineral Diseases, Musculoskeletal Research Center
- Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
- Department of Developmental Biology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology; Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Roberto Civitelli
- Division of Bone and Mineral Diseases, Musculoskeletal Research Center
- Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology; Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
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6
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Lin WH, Opoc FG, Liao CW, Roy K, Steinmetz L, Leu JY. Histone deacetylase Hos2 regulates protein expression noise by potentially modulating the protein translation machinery. Nucleic Acids Res 2024; 52:7556-7571. [PMID: 38783136 PMCID: PMC11260488 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkae432] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2024] [Revised: 05/05/2024] [Accepted: 05/09/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Non-genetic variations derived from expression noise at transcript or protein levels can result in cell-to-cell heterogeneity within an isogenic population. Although cells have developed strategies to reduce noise in some cellular functions, this heterogeneity can also facilitate varying levels of regulation and provide evolutionary benefits in specific environments. Despite several general characteristics of cellular noise having been revealed, the detailed molecular pathways underlying noise regulation remain elusive. Here, we established a dual-fluorescent reporter system in Saccharomyces cerevisiae and performed experimental evolution to search for mutations that increase expression noise. By analyzing evolved cells using bulk segregant analysis coupled with whole-genome sequencing, we identified the histone deacetylase Hos2 as a negative noise regulator. A hos2 mutant down-regulated multiple ribosomal protein genes and exhibited partially compromised protein translation, indicating that Hos2 may regulate protein expression noise by modulating the translation machinery. Treating cells with translation inhibitors or introducing mutations into several Hos2-regulated ribosomal protein genes-RPS9A, RPS28B and RPL42A-enhanced protein expression noise. Our study provides an effective strategy for identifying noise regulators and also sheds light on how cells regulate non-genetic variation through protein translation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei-Han Lin
- Doctoral Program in Microbial Genomics, National Chung Hsing University and Academia Sinica, Taiwan
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei 115, Taiwan
| | - Florica J G Opoc
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei 115, Taiwan
| | - Chia-Wei Liao
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei 115, Taiwan
| | - Kevin R Roy
- Stanford Genome Technology Center, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA 94304, USA
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Lars M Steinmetz
- Stanford Genome Technology Center, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA 94304, USA
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), Genome Biology Unit, Heidelberg 69117, Germany
| | - Jun-Yi Leu
- Doctoral Program in Microbial Genomics, National Chung Hsing University and Academia Sinica, Taiwan
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei 115, Taiwan
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7
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Wang H, Xiao F, Gao Z, Guo L, Yang L, Li G, Kong Q. Methylation entropy landscape of Chinese long-lived individuals reveals lower epigenetic noise related to human healthy aging. Aging Cell 2024; 23:e14163. [PMID: 38566438 PMCID: PMC11258444 DOI: 10.1111/acel.14163] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2023] [Revised: 03/12/2024] [Accepted: 03/15/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024] Open
Abstract
The transition from ordered to noisy is a significant epigenetic signature of aging and age-related disease. As a paradigm of healthy human aging and longevity, long-lived individuals (LLI, >90 years old) may possess characteristic strategies in coping with the disordered epigenetic regulation. In this study, we constructed high-resolution blood epigenetic noise landscapes for this cohort by a methylation entropy (ME) method using whole genome bisulfite sequencing (WGBS). Although a universal increase in global ME occurred with chronological age in general control samples, this trend was suppressed in LLIs. Importantly, we identified 38,923 genomic regions with LLI-specific lower ME (LLI-specific lower entropy regions, for short, LLI-specific LERs). These regions were overrepresented in promoters, which likely function in transcriptional noise suppression. Genes associated with LLI-specific LERs have a considerable impact on SNP-based heritability of some aging-related disorders (e.g., asthma and stroke). Furthermore, neutrophil was identified as the primary cell type sustaining LLI-specific LERs. Our results highlight the stability of epigenetic order in promoters of genes involved with aging and age-related disorders within LLI epigenomes. This unique epigenetic feature reveals a previously unknown role of epigenetic order maintenance in specific genomic regions of LLIs, which helps open a new avenue on the epigenetic regulation mechanism in human healthy aging and longevity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hao‐Tian Wang
- Key Laboratory of Genetic Evolution & Animal Models (Chinese Academy of Sciences), Key Laboratory of Healthy Aging Research of Yunnan Province, Kunming Key Laboratory of Healthy Aging StudyKIZ/CUHK Joint Laboratory of Bioresources and Molecular Research in Common Diseases, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of SciencesKunmingChina
| | - Fu‐Hui Xiao
- Key Laboratory of Genetic Evolution & Animal Models (Chinese Academy of Sciences), Key Laboratory of Healthy Aging Research of Yunnan Province, Kunming Key Laboratory of Healthy Aging StudyKIZ/CUHK Joint Laboratory of Bioresources and Molecular Research in Common Diseases, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of SciencesKunmingChina
| | - Zong‐Liang Gao
- Key Laboratory of Genetic Evolution & Animal Models (Chinese Academy of Sciences), Key Laboratory of Healthy Aging Research of Yunnan Province, Kunming Key Laboratory of Healthy Aging StudyKIZ/CUHK Joint Laboratory of Bioresources and Molecular Research in Common Diseases, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of SciencesKunmingChina
| | - Li‐Yun Guo
- Key Laboratory of Genetic Evolution & Animal Models (Chinese Academy of Sciences), Key Laboratory of Healthy Aging Research of Yunnan Province, Kunming Key Laboratory of Healthy Aging StudyKIZ/CUHK Joint Laboratory of Bioresources and Molecular Research in Common Diseases, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of SciencesKunmingChina
| | - Li‐Qin Yang
- Key Laboratory of Genetic Evolution & Animal Models (Chinese Academy of Sciences), Key Laboratory of Healthy Aging Research of Yunnan Province, Kunming Key Laboratory of Healthy Aging StudyKIZ/CUHK Joint Laboratory of Bioresources and Molecular Research in Common Diseases, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of SciencesKunmingChina
| | - Gong‐Hua Li
- Key Laboratory of Genetic Evolution & Animal Models (Chinese Academy of Sciences), Key Laboratory of Healthy Aging Research of Yunnan Province, Kunming Key Laboratory of Healthy Aging StudyKIZ/CUHK Joint Laboratory of Bioresources and Molecular Research in Common Diseases, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of SciencesKunmingChina
| | - Qing‐Peng Kong
- Key Laboratory of Genetic Evolution & Animal Models (Chinese Academy of Sciences), Key Laboratory of Healthy Aging Research of Yunnan Province, Kunming Key Laboratory of Healthy Aging StudyKIZ/CUHK Joint Laboratory of Bioresources and Molecular Research in Common Diseases, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of SciencesKunmingChina
- CAS Center for Excellence in Animal Evolution and GeneticsChinese Academy of SciencesKunmingChina
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8
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Pal S, Dhar R. Living in a noisy world-origins of gene expression noise and its impact on cellular decision-making. FEBS Lett 2024; 598:1673-1691. [PMID: 38724715 DOI: 10.1002/1873-3468.14898] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2023] [Revised: 03/23/2024] [Accepted: 03/27/2024] [Indexed: 07/23/2024]
Abstract
The expression level of a gene can vary between genetically identical cells under the same environmental condition-a phenomenon referred to as gene expression noise. Several studies have now elucidated a central role of transcription factors in the generation of expression noise. Transcription factors, as the key components of gene regulatory networks, drive many important cellular decisions in response to cellular and environmental signals. Therefore, a very relevant question is how expression noise impacts gene regulation and influences cellular decision-making. In this Review, we summarize the current understanding of the molecular origins of expression noise, highlighting the role of transcription factors in this process, and discuss the ways in which noise can influence cellular decision-making. As advances in single-cell technologies open new avenues for studying expression noise as well as gene regulatory circuits, a better understanding of the influence of noise on cellular decisions will have important implications for many biological processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sampriti Pal
- Department of Bioscience and Biotechnology, IIT Kharagpur, India
| | - Riddhiman Dhar
- Department of Bioscience and Biotechnology, IIT Kharagpur, India
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9
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Meyer DH, Schumacher B. Aging clocks based on accumulating stochastic variation. NATURE AGING 2024; 4:871-885. [PMID: 38724736 PMCID: PMC11186771 DOI: 10.1038/s43587-024-00619-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2023] [Accepted: 03/28/2024] [Indexed: 05/15/2024]
Abstract
Aging clocks have provided one of the most important recent breakthroughs in the biology of aging, and may provide indicators for the effectiveness of interventions in the aging process and preventive treatments for age-related diseases. The reproducibility of accurate aging clocks has reinvigorated the debate on whether a programmed process underlies aging. Here we show that accumulating stochastic variation in purely simulated data is sufficient to build aging clocks, and that first-generation and second-generation aging clocks are compatible with the accumulation of stochastic variation in DNA methylation or transcriptomic data. We find that accumulating stochastic variation is sufficient to predict chronological and biological age, indicated by significant prediction differences in smoking, calorie restriction, heterochronic parabiosis and partial reprogramming. Although our simulations may not explicitly rule out a programmed aging process, our results suggest that stochastically accumulating changes in any set of data that have a ground state at age zero are sufficient for generating aging clocks.
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Affiliation(s)
- David H Meyer
- Institute for Genome Stability in Aging and Disease, University Hospital and University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.
- Cologne Excellence Cluster for Cellular Stress Responses in Aging-Associated Diseases (CECAD), Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne (CMMC), University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.
| | - Björn Schumacher
- Institute for Genome Stability in Aging and Disease, University Hospital and University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.
- Cologne Excellence Cluster for Cellular Stress Responses in Aging-Associated Diseases (CECAD), Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne (CMMC), University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.
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10
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Li Y, Tian X, Luo J, Bao T, Wang S, Wu X. Molecular mechanisms of aging and anti-aging strategies. Cell Commun Signal 2024; 22:285. [PMID: 38790068 PMCID: PMC11118732 DOI: 10.1186/s12964-024-01663-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2024] [Accepted: 05/15/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Aging is a complex and multifaceted process involving a variety of interrelated molecular mechanisms and cellular systems. Phenotypically, the biological aging process is accompanied by a gradual loss of cellular function and the systemic deterioration of multiple tissues, resulting in susceptibility to aging-related diseases. Emerging evidence suggests that aging is closely associated with telomere attrition, DNA damage, mitochondrial dysfunction, loss of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide levels, impaired macro-autophagy, stem cell exhaustion, inflammation, loss of protein balance, deregulated nutrient sensing, altered intercellular communication, and dysbiosis. These age-related changes may be alleviated by intervention strategies, such as calorie restriction, improved sleep quality, enhanced physical activity, and targeted longevity genes. In this review, we summarise the key historical progress in the exploration of important causes of aging and anti-aging strategies in recent decades, which provides a basis for further understanding of the reversibility of aging phenotypes, the application prospect of synthetic biotechnology in anti-aging therapy is also prospected.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yumeng Li
- Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences; National Center of Technology Innovation for Synthetic Biology, Tianjin, China
| | - Xutong Tian
- Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences; National Center of Technology Innovation for Synthetic Biology, Tianjin, China
| | - Juyue Luo
- Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences; National Center of Technology Innovation for Synthetic Biology, Tianjin, China
| | - Tongtong Bao
- Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences; National Center of Technology Innovation for Synthetic Biology, Tianjin, China
| | - Shujin Wang
- Institute of Life Sciences, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Xin Wu
- Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences; National Center of Technology Innovation for Synthetic Biology, Tianjin, China.
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11
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Levkovich G, Bendikov-Bar I, Malitsky S, Itkin M, Rusal M, Lokshtanov D, Shinder D, Sagi D. Reduction in metabolic noise reveals rejuvenation following transient severe caloric restriction. GeroScience 2024; 46:2343-2358. [PMID: 37946010 PMCID: PMC10828374 DOI: 10.1007/s11357-023-00969-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2023] [Accepted: 09/29/2023] [Indexed: 11/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Among land vertebrates, the laying hen stands out due to its great reproductive efficiency: producing an egg daily all year long. This production rate makes the laying hen a special model animal to study the general process of reproduction and aging. One unique aspect of hens is their ability to undergo reproductive plasticity and to rejuvenate their reproductive tract during molting, a standard industrial feed restriction protocol for transiently pausing reproduction, followed by improved laying efficiency almost to peak production. Here we use longitudinal metabolomics, immunology, and physiological assays to show that molting promotes reproduction, compresses morbidity, and restores youthfulness when applied to old hens. We identified circulating metabolic biomarkers that quantitatively predict the reproduction and age of individuals. Lastly, we introduce metabolic noise, a robust, unitless, and quantifiable measure for heterogeneity of the complete metabolome as a general marker that can indicate the rate of aging of a population. Indeed, metabolic noise increased with age in control hens, whereas molted hens exhibited reduced noise following molting, indicating systemic rejuvenation. Our results suggest that metabolic noise can be used as a quick and universal proxy for assessing successful aging treatments, accelerating the timeline for drug development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guy Levkovich
- Institute of Animal Science, Department of Poultry and Aquaculture, Agricultural Research Organization, Volcani Center, Rishon LeZion, Israel
- The Mina and Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences, The Sagol Center for Healthy Human Longevity, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel
| | - Inna Bendikov-Bar
- Institute of Animal Science, Department of Poultry and Aquaculture, Agricultural Research Organization, Volcani Center, Rishon LeZion, Israel
| | - Sergey Malitsky
- Life Sciences Core Facilities, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Maxim Itkin
- Life Sciences Core Facilities, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Mark Rusal
- Institute of Animal Science, Department of Poultry and Aquaculture, Agricultural Research Organization, Volcani Center, Rishon LeZion, Israel
| | - Dmitri Lokshtanov
- Institute of Animal Science, Department of Poultry and Aquaculture, Agricultural Research Organization, Volcani Center, Rishon LeZion, Israel
| | - Dmitry Shinder
- Institute of Animal Science, Department of Poultry and Aquaculture, Agricultural Research Organization, Volcani Center, Rishon LeZion, Israel
| | - Dror Sagi
- Institute of Animal Science, Department of Poultry and Aquaculture, Agricultural Research Organization, Volcani Center, Rishon LeZion, Israel.
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12
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Okada D. Application of a mathematical model to clarify the statistical characteristics of a pan-tissue DNA methylation clock. GeroScience 2024; 46:2001-2015. [PMID: 37787856 PMCID: PMC10828133 DOI: 10.1007/s11357-023-00949-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2023] [Accepted: 09/14/2023] [Indexed: 10/04/2023] Open
Abstract
DNA methylation clocks estimate biological age based on DNA methylation profiles. This study developed a mathematical model to describe DNA methylation aging and the establishment of a pan-tissue DNA methylation clock. The model simulates the aging dynamics of DNA methylation profiles based on passive demethylation as well as the process of cross-sectional bulk data acquisition. As a result, this study identified two conditions under which the pan-tissue DNA methylation clock can successfully predict biological age: one condition is that the target tissues are sufficiently well represented in the training dataset, and the other condition is that the target sample contains cell subsets that are common among different tissues. When either of these conditions is met, the clock performs well. It is also suggested that the epigenetic age of all samples in the target tissue tends to be either over or underestimated when biological age prediction fails. The model can reveal the statistical characteristics of DNA methylation clocks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daigo Okada
- Center for Genomic Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, 53 Syogoin-Kawaramachi, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, Kyoto, 606-8507, Japan.
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13
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Bitencourt TC, Vargas JE, Silva AO, Fraga LR, Filippi‐Chiela E. Subcellular structure, heterogeneity, and plasticity of senescent cells. Aging Cell 2024; 23:e14154. [PMID: 38553952 PMCID: PMC11019148 DOI: 10.1111/acel.14154] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2023] [Revised: 02/25/2024] [Accepted: 03/10/2024] [Indexed: 04/17/2024] Open
Abstract
Cellular senescence is a state of permanent growth arrest. It can be triggered by telomere shortening (replicative senescence) or prematurely induced by stresses such as DNA damage, oncogene overactivation, loss of tumor suppressor genes, oxidative stress, tissue factors, and others. Advances in techniques and experimental designs have provided new evidence about the biology of senescent cells (SnCs) and their importance in human health and disease. This review aims to describe the main aspects of SnCs phenotype focusing on alterations in subcellular compartments like plasma membrane, cytoskeleton, organelles, and nuclei. We also discuss the heterogeneity, dynamics, and plasticity of SnCs' phenotype, including the SASP, and pro-survival mechanisms. We advance on the multiple layers of phenotypic heterogeneity of SnCs, such as the heterogeneity between inducers, tissues and within a population of SnCs, discussing the relevance of these aspects to human health and disease. We also raise the main challenges as well alternatives to overcome them. Ultimately, we present open questions and perspectives in understanding the phenotype of SnCs from the perspective of basic and applied questions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thais Cardoso Bitencourt
- Programa de Pós‐Graduação Em Biologia Celular e MolecularUniversidade Federal do Rio Grande do SulPorto AlegreRio Grande do SulBrazil
| | | | - Andrew Oliveira Silva
- Faculdade Estácio RSPorto AlegreRio Grande do SulBrazil
- Centro de Pesquisa ExperimentalHospital de Clínicas de Porto AlegrePorto AlegreRio Grande do SulBrazil
| | - Lucas Rosa Fraga
- Centro de Pesquisa ExperimentalHospital de Clínicas de Porto AlegrePorto AlegreRio Grande do SulBrazil
- Programa de Pós‐Graduação Em Medicina: Ciências MédicasUniversidade Federal do Rio Grande do SulPorto AlegreRio Grande do SulBrazil
- Departamento de Ciências MorfológicasUniversidade Federal Do Rio Grande Do SulPorto AlegreRio Grande do SulBrazil
| | - Eduardo Filippi‐Chiela
- Programa de Pós‐Graduação Em Biologia Celular e MolecularUniversidade Federal do Rio Grande do SulPorto AlegreRio Grande do SulBrazil
- Centro de Pesquisa ExperimentalHospital de Clínicas de Porto AlegrePorto AlegreRio Grande do SulBrazil
- Departamento de Ciências MorfológicasUniversidade Federal Do Rio Grande Do SulPorto AlegreRio Grande do SulBrazil
- Centro de BiotecnologiaUniversidade Federal do Rio Grande do SulPorto AlegreRio Grande do SulBrazil
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14
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Zhu T, Li S, Liu D, Zhang X, Zhou L, Zhou R, Yang B. Single-worm quantitative proteomics reveals aging heterogeneity in isogenic Caenorhabditis elegans. Aging Cell 2024; 23:e14055. [PMID: 38044578 PMCID: PMC10928571 DOI: 10.1111/acel.14055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2023] [Revised: 11/14/2023] [Accepted: 11/17/2023] [Indexed: 12/05/2023] Open
Abstract
The heterogeneity of aging has been investigated at cellular and organic levels in the mouse model and human, but the exploration of aging heterogeneity at whole-organism level is lacking. C. elegans is an ideal model organism for studying this question as they are self-fertilized and cultured in the same chamber. Despite the tremendous progress made in single-cell proteomic analysis, there is few single-worm proteomics studies about aging. Here, we apply single-worm quantitative mass spectrometry to quantify the heterogenous proteomic changes during aging across individuals, a total of 3524 proteins from 157 C. eleagns individuals were quantified. A reconstructed C. elegans aging trajectory and proteomic landscape of fast-aging individuals were used to analyze the heterogeneity of C. elegans aging. We characterized inter-individual proteomic variation during aging and revealed contributing factors that distinguish fast-aging individuals from their siblings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tian‐Yi Zhu
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory for Cancer Molecular Cell Biology, Life Sciences InstituteZhejiang UniversityHangzhouChina
- Cancer CenterZhejiang UniversityHangzhouChina
| | | | - Dan‐Dan Liu
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory for Cancer Molecular Cell Biology, Life Sciences InstituteZhejiang UniversityHangzhouChina
- Cancer CenterZhejiang UniversityHangzhouChina
| | - Xiajun Zhang
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory for Cancer Molecular Cell Biology, Life Sciences InstituteZhejiang UniversityHangzhouChina
- Cancer CenterZhejiang UniversityHangzhouChina
| | - Lianqi Zhou
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory for Cancer Molecular Cell Biology, Life Sciences InstituteZhejiang UniversityHangzhouChina
- Cancer CenterZhejiang UniversityHangzhouChina
| | - Rong Zhou
- Institute of Animal SciencesChinese Academy of Agricultural SciencesBeijingChina
| | - Bing Yang
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory for Cancer Molecular Cell Biology, Life Sciences InstituteZhejiang UniversityHangzhouChina
- Cancer CenterZhejiang UniversityHangzhouChina
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15
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Panier S, Wang S, Schumacher B. Genome Instability and DNA Repair in Somatic and Reproductive Aging. ANNUAL REVIEW OF PATHOLOGY 2024; 19:261-290. [PMID: 37832947 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-pathmechdis-051122-093128] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/15/2023]
Abstract
Genetic material is constantly subjected to genotoxic insults and is critically dependent on DNA repair. Genome maintenance mechanisms differ in somatic and germ cells as the soma only requires maintenance during an individual's lifespan, while the germline indefinitely perpetuates its genetic information. DNA lesions are recognized and repaired by mechanistically highly diverse repair machineries. The DNA damage response impinges on a vast array of homeostatic processes and can ultimately result in cell fate changes such as apoptosis or cellular senescence. DNA damage causally contributes to the aging process and aging-associated diseases, most prominently cancer. By causing mutations, DNA damage in germ cells can lead to genetic diseases and impact the evolutionary trajectory of a species. The mechanisms ensuring tight control of germline DNA repair could be highly instructive in defining strategies for improved somatic DNA repair. They may provide future interventions to maintain health and prevent disease during aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie Panier
- Institute for Genome Stability in Aging and Disease and Cluster of Excellence: Cellular Stress Responses in Aging-Associated Diseases (CECAD), University of Cologne and University Hospital of Cologne, Cologne, Germany;
- Max Planck Institute for Biology of Ageing, Cologne, Germany
| | - Siyao Wang
- Institute for Genome Stability in Aging and Disease and Cluster of Excellence: Cellular Stress Responses in Aging-Associated Diseases (CECAD), University of Cologne and University Hospital of Cologne, Cologne, Germany;
- Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne (CMMC), University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
- Institute of Molecular Biology (IMB), Mainz, Germany
| | - Björn Schumacher
- Institute for Genome Stability in Aging and Disease and Cluster of Excellence: Cellular Stress Responses in Aging-Associated Diseases (CECAD), University of Cologne and University Hospital of Cologne, Cologne, Germany;
- Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne (CMMC), University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
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16
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Rodriguez-Colman MJ, Dansen TB, Burgering BMT. FOXO transcription factors as mediators of stress adaptation. Nat Rev Mol Cell Biol 2024; 25:46-64. [PMID: 37710009 DOI: 10.1038/s41580-023-00649-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/01/2023] [Indexed: 09/16/2023]
Abstract
The forkhead box protein O (FOXO, consisting of FOXO1, FOXO3, FOXO4 and FOXO6) transcription factors are the mammalian orthologues of Caenorhabditis elegans DAF-16, which gained notoriety for its capability to double lifespan in the absence of daf-2 (the gene encoding the worm insulin receptor homologue). Since then, research has provided many mechanistic details on FOXO regulation and FOXO activity. Furthermore, conditional knockout experiments have provided a wealth of data as to how FOXOs control development and homeostasis at the organ and organism levels. The lifespan-extending capabilities of DAF-16/FOXO are highly correlated with their ability to induce stress response pathways. Exogenous and endogenous stress, such as cellular redox stress, are considered the main drivers of the functional decline that characterizes ageing. Functional decline often manifests as disease, and decrease in FOXO activity indeed negatively impacts on major age-related diseases such as cancer and diabetes. In this context, the main function of FOXOs is considered to preserve cellular and organismal homeostasis, through regulation of stress response pathways. Paradoxically, the same FOXO-mediated responses can also aid the survival of dysfunctional cells once these eventually emerge. This general property to control stress responses may underlie the complex and less-evident roles of FOXOs in human lifespan as opposed to model organisms such as C. elegans.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Tobias B Dansen
- Center for Molecular Medicine, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Boudewijn M T Burgering
- Center for Molecular Medicine, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, Netherlands.
- Oncode Institute, Center for Molecular Medicine, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, Netherlands.
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17
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Yang M, Harrison BR, Promislow DEL. Cellular age explains variation in age-related cell-to-cell transcriptome variability. Genome Res 2023; 33:1906-1916. [PMID: 37973195 PMCID: PMC10760448 DOI: 10.1101/gr.278144.123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2023] [Accepted: 10/12/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023]
Abstract
Organs and tissues age at different rates within a single individual. Such asynchrony in aging has been widely observed at multiple levels, from functional hallmarks, such as anatomical structures and physiological processes, to molecular endophenotypes, such as the transcriptome and metabolome. However, we lack a conceptual framework to understand why some components age faster than others. Just as demographic models explain why aging evolves, here we test the hypothesis that demographic differences among cell types, determined by cell-specific differences in turnover rate, can explain why the transcriptome shows signs of aging in some cell types but not others. Through analysis of mouse single-cell transcriptome data across diverse tissues and ages, we find that cellular age explains a large proportion of the variation in the age-related increase in transcriptome variance. We further show that long-lived cells are characterized by relatively high expression of genes associated with proteostasis and that the transcriptome of long-lived cells shows greater evolutionary constraint than short-lived cells. In contrast, in short-lived cell types, the transcriptome is enriched for genes associated with DNA repair. Based on these observations, we develop a novel heuristic model that explains how and why aging rates differ among cell types.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ming Yang
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, Washington 98195, USA
| | - Benjamin R Harrison
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, Washington 98195, USA
| | - Daniel E L Promislow
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, Washington 98195, USA;
- Department of Biology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, USA
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18
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Nikopoulou C, Kleinenkuhnen N, Parekh S, Sandoval T, Ziegenhain C, Schneider F, Giavalisco P, Donahue KF, Vesting AJ, Kirchner M, Bozukova M, Vossen C, Altmüller J, Wunderlich T, Sandberg R, Kondylis V, Tresch A, Tessarz P. Spatial and single-cell profiling of the metabolome, transcriptome and epigenome of the aging mouse liver. NATURE AGING 2023; 3:1430-1445. [PMID: 37946043 PMCID: PMC10645594 DOI: 10.1038/s43587-023-00513-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2023] [Accepted: 09/27/2023] [Indexed: 11/12/2023]
Abstract
Tissues within an organism and even cell types within a tissue can age with different velocities. However, it is unclear whether cells of one type experience different aging trajectories within a tissue depending on their spatial location. Here, we used spatial transcriptomics in combination with single-cell ATAC-seq and RNA-seq, lipidomics and functional assays to address how cells in the male murine liver are affected by age-related changes in the microenvironment. Integration of the datasets revealed zonation-specific and age-related changes in metabolic states, the epigenome and transcriptome. The epigenome changed in a zonation-dependent manner and functionally, periportal hepatocytes were characterized by decreased mitochondrial fitness, whereas pericentral hepatocytes accumulated large lipid droplets. Together, we provide evidence that changing microenvironments within a tissue exert strong influences on their resident cells that can shape epigenetic, metabolic and phenotypic outputs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chrysa Nikopoulou
- Max Planck Research Group 'Chromatin and Ageing', Max Planck Institute for Biology of Ageing, Cologne, Germany
- Cologne Excellence Cluster on Cellular Stress Responses in Aging-associated Diseases (CECAD), Cologne, Germany
| | - Niklas Kleinenkuhnen
- Max Planck Research Group 'Chromatin and Ageing', Max Planck Institute for Biology of Ageing, Cologne, Germany
- Institute of Medical Statistics and Computational Biology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Swati Parekh
- Max Planck Research Group 'Chromatin and Ageing', Max Planck Institute for Biology of Ageing, Cologne, Germany
- Global Computational Biology and Digital Sciences, Boehringer Ingelheim Pharma, Biberach, Germany
| | - Tonantzi Sandoval
- Max Planck Research Group 'Chromatin and Ageing', Max Planck Institute for Biology of Ageing, Cologne, Germany
| | - Christoph Ziegenhain
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Farina Schneider
- Institute for Pathology, University Hospital Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Patrick Giavalisco
- Metabolic Core Facility, Max Planck Institute for Biology of Ageing, Cologne, Germany
| | - Kat-Folz Donahue
- FACS and Imaging Core Facility, Max Planck Institute for Biology of Ageing, Cologne, Germany
| | | | - Marcel Kirchner
- FACS and Imaging Core Facility, Max Planck Institute for Biology of Ageing, Cologne, Germany
| | - Mihaela Bozukova
- Max Planck Research Group 'Chromatin and Ageing', Max Planck Institute for Biology of Ageing, Cologne, Germany
| | | | - Janine Altmüller
- Cologne Center for Genomics, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany; Berlin Institute of Health at Charité, Core Facility Genomics, Berlin, Germany; Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association, Berlin, Germany
| | - Thomas Wunderlich
- Cologne Excellence Cluster on Cellular Stress Responses in Aging-associated Diseases (CECAD), Cologne, Germany
- Max Planck Institute for Metabolism Research, Cologne, Germany
| | - Rickard Sandberg
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Vangelis Kondylis
- Institute for Pathology, University Hospital Cologne, Cologne, Germany
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Infectious Diseases, University Hospital Düsseldorf, Medical Faculty at Heinrich-Heine-University, Duesseldorf, Germany
| | - Achim Tresch
- Cologne Excellence Cluster on Cellular Stress Responses in Aging-associated Diseases (CECAD), Cologne, Germany.
- Institute of Medical Statistics and Computational Biology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.
| | - Peter Tessarz
- Max Planck Research Group 'Chromatin and Ageing', Max Planck Institute for Biology of Ageing, Cologne, Germany.
- Cologne Excellence Cluster on Cellular Stress Responses in Aging-associated Diseases (CECAD), Cologne, Germany.
- Department of Human Biology, Faculty of Science, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
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19
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Abdellatif M, Rainer PP, Sedej S, Kroemer G. Hallmarks of cardiovascular ageing. Nat Rev Cardiol 2023; 20:754-777. [PMID: 37193857 DOI: 10.1038/s41569-023-00881-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 38.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/21/2023] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
Normal circulatory function is a key determinant of disease-free life expectancy (healthspan). Indeed, pathologies affecting the cardiovascular system, which are growing in prevalence, are the leading cause of global morbidity, disability and mortality, whereas the maintenance of cardiovascular health is necessary to promote both organismal healthspan and lifespan. Therefore, cardiovascular ageing might precede or even underlie body-wide, age-related health deterioration. In this Review, we posit that eight molecular hallmarks are common denominators in cardiovascular ageing, namely disabled macroautophagy, loss of proteostasis, genomic instability (in particular, clonal haematopoiesis of indeterminate potential), epigenetic alterations, mitochondrial dysfunction, cell senescence, dysregulated neurohormonal signalling and inflammation. We also propose a hierarchical order that distinguishes primary (upstream) from antagonistic and integrative (downstream) hallmarks of cardiovascular ageing. Finally, we discuss how targeting each of the eight hallmarks might be therapeutically exploited to attenuate residual cardiovascular risk in older individuals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mahmoud Abdellatif
- Department of Cardiology, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria.
- Centre de Recherche des Cordeliers, Equipe labellisée par la Ligue contre le cancer, Université de Paris, Sorbonne Université, Inserm U1138, Institut Universitaire de France, Paris, France.
- Metabolomics and Cell Biology Platforms, Institut Gustave Roussy, Villejuif, France.
- BioTechMed Graz, Graz, Austria.
| | - Peter P Rainer
- Department of Cardiology, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria
- BioTechMed Graz, Graz, Austria
| | - Simon Sedej
- Department of Cardiology, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria
- BioTechMed Graz, Graz, Austria
- Institute of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Maribor, Maribor, Slovenia
| | - Guido Kroemer
- Centre de Recherche des Cordeliers, Equipe labellisée par la Ligue contre le cancer, Université de Paris, Sorbonne Université, Inserm U1138, Institut Universitaire de France, Paris, France.
- Metabolomics and Cell Biology Platforms, Institut Gustave Roussy, Villejuif, France.
- Institut du Cancer Paris CARPEM, Department of Biology, Hôpital Européen Georges Pompidou, AP-HP, Paris, France.
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20
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Hutchison CJ, Srivastava K, Polin H, Bueno MU, Flegel WA. Rh flow cytometry: An updated methodology for D antigen density applied to weak D types 164 and 165. Transfusion 2023; 63:2141-2151. [PMID: 37792462 PMCID: PMC10680490 DOI: 10.1111/trf.17543] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2023] [Revised: 08/29/2023] [Accepted: 08/29/2023] [Indexed: 10/05/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND An original methodology for determining the D antigen density on red cells was published in 2000 and has been applied in many publications since. This flow cytometry-based assay remained largely unrevised utilizing monoclonal anti-Ds that are not readily available anymore. We updated the methodology to quantify erythrocyte D antigen sites using microspheres and monoclonal anti-Ds that are commercially available today. METHODS The absolute D antigen density of a frozen standard CcDEe cell, drawn in 2003, a fresh blood donation from the same individual, drawn in 2022, and an internal control CcDEe cell, was quantified by flow cytometry using fluorescence-labeled microspheres. The internal control CcDEe cell was used in conjunction with 9 commercial anti-Ds to determine D antigen densities of 7 normal D, 4 partial D, and 11 weak D type samples, including 2 novel alleles. RESULTS The reproducibility of the updated assay was evaluated with red cells of published D antigen densities. The current results matched the known ones closely. The new weak D types 164 and 165 carried 4500 and 1505 D antigens/red cell, respectively. The absolute D antigen density decreased from 27,231 to 26,037 in an individual over 19 years. DISCUSSION The updated assay gave highly reproducible results for the D antigen densities of Rh phenotypes. Readily available anti-Ds allowed for the determination of the D antigen densities of 7 weak D types. The assay is suitable to evaluate the effects of distinct amino acid substitutions on the RhD phenotype.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chloe Jayne Hutchison
- Department of Transfusion Medicine, NIH Clinical Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Kshitij Srivastava
- Department of Transfusion Medicine, NIH Clinical Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Helene Polin
- Department of Immunogenetics, Red Cross Transfusion Service for Upper Austria, Linz, Austria
| | - Marina Ursula Bueno
- Department of Transfusion Medicine, NIH Clinical Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Willy Albert Flegel
- Department of Transfusion Medicine, NIH Clinical Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
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21
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Zane F, Bouzid H, Sosa Marmol S, Brazane M, Besse S, Molina JL, Cansell C, Aprahamian F, Durand S, Ayache J, Antoniewski C, Todd N, Carré C, Rera M. Smurfness-based two-phase model of ageing helps deconvolve the ageing transcriptional signature. Aging Cell 2023; 22:e13946. [PMID: 37822253 PMCID: PMC10652310 DOI: 10.1111/acel.13946] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2023] [Revised: 07/17/2023] [Accepted: 07/18/2023] [Indexed: 10/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Ageing is characterised at the molecular level by six transcriptional 'hallmarks of ageing', that are commonly described as progressively affected as time passes. By contrast, the 'Smurf' assay separates high-and-constant-mortality risk individuals from healthy, zero-mortality risk individuals, based on increased intestinal permeability. Performing whole body total RNA sequencing, we found that Smurfness distinguishes transcriptional changes associated with chronological age from those associated with biological age. We show that transcriptional heterogeneity increases with chronological age in non-Smurf individuals preceding the other five hallmarks of ageing that are specifically associated with the Smurf state. Using this approach, we also devise targeted pro-longevity genetic interventions delaying entry in the Smurf state. We anticipate that increased attention to the evolutionary conserved Smurf phenotype will bring about significant advances in our understanding of the mechanisms of ageing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Flaminia Zane
- Université Paris Cité, INSERM UMR U1284ParisFrance
- Institut de Biologie Paris Seine, Sorbonne UniversitéParisFrance
| | - Hayet Bouzid
- Université Paris Cité, INSERM UMR U1284ParisFrance
- Institut de Biologie Paris Seine, Sorbonne UniversitéParisFrance
| | | | - Mira Brazane
- Institut de Biologie Paris Seine, Sorbonne UniversitéParisFrance
| | | | | | - Céline Cansell
- Université Paris‐Saclay, AgroParisTech, INRAE, UMR PNCAPalaiseauFrance
| | - Fanny Aprahamian
- Metabolomics and Cell Biology Platforms, UMS AMMICaInstitut Gustave RoussyVillejuifFrance
- Centre de Recherche des Cordeliers, Equipe Labellisée par la Ligue Contre le CancerUniversité de Paris, Sorbonne Université, INSERM U1138, Institut Universitaire de FranceParisFrance
| | - Sylvère Durand
- Metabolomics and Cell Biology Platforms, UMS AMMICaInstitut Gustave RoussyVillejuifFrance
- Centre de Recherche des Cordeliers, Equipe Labellisée par la Ligue Contre le CancerUniversité de Paris, Sorbonne Université, INSERM U1138, Institut Universitaire de FranceParisFrance
| | - Jessica Ayache
- Institut Jacques Monod, CNRS UMR 7592, Université Paris CitéParisFrance
| | | | - Nicolas Todd
- Eco‐Anthropologie (EA), Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, CNRSUniversité de Paris, Musée de l'HommeParisFrance
| | - Clément Carré
- Institut de Biologie Paris Seine, Sorbonne UniversitéParisFrance
| | - Michael Rera
- Université Paris Cité, INSERM UMR U1284ParisFrance
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22
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Zheng H, Vijg J, Fard AT, Mar JC. Measuring cell-to-cell expression variability in single-cell RNA-sequencing data: a comparative analysis and applications to B cell aging. Genome Biol 2023; 24:238. [PMID: 37864221 PMCID: PMC10588274 DOI: 10.1186/s13059-023-03036-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2022] [Accepted: 08/11/2023] [Indexed: 10/22/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Single-cell RNA-sequencing (scRNA-seq) technologies enable the capture of gene expression heterogeneity and consequently facilitate the study of cell-to-cell variability at the cell type level. Although different methods have been proposed to quantify cell-to-cell variability, it is unclear what the optimal statistical approach is, especially in light of challenging data structures that are unique to scRNA-seq data like zero inflation. RESULTS We systematically evaluate the performance of 14 different variability metrics that are commonly applied to transcriptomic data for measuring cell-to-cell variability. Leveraging simulations and real datasets, we benchmark the metric performance based on data-specific features, sparsity and sequencing platform, biological properties, and the ability to recapitulate true levels of biological variability based on known gene sets. Next, we use scran, the metric with the strongest all-round performance, to investigate changes in cell-to-cell variability that occur during B cell differentiation and the aging processes. The analysis of primary cell types from hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) and B lymphopoiesis reveals unique gene signatures with consistent patterns of variable and stable expression profiles during B cell differentiation which highlights the significance of these methods. Identifying differentially variable genes between young and old cells elucidates the regulatory changes that may be overlooked by solely focusing on mean expression changes and we investigate this in the context of regulatory networks. CONCLUSIONS We highlight the importance of capturing cell-to-cell gene expression variability in a complex biological process like differentiation and aging and emphasize the value of these findings at the level of individual cell types.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huiwen Zheng
- Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Jan Vijg
- Department of Genetics, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, 10461, USA
- Center for Single-Cell Omics, School of Public Health, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, China
| | - Atefeh Taherian Fard
- Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia.
| | - Jessica Cara Mar
- Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia.
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23
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Sanchez-Quant E, Richter ML, Colomé-Tatché M, Martinez-Jimenez CP. Single-cell metabolic profiling reveals subgroups of primary human hepatocytes with heterogeneous responses to drug challenge. Genome Biol 2023; 24:234. [PMID: 37848949 PMCID: PMC10583437 DOI: 10.1186/s13059-023-03075-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2022] [Accepted: 09/26/2023] [Indexed: 10/19/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Xenobiotics are primarily metabolized by hepatocytes in the liver, and primary human hepatocytes are the gold standard model for the assessment of drug efficacy, safety, and toxicity in the early phases of drug development. Recent advances in single-cell genomics demonstrate liver zonation and ploidy as main drivers of cellular heterogeneity. However, little is known about the impact of hepatocyte specialization on liver function upon metabolic challenge, including hepatic metabolism, detoxification, and protein synthesis. RESULTS Here, we investigate the metabolic capacity of individual human hepatocytes in vitro. We assess how chronic accumulation of lipids enhances cellular heterogeneity and impairs the metabolisms of drugs. Using a phenotyping five-probe cocktail, we identify four functional subgroups of hepatocytes responding differently to drug challenge and fatty acid accumulation. These four subgroups display differential gene expression profiles upon cocktail treatment and xenobiotic metabolism-related specialization. Notably, intracellular fat accumulation leads to increased transcriptional variability and diminishes the drug-related metabolic capacity of hepatocytes. CONCLUSIONS Our results demonstrate that, upon a metabolic challenge such as exposure to drugs or intracellular fat accumulation, hepatocyte subgroups display different and heterogeneous transcriptional responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eva Sanchez-Quant
- Helmholtz Pioneer Campus (HPC), Helmholtz Zentrum München, 85764, Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Maria Lucia Richter
- Helmholtz Pioneer Campus (HPC), Helmholtz Zentrum München, 85764, Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Maria Colomé-Tatché
- Institute of Computational Biology, Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health, 85764, Neuherberg, Germany.
- TUM School of Life Sciences Weihenstephan, Technical University of Munich (TUM), 85354, Freising, Germany.
- Biomedical Center (BMC), Physiological Chemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich (LMU), 82152, Munich, Germany.
| | - Celia Pilar Martinez-Jimenez
- Helmholtz Pioneer Campus (HPC), Helmholtz Zentrum München, 85764, Neuherberg, Germany.
- TUM School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Munich (TUM), 80333, Munich, Germany.
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24
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Statsenko Y, Kuznetsov NV, Morozova D, Liaonchyk K, Simiyu GL, Smetanina D, Kashapov A, Meribout S, Gorkom KNV, Hamoudi R, Ismail F, Ansari SA, Emerald BS, Ljubisavljevic M. Reappraisal of the Concept of Accelerated Aging in Neurodegeneration and Beyond. Cells 2023; 12:2451. [PMID: 37887295 PMCID: PMC10605227 DOI: 10.3390/cells12202451] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2023] [Revised: 09/01/2023] [Accepted: 09/06/2023] [Indexed: 10/28/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Genetic and epigenetic changes, oxidative stress and inflammation influence the rate of aging, which diseases, lifestyle and environmental factors can further accelerate. In accelerated aging (AA), the biological age exceeds the chronological age. OBJECTIVE The objective of this study is to reappraise the AA concept critically, considering its weaknesses and limitations. METHODS We reviewed more than 300 recent articles dealing with the physiology of brain aging and neurodegeneration pathophysiology. RESULTS (1) Application of the AA concept to individual organs outside the brain is challenging as organs of different systems age at different rates. (2) There is a need to consider the deceleration of aging due to the potential use of the individual structure-functional reserves. The latter can be restored by pharmacological and/or cognitive therapy, environment, etc. (3) The AA concept lacks both standardised terminology and methodology. (4) Changes in specific molecular biomarkers (MBM) reflect aging-related processes; however, numerous MBM candidates should be validated to consolidate the AA theory. (5) The exact nature of many potential causal factors, biological outcomes and interactions between the former and the latter remain largely unclear. CONCLUSIONS Although AA is commonly recognised as a perspective theory, it still suffers from a number of gaps and limitations that assume the necessity for an updated AA concept.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yauhen Statsenko
- Department of Radiology, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain P.O. Box 15551, United Arab Emirates; (Y.S.); (G.L.S.); (D.S.); (A.K.); (S.M.); (K.N.-V.G.)
- ASPIRE Precision Medicine Research Institute Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain 27272, United Arab Emirates; (D.M.); (K.L.); (R.H.); (S.A.A.); (B.S.E.); (M.L.)
- Big Data Analytic Center, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain P.O. Box 15551, United Arab Emirates
| | - Nik V. Kuznetsov
- ASPIRE Precision Medicine Research Institute Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain 27272, United Arab Emirates; (D.M.); (K.L.); (R.H.); (S.A.A.); (B.S.E.); (M.L.)
| | - Daria Morozova
- ASPIRE Precision Medicine Research Institute Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain 27272, United Arab Emirates; (D.M.); (K.L.); (R.H.); (S.A.A.); (B.S.E.); (M.L.)
| | - Katsiaryna Liaonchyk
- ASPIRE Precision Medicine Research Institute Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain 27272, United Arab Emirates; (D.M.); (K.L.); (R.H.); (S.A.A.); (B.S.E.); (M.L.)
| | - Gillian Lylian Simiyu
- Department of Radiology, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain P.O. Box 15551, United Arab Emirates; (Y.S.); (G.L.S.); (D.S.); (A.K.); (S.M.); (K.N.-V.G.)
| | - Darya Smetanina
- Department of Radiology, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain P.O. Box 15551, United Arab Emirates; (Y.S.); (G.L.S.); (D.S.); (A.K.); (S.M.); (K.N.-V.G.)
| | - Aidar Kashapov
- Department of Radiology, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain P.O. Box 15551, United Arab Emirates; (Y.S.); (G.L.S.); (D.S.); (A.K.); (S.M.); (K.N.-V.G.)
| | - Sarah Meribout
- Department of Radiology, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain P.O. Box 15551, United Arab Emirates; (Y.S.); (G.L.S.); (D.S.); (A.K.); (S.M.); (K.N.-V.G.)
| | - Klaus Neidl-Van Gorkom
- Department of Radiology, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain P.O. Box 15551, United Arab Emirates; (Y.S.); (G.L.S.); (D.S.); (A.K.); (S.M.); (K.N.-V.G.)
| | - Rifat Hamoudi
- ASPIRE Precision Medicine Research Institute Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain 27272, United Arab Emirates; (D.M.); (K.L.); (R.H.); (S.A.A.); (B.S.E.); (M.L.)
- Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Sharjah, Sharjah 27272, United Arab Emirates
- Division of Surgery and Interventional Science, University College London, London NW3 2PS, UK
| | - Fatima Ismail
- Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain P.O. Box 15551, United Arab Emirates;
| | - Suraiya Anjum Ansari
- ASPIRE Precision Medicine Research Institute Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain 27272, United Arab Emirates; (D.M.); (K.L.); (R.H.); (S.A.A.); (B.S.E.); (M.L.)
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain P.O. Box 15551, United Arab Emirates
| | - Bright Starling Emerald
- ASPIRE Precision Medicine Research Institute Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain 27272, United Arab Emirates; (D.M.); (K.L.); (R.H.); (S.A.A.); (B.S.E.); (M.L.)
- Department of Anatomy, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain P.O. Box 15551, United Arab Emirates
| | - Milos Ljubisavljevic
- ASPIRE Precision Medicine Research Institute Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain 27272, United Arab Emirates; (D.M.); (K.L.); (R.H.); (S.A.A.); (B.S.E.); (M.L.)
- Department of Physiology, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain P.O. Box 15551, United Arab Emirates
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25
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Zhang J, Wu Q, Hu X, Wang Y, Lu J, Chakraborty R, Martin KA, Guo S. Serum Response Factor Reduces Gene Expression Noise and Confers Cell State Stability. Stem Cells 2023; 41:907-915. [PMID: 37386941 PMCID: PMC11009695 DOI: 10.1093/stmcls/sxad051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2022] [Accepted: 06/09/2023] [Indexed: 07/01/2023]
Abstract
The role of serum response factor (Srf), a central mediator of actin dynamics and mechanical signaling, in cell identity regulation is debated to be either a stabilizer or a destabilizer. We investigated the role of Srf in cell fate stability using mouse pluripotent stem cells. Despite the fact that serum-containing cultures yield heterogeneous gene expression, deletion of Srf in mouse pluripotent stem cells leads to further exacerbated cell state heterogeneity. The exaggerated heterogeneity is detectible not only as increased lineage priming but also as the developmentally earlier 2C-like cell state. Thus, pluripotent cells explore more variety of cellular states in both directions of development surrounding naïve pluripotency, a behavior that is constrained by Srf. These results support that Srf functions as a cell state stabilizer, providing rationale for its functional modulation in cell fate intervention and engineering.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jian Zhang
- Department of Cell Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
- Yale Stem Cell Center, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Qiao Wu
- Department of Cell Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
- Yale Stem Cell Center, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Xiao Hu
- Department of Cell Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
- Yale Stem Cell Center, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Yadong Wang
- Yale Stem Cell Center, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
- Department of Genetics, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Jun Lu
- Yale Stem Cell Center, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
- Department of Genetics, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Raja Chakraborty
- Department of Medicine, Section of Cardiovascular Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Kathleen A Martin
- Department of Medicine, Section of Cardiovascular Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Shangqin Guo
- Department of Cell Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
- Yale Stem Cell Center, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
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26
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Omrani O, Krepelova A, Rasa SMM, Sirvinskas D, Lu J, Annunziata F, Garside G, Bajwa S, Reinhardt S, Adam L, Käppel S, Ducano N, Donna D, Ori A, Oliviero S, Rudolph KL, Neri F. IFNγ-Stat1 axis drives aging-associated loss of intestinal tissue homeostasis and regeneration. Nat Commun 2023; 14:6109. [PMID: 37777550 PMCID: PMC10542816 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-41683-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2021] [Accepted: 09/14/2023] [Indexed: 10/02/2023] Open
Abstract
The influence of aging on intestinal stem cells and their niche can explain underlying causes for perturbation in their function observed during aging. Molecular mechanisms for such a decrease in the functionality of intestinal stem cells during aging remain largely undetermined. Using transcriptome-wide approaches, our study demonstrates that aging intestinal stem cells strongly upregulate antigen presenting pathway genes and over-express secretory lineage marker genes resulting in lineage skewed differentiation into the secretory lineage and strong upregulation of MHC class II antigens in the aged intestinal epithelium. Mechanistically, we identified an increase in proinflammatory cells in the lamina propria as the main source of elevated interferon gamma (IFNγ) in the aged intestine, that leads to the induction of Stat1 activity in intestinal stem cells thus priming the aberrant differentiation and elevated antigen presentation in epithelial cells. Of note, systemic inhibition of IFNγ-signaling completely reverses these aging phenotypes and reinstalls regenerative capacity of the aged intestinal epithelium.
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Affiliation(s)
- Omid Omrani
- Leibniz Institute on Aging - Fritz Lipmann Institute (FLI), Jena, Germany
| | - Anna Krepelova
- Leibniz Institute on Aging - Fritz Lipmann Institute (FLI), Jena, Germany
- Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, University of Turin, Torino, Italy
- Molecular Biotechnology Center, University of Turin, Torino, Italy
| | | | - Dovydas Sirvinskas
- Leibniz Institute on Aging - Fritz Lipmann Institute (FLI), Jena, Germany
| | - Jing Lu
- Leibniz Institute on Aging - Fritz Lipmann Institute (FLI), Jena, Germany
| | | | - George Garside
- Leibniz Institute on Aging - Fritz Lipmann Institute (FLI), Jena, Germany
| | - Seerat Bajwa
- Leibniz Institute on Aging - Fritz Lipmann Institute (FLI), Jena, Germany
| | - Susanne Reinhardt
- Dresden-concept Genome Center, c/o Center for Regenerative Therapies Dresden (CRTD), Dresden, Germany
| | - Lisa Adam
- Leibniz Institute on Aging - Fritz Lipmann Institute (FLI), Jena, Germany
| | - Sandra Käppel
- Leibniz Institute on Aging - Fritz Lipmann Institute (FLI), Jena, Germany
| | - Nadia Ducano
- Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, University of Turin, Torino, Italy
- Molecular Biotechnology Center, University of Turin, Torino, Italy
| | - Daniela Donna
- Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, University of Turin, Torino, Italy
- Molecular Biotechnology Center, University of Turin, Torino, Italy
| | - Alessandro Ori
- Leibniz Institute on Aging - Fritz Lipmann Institute (FLI), Jena, Germany
| | - Salvatore Oliviero
- Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, University of Turin, Torino, Italy
- Molecular Biotechnology Center, University of Turin, Torino, Italy
| | | | - Francesco Neri
- Leibniz Institute on Aging - Fritz Lipmann Institute (FLI), Jena, Germany.
- Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, University of Turin, Torino, Italy.
- Molecular Biotechnology Center, University of Turin, Torino, Italy.
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27
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Li H, Khang TF. clrDV: a differential variability test for RNA-Seq data based on the skew-normal distribution. PeerJ 2023; 11:e16126. [PMID: 37790621 PMCID: PMC10544356 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.16126] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2023] [Accepted: 08/27/2023] [Indexed: 10/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Pathological conditions may result in certain genes having expression variance that differs markedly from that of the control. Finding such genes from gene expression data can provide invaluable candidates for therapeutic intervention. Under the dominant paradigm for modeling RNA-Seq gene counts using the negative binomial model, tests of differential variability are challenging to develop, owing to dependence of the variance on the mean. Methods Here, we describe clrDV, a statistical method for detecting genes that show differential variability between two populations. We present the skew-normal distribution for modeling gene-wise null distribution of centered log-ratio transformation of compositional RNA-seq data. Results Simulation results show that clrDV has false discovery rate and probability of Type II error that are on par with or superior to existing methodologies. In addition, its run time is faster than its closest competitors, and remains relatively constant for increasing sample size per group. Analysis of a large neurodegenerative disease RNA-Seq dataset using clrDV successfully recovers multiple gene candidates that have been reported to be associated with Alzheimer's disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongxiang Li
- Institute of Mathematical Sciences, Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Tsung Fei Khang
- Institute of Mathematical Sciences, Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
- Universiti Malaya Centre for Data Analytics, Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
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28
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Liu J, Kreimer A, Li WV. Differential variability analysis of single-cell gene expression data. Brief Bioinform 2023; 24:bbad294. [PMID: 37598422 PMCID: PMC10516347 DOI: 10.1093/bib/bbad294] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2023] [Revised: 07/18/2023] [Accepted: 07/29/2023] [Indexed: 08/22/2023] Open
Abstract
The advent of single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) technologies has enabled gene expression profiling at the single-cell resolution, thereby enabling the quantification and comparison of transcriptional variability among individual cells. Although alterations in transcriptional variability have been observed in various biological states, statistical methods for quantifying and testing differential variability between groups of cells are still lacking. To identify the best practices in differential variability analysis of single-cell gene expression data, we propose and compare 12 statistical pipelines using different combinations of methods for normalization, feature selection, dimensionality reduction and variability calculation. Using high-quality synthetic scRNA-seq datasets, we benchmarked the proposed pipelines and found that the most powerful and accurate pipeline performs simple library size normalization, retains all genes in analysis and uses denSNE-based distances to cluster medoids as the variability measure. By applying this pipeline to scRNA-seq datasets of COVID-19 and autism patients, we have identified cellular variability changes between patients with different severity status or between patients and healthy controls.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiayi Liu
- Graduate Programs in Molecular Biosciences, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, 604 Allison Rd, Piscataway, 08854, NJ, USA
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, 604 Allison Road, Piscataway, 08854, NJ, USA
- Center for Advanced Biotechnology and Medicine, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, 679 Hoes Lane West, Piscataway, Piscataway, 08854, NJ, USA
| | - Anat Kreimer
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, 604 Allison Road, Piscataway, 08854, NJ, USA
- Center for Advanced Biotechnology and Medicine, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, 679 Hoes Lane West, Piscataway, Piscataway, 08854, NJ, USA
| | - Wei Vivian Li
- Department of Statistics, University of California, Riverside, 900 University Ave, Riverside, 92521, CA, USA
- Previous affiliation where part of the work was completed: Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, 683 Hoes Lane West, Piscataway, 08854, NJ, USA
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29
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López-Gil L, Pascual-Ahuir A, Proft M. Genomic Instability and Epigenetic Changes during Aging. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:14279. [PMID: 37762580 PMCID: PMC10531692 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241814279] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2023] [Revised: 09/15/2023] [Accepted: 09/18/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Aging is considered the deterioration of physiological functions along with an increased mortality rate. This scientific review focuses on the central importance of genomic instability during the aging process, encompassing a range of cellular and molecular changes that occur with advancing age. In particular, this revision addresses the genetic and epigenetic alterations that contribute to genomic instability, such as telomere shortening, DNA damage accumulation, and decreased DNA repair capacity. Furthermore, the review explores the epigenetic changes that occur with aging, including modifications to histones, DNA methylation patterns, and the role of non-coding RNAs. Finally, the review discusses the organization of chromatin and its contribution to genomic instability, including heterochromatin loss, chromatin remodeling, and changes in nucleosome and histone abundance. In conclusion, this review highlights the fundamental role that genomic instability plays in the aging process and underscores the need for continued research into these complex biological mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucía López-Gil
- Department of Biotechnology, Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Plantas, Universitat Politècnica de València, Ingeniero Fausto Elio s/n, 46022 Valencia, Spain;
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Pathology and Therapy, Instituto de Biomedicina de Valencia IBV-CSIC, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas CSIC, Jaime Roig 11, 46010 Valencia, Spain
| | - Amparo Pascual-Ahuir
- Department of Biotechnology, Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Plantas, Universitat Politècnica de València, Ingeniero Fausto Elio s/n, 46022 Valencia, Spain;
| | - Markus Proft
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Pathology and Therapy, Instituto de Biomedicina de Valencia IBV-CSIC, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas CSIC, Jaime Roig 11, 46010 Valencia, Spain
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30
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Haerinck J, Goossens S, Berx G. The epithelial-mesenchymal plasticity landscape: principles of design and mechanisms of regulation. Nat Rev Genet 2023; 24:590-609. [PMID: 37169858 DOI: 10.1038/s41576-023-00601-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 25.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/30/2023] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
Epithelial-mesenchymal plasticity (EMP) enables cells to interconvert between several states across the epithelial-mesenchymal landscape, thereby acquiring hybrid epithelial/mesenchymal phenotypic features. This plasticity is crucial for embryonic development and wound healing, but also underlies the acquisition of several malignant traits during cancer progression. Recent research using systems biology and single-cell profiling methods has provided novel insights into the main forces that shape EMP, which include the microenvironment, lineage specification and cell identity, and the genome. Additionally, key roles have emerged for hysteresis (cell memory) and cellular noise, which can drive stochastic transitions between cell states. Here, we review these forces and the distinct but interwoven layers of regulatory control that stabilize EMP states or facilitate epithelial-mesenchymal transitions (EMTs) and discuss the therapeutic potential of manipulating the EMP landscape.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jef Haerinck
- Molecular and Cellular Oncology Laboratory, Department of Biomedical Molecular Biology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
- Cancer Research Institute Ghent (CRIG), Ghent, Belgium
| | - Steven Goossens
- Cancer Research Institute Ghent (CRIG), Ghent, Belgium
- Unit for Translational Research in Oncology, Department of Diagnostic Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Geert Berx
- Molecular and Cellular Oncology Laboratory, Department of Biomedical Molecular Biology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.
- Cancer Research Institute Ghent (CRIG), Ghent, Belgium.
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31
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Roux AE, Yuan H, Podshivalova K, Hendrickson D, Kerr R, Kenyon C, Kelley D. Individual cell types in C. elegans age differently and activate distinct cell-protective responses. Cell Rep 2023; 42:112902. [PMID: 37531250 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2023.112902] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2023] [Revised: 05/17/2023] [Accepted: 07/14/2023] [Indexed: 08/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Aging is characterized by a global decline in physiological function. However, by constructing a complete single-cell gene expression atlas, we find that Caenorhabditis elegans aging is not random in nature but instead is characterized by coordinated changes in functionally related metabolic, proteostasis, and stress-response genes in a cell-type-specific fashion, with downregulation of energy metabolism being the only nearly universal change. Similarly, the rates at which cells age differ significantly between cell types. In some cell types, aging is characterized by an increase in cell-to-cell variance, whereas in others, variance actually decreases. Remarkably, multiple resilience-enhancing transcription factors known to extend lifespan are activated across many cell types with age; we discovered new longevity candidates, such as GEI-3, among these. Together, our findings suggest that cells do not age passively but instead react strongly, and individualistically, to events that occur during aging. This atlas can be queried through a public interface.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Han Yuan
- Calico Life Sciences LLC, South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA
| | | | | | - Rex Kerr
- Calico Life Sciences LLC, South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA
| | - Cynthia Kenyon
- Calico Life Sciences LLC, South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA.
| | - David Kelley
- Calico Life Sciences LLC, South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA.
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32
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Liu R, Zhao E, Yu H, Yuan C, Abbas MN, Cui H. Methylation across the central dogma in health and diseases: new therapeutic strategies. Signal Transduct Target Ther 2023; 8:310. [PMID: 37620312 PMCID: PMC10449936 DOI: 10.1038/s41392-023-01528-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2023] [Revised: 05/23/2023] [Accepted: 05/25/2023] [Indexed: 08/26/2023] Open
Abstract
The proper transfer of genetic information from DNA to RNA to protein is essential for cell-fate control, development, and health. Methylation of DNA, RNAs, histones, and non-histone proteins is a reversible post-synthesis modification that finetunes gene expression and function in diverse physiological processes. Aberrant methylation caused by genetic mutations or environmental stimuli promotes various diseases and accelerates aging, necessitating the development of therapies to correct the disease-driver methylation imbalance. In this Review, we summarize the operating system of methylation across the central dogma, which includes writers, erasers, readers, and reader-independent outputs. We then discuss how dysregulation of the system contributes to neurological disorders, cancer, and aging. Current small-molecule compounds that target the modifiers show modest success in certain cancers. The methylome-wide action and lack of specificity lead to undesirable biological effects and cytotoxicity, limiting their therapeutic application, especially for diseases with a monogenic cause or different directions of methylation changes. Emerging tools capable of site-specific methylation manipulation hold great promise to solve this dilemma. With the refinement of delivery vehicles, these new tools are well positioned to advance the basic research and clinical translation of the methylation field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruochen Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Resource Insects, Medical Research Institute, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China
- Jinfeng Laboratory, Chongqing, 401329, China
- Chongqing Engineering and Technology Research Center for Silk Biomaterials and Regenerative Medicine, Chongqing, 400716, China
- Engineering Research Center for Cancer Biomedical and Translational Medicine, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China
| | - Erhu Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Resource Insects, Medical Research Institute, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China
- Jinfeng Laboratory, Chongqing, 401329, China
- Chongqing Engineering and Technology Research Center for Silk Biomaterials and Regenerative Medicine, Chongqing, 400716, China
- Engineering Research Center for Cancer Biomedical and Translational Medicine, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China
| | - Huijuan Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Resource Insects, Medical Research Institute, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China
| | - Chaoyu Yuan
- State Key Laboratory of Resource Insects, Medical Research Institute, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China
| | - Muhammad Nadeem Abbas
- State Key Laboratory of Resource Insects, Medical Research Institute, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China
- Jinfeng Laboratory, Chongqing, 401329, China
- Chongqing Engineering and Technology Research Center for Silk Biomaterials and Regenerative Medicine, Chongqing, 400716, China
- Engineering Research Center for Cancer Biomedical and Translational Medicine, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China
| | - Hongjuan Cui
- State Key Laboratory of Resource Insects, Medical Research Institute, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China.
- Jinfeng Laboratory, Chongqing, 401329, China.
- Chongqing Engineering and Technology Research Center for Silk Biomaterials and Regenerative Medicine, Chongqing, 400716, China.
- Engineering Research Center for Cancer Biomedical and Translational Medicine, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China.
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33
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Biondo M, Singh A, Caselle M, Osella M. Out-of-equilibrium gene expression fluctuations in the presence of extrinsic noise. Phys Biol 2023; 20:10.1088/1478-3975/acea4e. [PMID: 37489881 PMCID: PMC10680095 DOI: 10.1088/1478-3975/acea4e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2023] [Accepted: 07/25/2023] [Indexed: 07/26/2023]
Abstract
Cell-to-cell variability in protein concentrations is strongly affected by extrinsic noise, especially for highly expressed genes. Extrinsic noise can be due to fluctuations of several possible cellular factors connected to cell physiology and to the level of key enzymes in the expression process. However, how to identify the predominant sources of extrinsic noise in a biological system is still an open question. This work considers a general stochastic model of gene expression with extrinsic noise represented as fluctuations of the different model rates, and focuses on the out-of-equilibrium expression dynamics. Combining analytical calculations with stochastic simulations, we characterize how extrinsic noise shapes the protein variability during gene activation or inactivation, depending on the prevailing source of extrinsic variability, on its intensity and timescale. In particular, we show that qualitatively different noise profiles can be identified depending on which are the fluctuating parameters. This indicates an experimentally accessible way to pinpoint the dominant sources of extrinsic noise using time-coarse experiments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta Biondo
- Department of Physics, University of Turin and INFN, via P. Giuria 1, I-10125 Turin, Italy
| | - Abhyudai Singh
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Department of Mathematical Sciences, Center for Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19716, United States of America
| | - Michele Caselle
- Department of Physics, University of Turin and INFN, via P. Giuria 1, I-10125 Turin, Italy
| | - Matteo Osella
- Department of Physics, University of Turin and INFN, via P. Giuria 1, I-10125 Turin, Italy
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Navarro C, Salazar J, Díaz MP, Chacin M, Santeliz R, Vera I, D′Marco L, Parra H, Bernal MC, Castro A, Escalona D, García-Pacheco H, Bermúdez V. Intrinsic and environmental basis of aging: A narrative review. Heliyon 2023; 9:e18239. [PMID: 37576279 PMCID: PMC10415626 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e18239] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2022] [Revised: 06/26/2023] [Accepted: 07/12/2023] [Indexed: 08/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Longevity has been a topic of interest since the beginnings of humanity, yet its aetiology and precise mechanisms remain to be elucidated. Aging is currently viewed as a physiological phenomenon characterized by the gradual degeneration of organic physiology and morphology due to the passage of time where both external and internal stimuli intervene. The influence of intrinsic factors, such as progressive telomere shortening, genome instability due to mutation buildup, the direct or indirect actions of age-related genes, and marked changes in epigenetic, metabolic, and mitochondrial patterns constitute a big part of its underlying endogenous mechanisms. On the other hand, several psychosocial and demographic factors, such as diet, physical activity, smoking, and drinking habits, may have an even more significant impact on shaping the aging process. Consequentially, implementing dietary and exercise patterns has been proposed as the most viable alternative strategy for attenuating the most typical degenerative aging changes, thus increasing the likelihood of prolonging lifespan and achieving successful aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carla Navarro
- Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases Research Center. School of Medicine. University of Zulia. Maracaibo 4001, Venezuela
| | - Juan Salazar
- Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases Research Center. School of Medicine. University of Zulia. Maracaibo 4001, Venezuela
| | - María P. Díaz
- Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases Research Center. School of Medicine. University of Zulia. Maracaibo 4001, Venezuela
| | - Maricarmen Chacin
- Universidad Simón Bolívar, Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Barranquilla 080001, Colombia
| | - Raquel Santeliz
- Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases Research Center. School of Medicine. University of Zulia. Maracaibo 4001, Venezuela
| | - Ivana Vera
- Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases Research Center. School of Medicine. University of Zulia. Maracaibo 4001, Venezuela
| | - Luis D′Marco
- Universidad Cardenal Herrera-CEU Medicine Department, CEU Universities, 46115 Valencia, Spain
| | - Heliana Parra
- Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases Research Center. School of Medicine. University of Zulia. Maracaibo 4001, Venezuela
| | | | - Ana Castro
- Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases Research Center. School of Medicine. University of Zulia. Maracaibo 4001, Venezuela
| | - Daniel Escalona
- Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases Research Center. School of Medicine. University of Zulia. Maracaibo 4001, Venezuela
| | - Henry García-Pacheco
- Universidad del Zulia, Facultad de Medicina, Departamento de Cirugía. Hospital General del Sur “Dr. Pedro Iturbe”. Maracaibo, Venezuela
- Unidad de Cirugía para la Obesidad y Metabolismo (UCOM). Maracaibo, Venezuela
| | - Valmore Bermúdez
- Universidad Simón Bolívar, Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Barranquilla 080001, Colombia
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Plesa AM, Shadpour M, Boyden E, Church GM. Transcriptomic reprogramming for neuronal age reversal. Hum Genet 2023; 142:1293-1302. [PMID: 37004545 PMCID: PMC10066999 DOI: 10.1007/s00439-023-02529-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2023] [Accepted: 01/24/2023] [Indexed: 04/04/2023]
Abstract
Aging is a progressive multifaceted functional decline of a biological system. Chronic age-related conditions such as neurodegenerative diseases are leading causes of death worldwide, and they are becoming a pressing problem for our society. To address this global challenge, there is a need for novel, safe, and effective rejuvenation therapies aimed at reversing age-related phenotypes and improving human health. With gene expression being a key determinant of cell identity and function, and in light of recent studies reporting rejuvenation effects through genetic perturbations, we propose an age reversal strategy focused on reprogramming the cell transcriptome to a youthful state. To this end, we suggest using transcriptomic data from primary human cells to predict rejuvenation targets and develop high-throughput aging assays, which can be used in large perturbation screens. We propose neural cells as particularly relevant targets for rejuvenation due to substantial impact of neurodegeneration on human frailty. Of all cell types in the brain, we argue that glutamatergic neurons, neuronal stem cells, and oligodendrocytes represent the most impactful and tractable targets. Lastly, we provide experimental designs for anti-aging reprogramming screens that will likely enable the development of neuronal age reversal therapies, which hold promise for dramatically improving human health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandru M. Plesa
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA USA
- Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard University, Boston, MA USA
| | - Michael Shadpour
- Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard University, Boston, MA USA
- Department of Biological Engineering, MIT, Cambridge, MA USA
| | - Ed Boyden
- Department of Biological Engineering, MIT, Cambridge, MA USA
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, MIT, Cambridge, MA USA
- McGovern Institute for Brain Research, MIT, Cambridge, MA USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, MIT, Cambridge, MA USA
| | - George M. Church
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA USA
- Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard University, Boston, MA USA
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36
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Veschetti L, Treccani M, De Tomi E, Malerba G. Genomic Instability Evolutionary Footprints on Human Health: Driving Forces or Side Effects? Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:11437. [PMID: 37511197 PMCID: PMC10380557 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241411437] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2023] [Revised: 06/30/2023] [Accepted: 07/13/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
In this work, we propose a comprehensive perspective on genomic instability comprising not only the accumulation of mutations but also telomeric shortening, epigenetic alterations and other mechanisms that could contribute to genomic information conservation or corruption. First, we present mechanisms playing a role in genomic instability across the kingdoms of life. Then, we explore the impact of genomic instability on the human being across its evolutionary history and on present-day human health, with a particular focus on aging and complex disorders. Finally, we discuss the role of non-coding RNAs, highlighting future approaches for a better living and an expanded healthy lifespan.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Giovanni Malerba
- GM Lab, Department of Neurosciences, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, University of Verona, 37134 Verona, Italy; (L.V.); (M.T.); (E.D.T.)
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37
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Sims AA, Gurkar AU. DNA damage-induced stalling of transcription drives aging through gene expression imbalance. DNA Repair (Amst) 2023; 125:103483. [PMID: 36921370 DOI: 10.1016/j.dnarep.2023.103483] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2023] [Accepted: 03/07/2023] [Indexed: 03/12/2023]
Abstract
Age-related changes in gene expression have long been examined to understand the biology of aging. The hallmarks of aging are biological processes known to be associated with aging, but whether there is a unifying driver of these attributes, is not well understood. With the advent of technology over the last few years, it is quite clear that aging leads to global decline in transcription. In this Perspective, we highlight a new study in Nature Genetics that aimed to determine why global transcription rate reduces with age and how this phenomenon is the driver that interconnects multiple hallmarks of aging. This study recognizes that age-related accumulation of DNA damage, particularly transcription-blocking lesions, stalls RNA polymerase. This phenomenon affects longer genes leading to a gradual loss of transcription and skewing the transcriptome. In order to design a successful aging intervention, future work will be needed to test how some promising therapies in pre-clinical trials target affect transcriptional rate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Austin A Sims
- Aging Institute of UPMC and the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, 100 Technology Dr, Pittsburgh, PA 15219, USA
| | - Aditi U Gurkar
- Aging Institute of UPMC and the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, 100 Technology Dr, Pittsburgh, PA 15219, USA.
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38
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Sen P, Donahue G, Li C, Egervari G, Yang N, Lan Y, Robertson N, Shah PP, Kerkhoven E, Schultz DC, Adams PD, Berger SL. Spurious intragenic transcription is a feature of mammalian cellular senescence and tissue aging. NATURE AGING 2023; 3:402-417. [PMID: 37117791 PMCID: PMC10165726 DOI: 10.1038/s43587-023-00384-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2020] [Accepted: 02/22/2023] [Indexed: 04/30/2023]
Abstract
Mammalian aging is characterized by the progressive loss of tissue function and increased risk for disease. Accumulation of senescent cells in aging tissues partly contributes to this decline, and targeted depletion of senescent cells in vivo ameliorates many age-related phenotypes. The fundamental molecular mechanisms responsible for the decline of cellular health and fitness during senescence and aging are largely unknown. In this study, we investigated whether chromatin-mediated loss of transcriptional fidelity, known to contribute to fitness and survival in yeast and worms, also occurs during human cellular senescence and mouse aging. Our findings reveal aberrant transcription initiation inside genes during senescence and aging that co-occurs with changes in the chromatin landscape. Interventions that alter these spurious transcripts have profound consequences on cellular health, primarily affecting intracellular signal transduction pathways. We propose that age-related spurious transcription promotes a noisy transcriptome and degradation of coherent transcriptional networks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Payel Sen
- Laboratory of Genetics and Genomics, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD, USA.
- Epigenetics Institute, Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
| | - Greg Donahue
- Epigenetics Institute, Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Catherine Li
- Epigenetics Institute, Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Gabor Egervari
- Epigenetics Institute, Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Na Yang
- Laboratory of Genetics and Genomics, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Yemin Lan
- Epigenetics Institute, Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Neil Robertson
- Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA
- Beatson Institute for Cancer Research and University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Parisha P Shah
- Epigenetics Institute, Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Erik Kerkhoven
- Epigenetics Institute, Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - David C Schultz
- High Throughput Screening Core, Department of Microbiology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Peter D Adams
- Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA
- Beatson Institute for Cancer Research and University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Shelley L Berger
- Epigenetics Institute, Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
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Burnaevskiy N, Oshima J, Mendenhall AR. Rapid emergence of transcriptional heterogeneity upon molecular stress predisposes cells to two distinct states of senescence. GeroScience 2023; 45:1115-1130. [PMID: 36562924 PMCID: PMC9886721 DOI: 10.1007/s11357-022-00709-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2022] [Accepted: 12/03/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Slowing aging can reduce the risk of chronic diseases. In particular, eliminating senescent cells is a promising approach to slow aging. Previous studies found that both cells from older animals and senescent cells have noisy gene expression. Here, we performed a large-scale single-cell RNA-sequencing time course to understand how transcriptional heterogeneity develops among senescent cells. We found that cells experiencing senescence-inducing oxidative stress rapidly adopt one of two major transcriptional states. One senescent cell state is associated with stress response, and the other is associated with tissue remodeling. We did not observe increased stochastic gene expression. This data is consistent with the idea that reproducible, limited, distinct, and coherent transcriptional states exist in senescent cell populations. These physiologically distinct senescent cell subtypes may each affect the aging process in unique ways and constitute a source of heterogeneity in aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nikolay Burnaevskiy
- Department of Pathology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
- Present Address: Altius Institute for Biomedical Sciences, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Junko Oshima
- Department of Pathology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
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40
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Bartz J, Jung H, Wasiluk K, Zhang L, Dong X. Progress in Discovering Transcriptional Noise in Aging. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:3701. [PMID: 36835113 PMCID: PMC9966367 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24043701] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2022] [Revised: 02/09/2023] [Accepted: 02/10/2023] [Indexed: 02/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Increasing stochasticity is a key feature in the aging process. At the molecular level, in addition to genome instability, a well-recognized hallmark of aging, cell-to-cell variation in gene expression was first identified in mouse hearts. With the technological breakthrough in single-cell RNA sequencing, most studies performed in recent years have demonstrated a positive correlation between cell-to-cell variation and age in human pancreatic cells, as well as mouse lymphocytes, lung cells, and muscle stem cells during senescence in vitro. This phenomenon is known as the "transcriptional noise" of aging. In addition to the increasing evidence in experimental observations, progress also has been made to better define transcriptional noise. Traditionally, transcriptional noise is measured using simple statistical measurements, such as the coefficient of variation, Fano factor, and correlation coefficient. Recently, multiple novel methods have been proposed, e.g., global coordination level analysis, to define transcriptional noise based on network analysis of gene-to-gene coordination. However, remaining challenges include a limited number of wet-lab observations, technical noise in single-cell RNA sequencing, and the lack of a standard and/or optimal data analytical measurement of transcriptional noise. Here, we review the recent technological progress, current knowledge, and challenges to better understand transcriptional noise in aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Josh Bartz
- Institute on the Biology of Aging and Metabolism, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
- Department of Genetics, Cell Biology and Development, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
- Bioinformatics and Computational Biology Program, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Hannim Jung
- Institute on the Biology of Aging and Metabolism, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
- Department of Genetics, Cell Biology and Development, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Karen Wasiluk
- Institute on the Biology of Aging and Metabolism, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Lei Zhang
- Institute on the Biology of Aging and Metabolism, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
- Department of Genetics, Cell Biology and Development, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Xiao Dong
- Institute on the Biology of Aging and Metabolism, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
- Department of Genetics, Cell Biology and Development, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
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41
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Gyenis A, Chang J, Demmers JJPG, Bruens ST, Barnhoorn S, Brandt RMC, Baar MP, Raseta M, Derks KWJ, Hoeijmakers JHJ, Pothof J. Genome-wide RNA polymerase stalling shapes the transcriptome during aging. Nat Genet 2023; 55:268-279. [PMID: 36658433 PMCID: PMC9925383 DOI: 10.1038/s41588-022-01279-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 36.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2021] [Accepted: 12/07/2022] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Gene expression profiling has identified numerous processes altered in aging, but how these changes arise is largely unknown. Here we combined nascent RNA sequencing and RNA polymerase II chromatin immunoprecipitation followed by sequencing to elucidate the underlying mechanisms triggering gene expression changes in wild-type aged mice. We found that in 2-year-old liver, 40% of elongating RNA polymerases are stalled, lowering productive transcription and skewing transcriptional output in a gene-length-dependent fashion. We demonstrate that this transcriptional stress is caused by endogenous DNA damage and explains the majority of gene expression changes in aging in most mainly postmitotic organs, specifically affecting aging hallmark pathways such as nutrient sensing, autophagy, proteostasis, energy metabolism, immune function and cellular stress resilience. Age-related transcriptional stress is evolutionary conserved from nematodes to humans. Thus, accumulation of stochastic endogenous DNA damage during aging deteriorates basal transcription, which establishes the age-related transcriptome and causes dysfunction of key aging hallmark pathways, disclosing how DNA damage functionally underlies major aspects of normal aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Akos Gyenis
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Erasmus MC Cancer Institute, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- University of Cologne, Faculty of Medicine, Cluster of Excellence for Aging Research, Institute for Genome Stability in Ageing and Disease, Cologne, Germany
| | - Jiang Chang
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Erasmus MC Cancer Institute, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Joris J P G Demmers
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Erasmus MC Cancer Institute, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Serena T Bruens
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Erasmus MC Cancer Institute, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Sander Barnhoorn
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Erasmus MC Cancer Institute, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Renata M C Brandt
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Erasmus MC Cancer Institute, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Marjolein P Baar
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Erasmus MC Cancer Institute, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- Center for Molecular Medicine, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Marko Raseta
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Erasmus MC Cancer Institute, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Kasper W J Derks
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Erasmus MC Cancer Institute, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Clinical Genetics and School for Oncology & Developmental Biology, Maastricht University Medical Center, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Jan H J Hoeijmakers
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Erasmus MC Cancer Institute, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- University of Cologne, Faculty of Medicine, Cluster of Excellence for Aging Research, Institute for Genome Stability in Ageing and Disease, Cologne, Germany
- Princess Maxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Oncode Institute, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Joris Pothof
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Erasmus MC Cancer Institute, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
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42
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Wolff CA, Gutierrez-Monreal MA, Meng L, Zhang X, Douma LG, Costello HM, Douglas CM, Ebrahimi E, Pham A, Oliveira AC, Fu C, Nguyen A, Alava BR, Hesketh SJ, Morris AR, Endale MM, Crislip GR, Cheng KY, Schroder EA, Delisle BP, Bryant AJ, Gumz ML, Huo Z, Liu AC, Esser KA. Defining the age-dependent and tissue-specific circadian transcriptome in male mice. Cell Rep 2023; 42:111982. [PMID: 36640301 PMCID: PMC9929559 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2022.111982] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 42.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2022] [Revised: 11/01/2022] [Accepted: 12/23/2022] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Cellular circadian clocks direct a daily transcriptional program that supports homeostasis and resilience. Emerging evidence has demonstrated age-associated changes in circadian functions. To define age-dependent changes at the systems level, we profile the circadian transcriptome in the hypothalamus, lung, heart, kidney, skeletal muscle, and adrenal gland in three age groups. We find age-dependent and tissue-specific clock output changes. Aging reduces the number of rhythmically expressed genes (REGs), indicative of weakened circadian control. REGs are enriched for the hallmarks of aging, adding another dimension to our understanding of aging. Analyzing differential gene expression within a tissue at four different times of day identifies distinct clusters of differentially expressed genes (DEGs). Increased variability of gene expression across the day is a common feature of aged tissues. This analysis extends the landscape for understanding aging and highlights the impact of aging on circadian clock function and temporal changes in gene expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher A Wolff
- Department of Physiology and Aging, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA; Myology Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA
| | - Miguel A Gutierrez-Monreal
- Department of Physiology and Aging, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA; Myology Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA; Claude D. Pepper Older Americans Independence Center, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA
| | - Lingsong Meng
- Department of Biostatistics, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA
| | - Xiping Zhang
- Department of Physiology and Aging, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA; Myology Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA
| | - Lauren G Douma
- Department of Physiology and Aging, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA; Department of Medicine, Division of Nephrology, Hypertension, and Renal Transplantation, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA
| | - Hannah M Costello
- Department of Physiology and Aging, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA; Department of Medicine, Division of Nephrology, Hypertension, and Renal Transplantation, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA
| | - Collin M Douglas
- Department of Physiology and Aging, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA; Myology Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA
| | - Elnaz Ebrahimi
- Department of Medicine, Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA
| | - Ann Pham
- Department of Medicine, Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA
| | - Aline C Oliveira
- Department of Medicine, Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA
| | - Chunhua Fu
- Department of Medicine, Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA
| | - Amy Nguyen
- Department of Medicine, Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA
| | - Bryan R Alava
- Department of Physiology and Aging, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA
| | - Stuart J Hesketh
- Department of Physiology and Aging, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA; Myology Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA
| | - Andrew R Morris
- Department of Physiology and Aging, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA
| | - Mehari M Endale
- Department of Physiology and Aging, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA
| | - G Ryan Crislip
- Department of Physiology and Aging, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA; Department of Medicine, Division of Nephrology, Hypertension, and Renal Transplantation, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA
| | - Kit-Yan Cheng
- Department of Physiology and Aging, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA; Department of Medicine, Division of Nephrology, Hypertension, and Renal Transplantation, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA
| | - Elizabeth A Schroder
- Internal Medicine, Pulmonary, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40506, USA; Department of Physiology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40506, USA
| | - Brian P Delisle
- Department of Physiology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40506, USA
| | - Andrew J Bryant
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA
| | - Michelle L Gumz
- Department of Physiology and Aging, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA; Department of Medicine, Division of Nephrology, Hypertension, and Renal Transplantation, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA; Center for Integrative Cardiovascular and Metabolic Disease, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA
| | - Zhiguang Huo
- Department of Biostatistics, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA.
| | - Andrew C Liu
- Department of Physiology and Aging, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA.
| | - Karyn A Esser
- Department of Physiology and Aging, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA; Myology Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA; Claude D. Pepper Older Americans Independence Center, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA.
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43
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Borbolis F, Ranti D, Papadopoulou MD, Dimopoulou S, Malatras A, Michalopoulos I, Syntichaki P. Selective Destabilization of Transcripts by mRNA Decapping Regulates Oocyte Maturation and Innate Immunity Gene Expression during Ageing in C. elegans. BIOLOGY 2023; 12:biology12020171. [PMID: 36829450 PMCID: PMC9952881 DOI: 10.3390/biology12020171] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2022] [Revised: 01/13/2023] [Accepted: 01/20/2023] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
Removal of the 5' cap structure of RNAs (termed decapping) is a pivotal event in the life of cytoplasmic mRNAs mainly catalyzed by a conserved holoenzyme, composed of the catalytic subunit DCP2 and its essential cofactor DCP1. While decapping was initially considered merely a step in the general 5'-3' mRNA decay, recent data suggest a great degree of selectivity that plays an active role in the post-transcriptional control of gene expression, and regulates multiple biological functions. Studies in Caenorhabditis elegans have shown that old age is accompanied by the accumulation of decapping factors in cytoplasmic RNA granules, and loss of decapping activity shortens the lifespan. However, the link between decapping and ageing remains elusive. Here, we present a comparative microarray study that was aimed to uncover the differences in the transcriptome of mid-aged dcap-1/DCP1 mutant and wild-type nematodes. Our data indicate that DCAP-1 mediates the silencing of spermatogenic genes during late oogenesis, and suppresses the aberrant uprise of immunity gene expression during ageing. The latter is achieved by destabilizing the mRNA that encodes the transcription factor PQM-1 and impairing its nuclear translocation. Failure to exert decapping-mediated control on PQM-1 has a negative impact on the lifespan, but mitigates the toxic effects of polyglutamine expression that are involved in human disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fivos Borbolis
- Center of Basic Research, Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece
| | - Dimitra Ranti
- Center of Basic Research, Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece
| | | | - Sofia Dimopoulou
- Center of Basic Research, Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece
| | - Apostolos Malatras
- Center of Systems Biology, Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece
| | - Ioannis Michalopoulos
- Center of Systems Biology, Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece
- Correspondence: (I.M.); (P.S.); Tel.: +30-21-0659-7127 (I.M.); +30-21-0659-7474 (P.S.)
| | - Popi Syntichaki
- Center of Basic Research, Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece
- Correspondence: (I.M.); (P.S.); Tel.: +30-21-0659-7127 (I.M.); +30-21-0659-7474 (P.S.)
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44
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Teo YV, Hinthorn SJ, Webb AE, Neretti N. Single-cell transcriptomics of peripheral blood in the aging mouse. Aging (Albany NY) 2023; 15:6-20. [PMID: 36622281 PMCID: PMC9876630 DOI: 10.18632/aging.204471] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2022] [Accepted: 12/29/2022] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Compositional and transcriptional changes in the hematopoietic system have been used as biomarkers of immunosenescence and aging. Here, we use single-cell RNA-sequencing to study the aging peripheral blood in mice and characterize the changes in cell-type composition and transcriptional profiles associated with age. We identified 17 clusters from a total of 14,588 single cells. We detected a general upregulation of antigen processing and presentation and chemokine signaling pathways and a downregulation of genes involved in ribosome pathways with age. In old peripheral blood, we also observed an increased percentage of cells expressing senescence markers (Cdkn1a, and Cdkn2a). In addition, we detected a cluster of activated T cells exclusively found in old blood, with lower expression of Cd28 and higher expression of Bcl2 and Cdkn2a, suggesting that the cells are senescent and resistant to apoptosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yee Voan Teo
- Department of Molecular Biology, Cell Biology and Biochemistry, Brown University, Providence, RI 02903, USA
| | - Samuel J. Hinthorn
- Center for Computational Molecular Biology, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, USA
| | - Ashley E. Webb
- Department of Molecular Biology, Cell Biology and Biochemistry, Brown University, Providence, RI 02903, USA
- Center on the Biology of Aging, Brown University, Providence, RI 02903, USA
| | - Nicola Neretti
- Department of Molecular Biology, Cell Biology and Biochemistry, Brown University, Providence, RI 02903, USA
- Center for Computational Molecular Biology, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, USA
- Center on the Biology of Aging, Brown University, Providence, RI 02903, USA
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45
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Huang K, Gong H, Guan J, Zhang L, Hu C, Zhao W, Huang L, Zhang W, Kim P, Zhou X. AgeAnno: a knowledgebase of single-cell annotation of aging in human. Nucleic Acids Res 2023; 51:D805-D815. [PMID: 36200838 PMCID: PMC9825500 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkac847] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2022] [Revised: 09/14/2022] [Accepted: 09/22/2022] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Aging is a complex process that accompanied by molecular and cellular alterations. The identification of tissue-/cell type-specific biomarkers of aging and elucidation of the detailed biological mechanisms of aging-related genes at the single-cell level can help to understand the heterogeneous aging process and design targeted anti-aging therapeutics. Here, we built AgeAnno (https://relab.xidian.edu.cn/AgeAnno/#/), a knowledgebase of single cell annotation of aging in human, aiming to provide comprehensive characterizations for aging-related genes across diverse tissue-cell types in human by using single-cell RNA and ATAC sequencing data (scRNA and scATAC). The current version of AgeAnno houses 1 678 610 cells from 28 healthy tissue samples with ages ranging from 0 to 110 years. We collected 5580 aging-related genes from previous resources and performed dynamic functional annotations of the cellular context. For the scRNA data, we performed analyses include differential gene expression, gene variation coefficient, cell communication network, transcription factor (TF) regulatory network, and immune cell proportionc. AgeAnno also provides differential chromatin accessibility analysis, motif/TF enrichment and footprint analysis, and co-accessibility peak analysis for scATAC data. AgeAnno will be a unique resource to systematically characterize aging-related genes across diverse tissue-cell types in human, and it could facilitate antiaging and aging-related disease research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kexin Huang
- West China Biomedical Big Data Centre, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, P.R. China
- Med-X Center for Informatics, Sichuan University,Chengdu,Sichuan 610041, P.R. China
| | - Hoaran Gong
- West China Biomedical Big Data Centre, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, P.R. China
- Med-X Center for Informatics, Sichuan University,Chengdu,Sichuan 610041, P.R. China
| | - Jingjing Guan
- School of Life Science and Technology, Xidian University, Xi’an, Shaanxi 710071, P.R. China
| | - Lingxiao Zhang
- School of Life Science and Technology, Xidian University, Xi’an, Shaanxi 710071, P.R. China
| | - Changbao Hu
- School of Life Science and Technology, Xidian University, Xi’an, Shaanxi 710071, P.R. China
| | - Weiling Zhao
- Center for Computational Systems Medicine, School of Biomedical Informatics, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Liyu Huang
- School of Life Science and Technology, Xidian University, Xi’an, Shaanxi 710071, P.R. China
| | - Wei Zhang
- West China Biomedical Big Data Centre, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, P.R. China
- Med-X Center for Informatics, Sichuan University,Chengdu,Sichuan 610041, P.R. China
| | - Pora Kim
- Center for Computational Systems Medicine, School of Biomedical Informatics, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Xiaobo Zhou
- Center for Computational Systems Medicine, School of Biomedical Informatics, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- McGovern Medical School, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- School of Dentistry, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX 77030, USA
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46
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Ashton KJ, Kiessling CJ, Thompson JLM, Aziz AY, Thomas WG, Headrick JP, Reichelt ME. Early cardiac aging linked to impaired stress-resistance and transcriptional control of stress response, quality control and mitochondrial pathways. Exp Gerontol 2023; 171:112011. [PMID: 36347360 DOI: 10.1016/j.exger.2022.112011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2022] [Revised: 10/18/2022] [Accepted: 10/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Phenotypic and transcriptomic evidence of early cardiac aging, and associated mechanisms, were investigated in young to middle-aged male mice (C57Bl/6; ages 8, 16, 32, 48 wks). Left ventricular gene expression (profiled via Illumina MouseWG-6 BeadChips), contractile and coronary function, and stress-resistance were assessed in Langendorff perfused hearts under normoxic conditions and following ischemic insult (20 min global ischemia-45 min reperfusion; I-R). Baseline or normoxic contractile function was unaltered by age, while cardiac and coronary 'reserves' (during β-adrenoceptor stimulation; 1 μM isoproterenol) declined by 48 wks. Resistance to I-R injury fell from 16 to 32 wks. Age-dependent transcriptional changes In un-stressed hearts were limited to 104 genes (>1.3-fold; 0.05 FDR), supporting: up-regulated innate defenses (glutathione and xenobiotic metabolism, chemotaxis, interleukins) and catecholamine secretion; and down-regulated extracellular matrix (ECM), growth factor and survival (PI3K/Akt) signaling. In stressed (post-ischemic) myocardium, ∼15-times as many genes (1528) were age-dependent, grouped into 6 clusters (>1.3-fold change; 0.05 FDR): most changing from 16 wks (45 % up/44 % down), a further 5 % declining from 32 wks. Major age-dependent Biological Processes in I-R hearts reveal: declining ATP metabolism, oxidative phosphorylation, cardiac contraction and morphogenesis, phospholipid metabolism and calcineurin signaling; increasing proteolysis and negative control of MAPK; and mixed changes in nuclear transport and angiogenic genes. Pathway analysis supports reductions in: autophagy, stress response, ER protein processing, mRNA surveillance and ribosome/translation genes; with later falls in mitochondrial biogenesis, oxidative phosphorylation and proteasome genes in I-R hearts. Summarizing, early cardiac aging is evident from 16 to 32 wks in male mice, characterized by: declining cardiovascular reserve and stress-resistance, transcriptomic evidence of constitutive stress and altered catecholamine and survival/growth signaling in healthy hearts; and declining stress response, quality control, mitochondrial energy metabolism and cardiac modeling processes in stressed hearts. These very early changes, potentially key substrate for advanced aging, may inform approaches to healthy aging and cardioprotection in the adult heart.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin J Ashton
- Faculty of Health Sciences and Medicine, Bond University, Gold Coast, QLD, Australia
| | - Can J Kiessling
- Faculty of Health Sciences and Medicine, Bond University, Gold Coast, QLD, Australia
| | - Jamie-Lee M Thompson
- Faculty of Health Sciences and Medicine, Bond University, Gold Coast, QLD, Australia
| | - Aliah Y Aziz
- Faculty of Health Sciences and Medicine, Bond University, Gold Coast, QLD, Australia
| | - Walter G Thomas
- School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - John P Headrick
- School of Medical Science, Griffith University, Southport, QLD, Australia
| | - Melissa E Reichelt
- School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia.
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Buckley MT, Sun ED, George BM, Liu L, Schaum N, Xu L, Reyes JM, Goodell MA, Weissman IL, Wyss-Coray T, Rando TA, Brunet A. Cell-type-specific aging clocks to quantify aging and rejuvenation in neurogenic regions of the brain. NATURE AGING 2023; 3:121-137. [PMID: 37118510 PMCID: PMC10154228 DOI: 10.1038/s43587-022-00335-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 49.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2022] [Accepted: 11/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
The diversity of cell types is a challenge for quantifying aging and its reversal. Here we develop 'aging clocks' based on single-cell transcriptomics to characterize cell-type-specific aging and rejuvenation. We generated single-cell transcriptomes from the subventricular zone neurogenic region of 28 mice, tiling ages from young to old. We trained single-cell-based regression models to predict chronological age and biological age (neural stem cell proliferation capacity). These aging clocks are generalizable to independent cohorts of mice, other regions of the brains, and other species. To determine if these aging clocks could quantify transcriptomic rejuvenation, we generated single-cell transcriptomic datasets of neurogenic regions for two interventions-heterochronic parabiosis and exercise. Aging clocks revealed that heterochronic parabiosis and exercise reverse transcriptomic aging in neurogenic regions, but in different ways. This study represents the first development of high-resolution aging clocks from single-cell transcriptomic data and demonstrates their application to quantify transcriptomic rejuvenation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew T Buckley
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
- Genetics Graduate Program, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Eric D Sun
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
- Biomedical Informatics Graduate Program, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Benson M George
- Stanford Medical Scientist Training Program, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
- Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Ling Liu
- Department of Neurology and Neurological Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
- Department of Neurology, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Nicholas Schaum
- Department of Neurology and Neurological Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Lucy Xu
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
- Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Jaime M Reyes
- Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Margaret A Goodell
- Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Irving L Weissman
- Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
- Ludwig Center for Cancer Stem Cell Research and Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
- Stanford Cancer Institute, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
- Department of Pathology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Tony Wyss-Coray
- Department of Neurology and Neurological Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
- Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
- Glenn Center for the Biology of Aging, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Thomas A Rando
- Department of Neurology and Neurological Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
- Glenn Center for the Biology of Aging, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
- Neurology Service, Veterans Affairs Palo Alto Health Care System, Palo Alto, CA, USA
- Department of Neurology, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Broad Stem Cell Research Center, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Anne Brunet
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA.
- Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA.
- Glenn Center for the Biology of Aging, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA.
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48
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Kokorudz C, Radford BN, Dean W, Hemberger M. Advanced Maternal Age Differentially Affects Embryonic Tissues with the Most Severe Impact on the Developing Brain. Cells 2022; 12:cells12010076. [PMID: 36611870 PMCID: PMC9818809 DOI: 10.3390/cells12010076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2022] [Revised: 12/15/2022] [Accepted: 12/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Advanced maternal age (AMA) poses the single greatest risk to a successful pregnancy. Apart from the impact of AMA on oocyte fitness, aged female mice often display defects in normal placentation. Placental defects in turn are tightly correlated with brain and cardiovascular abnormalities. It therefore follows that placenta, brain and heart development may be particularly susceptible to the impact of AMA. In the current study, we compared global transcriptomes of placentas, brains, hearts, and facial prominences from mid-gestation mouse conceptuses developed in young control (7-13 wks) and aging (43-50 wks) females. We find that AMA increases transcriptional heterogeneity in all tissues, but particularly in fetal brain. Importantly, even overtly normally developed embryos from older females display dramatic expression changes in neurodevelopmental genes. These transcriptomic alterations in the brain are likely induced by defects in placental development. Using trophoblast stem cells (TSCs) as a model, we show that exposure to aging uterine stromal cell-conditioned medium interferes with normal TSC proliferation and causes precocious differentiation, recapitulating many of the defects observed in placentas from aged females. These data highlight the increased risk of AMA on reproductive outcome, with neurodevelopment being the most sensitive to such early perturbations and with potential for lifelong impact.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caroline Kokorudz
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, 3330 Hospital Drive NW, Calgary, AB T2N 4N1, Canada
- Alberta Children’s Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, 3330 Hospital Drive NW, Calgary, AB T2N 4N1, Canada
| | - Bethany N. Radford
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, 3330 Hospital Drive NW, Calgary, AB T2N 4N1, Canada
- Alberta Children’s Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, 3330 Hospital Drive NW, Calgary, AB T2N 4N1, Canada
| | - Wendy Dean
- Alberta Children’s Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, 3330 Hospital Drive NW, Calgary, AB T2N 4N1, Canada
- Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, 3330 Hospital Drive NW, Calgary, AB T2N 4N1, Canada
- Correspondence: (W.D.); (M.H.)
| | - Myriam Hemberger
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, 3330 Hospital Drive NW, Calgary, AB T2N 4N1, Canada
- Alberta Children’s Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, 3330 Hospital Drive NW, Calgary, AB T2N 4N1, Canada
- Correspondence: (W.D.); (M.H.)
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49
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Lansdorp PM. Telomeres, Telomerase and Cancer. Arch Med Res 2022; 53:741-746. [PMID: 36334946 DOI: 10.1016/j.arcmed.2022.10.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2022] [Revised: 10/05/2022] [Accepted: 10/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Telomeres and telomerase play a crucial role in human aging and cancer. Three "drivers" of human aging can be identified. The developmental program encoded in DNA is the primary determinant of lifespan. Faithful execution of the developmental program requires stability of the (epi-)genome which is challenged throughout life by damage to DNA as well as epigenetic 'scars' from error-free DNA repair and stochastic errors made during the establishment and maintenance of the "epigenome". Over time (epi-)mutations accumulate, compromising cellular function and causing (pre-)malignant alterations. Damage to the genome and epigenome can be considered the second "driver" of aging. A third driver of the aging process, important to suppress tumors in long-lived animals, is caused by progressive loss of telomeric DNA. Telomere erosion protects against cancer early in life but limits cell renewal late in life, in agreement with the Antagonistic Pleiotropy theory on the evolutionary origin of aging. Malignant tumors arise when mutations and/or epimutations in cells (clock 2) corrupt the developmental program (clock 1) as well as tumor suppression by telomere erosion (clock 3). In cancer cells clock 3 is typically inactivated by loss of p53 as well as increased expression of telomerase. Taken together, aging in humans can be described by the ticking of three clocks: the clock that directs development, the accumulation of (epi-)mutations over time and the telomere clock that limits the number of cell divisions in normal stem and immune cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter M Lansdorp
- Terry Fox Laboratory, BC Cancer Research Institute, Vancouver, Canada; Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada.
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50
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Epigenetic clock: A promising biomarker and practical tool in aging. Ageing Res Rev 2022; 81:101743. [PMID: 36206857 DOI: 10.1016/j.arr.2022.101743] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2022] [Revised: 09/13/2022] [Accepted: 09/30/2022] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
As a complicated process, aging is characterized by various changes at the cellular, subcellular and nuclear levels, one of which is epigenetic aging. With increasing awareness of the critical role that epigenetic alternations play in aging, DNA methylation patterns have been employed as a measure of biological age, currently referred to as the epigenetic clock. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the epigenetic clock as a biomarker of aging and a useful tool to manage healthy aging. In this burgeoning scientific field, various kinds of epigenetic clocks continue to emerge, including Horvath's clock, Hannum's clock, DNA PhenoAge, and DNA GrimAge. We hereby present the most classic epigenetic clocks, as well as their differences. Correlations of epigenetic age with morbidity, mortality and other factors suggest the potential of epigenetic clocks for risk prediction and identification in the context of aging. In particular, we summarize studies on promising age-reversing interventions, with epigenetic clocks employed as a practical tool in the efficacy evaluation. We also discuss how the lack of higher-quality information poses a major challenge, and offer some suggestions to address existing obstacles. Hopefully, our review will help provide an appropriate understanding of the epigenetic clocks, thereby enabling novel insights into the aging process and how it can be manipulated to promote healthy aging.
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