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Hao Y, Han K, Wang T, Yu J, Ding H, Dao F. Exploring the potential of epigenetic clocks in aging research. Methods 2024:S1046-2023(24)00191-9. [PMID: 39251102 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymeth.2024.09.001] [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: 07/01/2024] [Revised: 07/26/2024] [Accepted: 09/01/2024] [Indexed: 09/11/2024] Open
Abstract
The process of aging is a notable risk factor for numerous age-related illnesses. Hence, a reliable technique for evaluating biological age or the pace of aging is crucial for understanding the aging process and its influence on the progression of disease. Epigenetic alterations are recognized as a prominent biomarker of aging, and epigenetic clocks formulated on this basis have been shown to provide precise estimations of chronological age. Extensive research has validated the effectiveness of epigenetic clocks in determining aging rates, identifying risk factors for aging, evaluating the impact of anti-aging interventions, and predicting the emergence of age-related diseases. This review provides a detailed overview of the theoretical principles underlying the development of epigenetic clocks and their utility in aging research. Furthermore, it explores the existing obstacles and possibilities linked to epigenetic clocks and proposes potential avenues for future studies in this field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuduo Hao
- Center for Informational Biology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 610054, China
| | - Kaiyuan Han
- Center for Informational Biology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 610054, China
| | - Ting Wang
- Center for Informational Biology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 610054, China
| | - Junwen Yu
- Center for Informational Biology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 610054, China
| | - Hui Ding
- Center for Informational Biology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 610054, China.
| | - Fuying Dao
- School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 639798, Singapore.
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Pośpiech E, Bar A, Pisarek-Pacek A, Karaś A, Branicki W, Chlopicki S. Epigenetic clock in the aorta and age-related endothelial dysfunction in mice. GeroScience 2024; 46:3993-4002. [PMID: 38381284 PMCID: PMC11226569 DOI: 10.1007/s11357-024-01086-3] [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: 12/03/2023] [Accepted: 01/20/2024] [Indexed: 02/22/2024] Open
Abstract
While epigenetic age (EA) of mouse blood can be determined using DNA methylation analysis at three CpG sites in the Prima1, Hsf4 and Kcns1 genes it is not known whether this approach is useful for predicting vascular biological age. In this study we validated the 3-CpG estimator for age prediction in mouse blood, developed a new predictive model for EA in mouse aorta, and assessed whether epigenetic age acceleration (EAA) measured with blood and aorta samples correlates with age-dependent endothelial dysfunction. Endothelial function was characterized in vivo by MRI in 8-96-week-old C57BL/6 mice. Arterial stiffness was measured by USG-doppler. EA-related changes within 41 CpG sites in Prima1, Kcns1 and Hsf4 loci, were analyzed in the aorta and blood using bisulfite amplicon high-throughput sequencing. Progressive age-dependent endothelial dysfunction and changes in arterial stiffness were observed in 36-96-week-old C57BL/6 mice. Methylation levels of the investigated loci correlated with chronological age in blood and the aorta. The new model for EA estimation in aorta included three cytosines located in the Kcns1 and Hsf4, explained R2 = 87.8% of the variation in age, and predicted age with an mean absolute error of 9.6 weeks in the independent test set. EAA in the aorta was associated with endothelial dysfunction in the abdominal aorta and femoral artery what was consistent with the EAA direction estimated in blood samples. The rate of vascular biological ageing in mice, reflected by the age-dependent systemic endothelial dysfunction, could be estimated using DNA methylation measurements at three loci in aorta and blood samples.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ewelina Pośpiech
- Department of Forensic Genetics, Pomeranian Medical University in Szczecin, Al. Powstancow Wielkopolskich 72, 70-204, Szczecin, Poland
| | - Anna Bar
- Jagiellonian Centre for Experimental Therapeutics (JCET), Jagiellonian University, Bobrzynskiego 14, 30-348, Krakow, Poland
| | - Aleksandra Pisarek-Pacek
- Institute of Zoology and Biomedical Research, Faculty of Biology, Jagiellonian University, Gronostajowa 9, 30-387, Krakow, Poland
- Malopolska Centre of Biotechnology, Jagiellonian University, Gronostajowa 7a, 30-387, Krakow, Poland
| | - Agnieszka Karaś
- Jagiellonian Centre for Experimental Therapeutics (JCET), Jagiellonian University, Bobrzynskiego 14, 30-348, Krakow, Poland
| | - Wojciech Branicki
- Institute of Zoology and Biomedical Research, Faculty of Biology, Jagiellonian University, Gronostajowa 9, 30-387, Krakow, Poland.
- Institute of Forensic Research, Westerplatte 9, 31-033, Kraków, Poland.
| | - Stefan Chlopicki
- Jagiellonian Centre for Experimental Therapeutics (JCET), Jagiellonian University, Bobrzynskiego 14, 30-348, Krakow, Poland.
- Faculty of Medicine, Chair of Pharmacology, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Grzegorzecka 16, 31-531, Krakow, Poland.
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Kastberger B, Winter S, Brandstätter H, Biller J, Wagner W, Plesnila N. Treatment with Cerebrolysin Prolongs Lifespan in a Mouse Model of Cerebral Autosomal Dominant Arteriopathy with Subcortical Infarcts and Leukoencephalopathy. Adv Biol (Weinh) 2024; 8:e2300439. [PMID: 38062874 DOI: 10.1002/adbi.202300439] [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: 08/22/2023] [Indexed: 02/15/2024]
Abstract
Cerebral autosomal dominant arteriopathy with subcortical infarcts and leukoencephalopathy (CADASIL) is a rare familial neurological disorder caused by mutations in the NOTCH3 gene and characterized by migraine attacks, depressive episodes, lacunar strokes, dementia, and premature death. Since there is no therapy for CADASIL the authors investigate whether the multi-modal neuropeptide drug Cerebrolysin may improve outcome in a murine CADASIL model. Twelve-month-old NOTCH3R169C mutant mice (n=176) are treated for nine weeks with Cerebrolysin or Vehicle and histopathological and functional outcomes are evaluated within the subsequent ten months. Cerebrolysin treatment improves spatial memory and overall health, reduces epigenetic aging, and prolongs lifespan, however, CADASIL-specific white matter vacuolization is not affected. On the molecular level Cerebrolysin treatment increases expression of Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide (CGRP) and Silent Information Regulator Two (Sir2)-like protein 6 (SIRT6), decreases expression of Insulin-like Growth Factor 1 (IGF-1), and normalizes the expression of neurovascular laminin. In summary, Cerebrolysin fosters longevity and healthy aging without specifically affecting CADASIL pathology. Hence, Cerebrolysin may serve a therapeutic option for CADASIL and other disorders characterized by accelerated aging.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Stefan Winter
- Ever Pharma, Oberburgau 3, Unterach am Attersee, 4866, Austria
| | | | - Janina Biller
- Institute for Stroke and Dementia Research (ISD), University Hospital, LMU Munich, 81377, Munich, Germany
| | - Wolfgang Wagner
- Institute for Stem Cell Biology, RWTH Aachen University Medical School, 52074, Aachen, Germany
- Helmholtz Institute for Biomedical Engineering, RWTH Aachen University, 52074, Aachen, Germany
- Cygenia GmbH, 52078, Aachen, Germany
| | - Nikolaus Plesnila
- Cluster of Systems Neurology (Synergy), 81377, Munich, Germany
- Institute for Stroke and Dementia Research (ISD), University Hospital, LMU Munich, 81377, Munich, Germany
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Li M, Bao L, Zhu P, Wang S. Effect of metformin on the epigenetic age of peripheral blood in patients with diabetes mellitus. Front Genet 2022; 13:955835. [PMID: 36226195 PMCID: PMC9548538 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2022.955835] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2022] [Accepted: 08/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Metformin has been proven to have an antiaging effect. However, studies on how metformin affects global epigenetic regulation and its effect on the epigenetic clock in diabetes mellitus (DM) patients are limited. This study aims to investigate the impact of metformin on the epigenetic age in subjects with type 2 DM. Results: We collected the peripheral blood of the metformin group and the no-metformin group of the 32 DM patients. Three previously established epigenetic clocks (Hannum, Horvath, and DNAmPhenoAge) were used to estimate the epigenetic age acceleration of the two groups. We defined biological age acceleration for each group by comparing the estimated biological age with the chronological age. Results were presented as follows: 1) all three epigenetic clocks were strongly correlated with chronological age. 2) We found a strong association between metformin intake and slower epigenetic aging by Horvath’s clock and Hannum’s clock. Conclusions: Here, we found an association between metformin intake and slower epigenetic aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Man Li
- Department of Geriatrics, The Second Medical Center and National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Diseases, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Litao Bao
- Institute of Gerontology, Second Medical Center, PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Ping Zhu
- Department of Geriatrics, The Second Medical Center and National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Diseases, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Shuxia Wang
- Department of Geriatrics, The Second Medical Center and National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Diseases, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China
- *Correspondence: Shuxia Wang,
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Perez-Correa JF, Tharmapalan V, Geiger H, Wagner W. Epigenetic Clocks for Mice Based on Age-Associated Regions That are Conserved Between Mouse Strains and Human. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 10:902857. [PMID: 35721486 PMCID: PMC9204067 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.902857] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2022] [Accepted: 05/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Aging of mice can be tracked by DNA methylation changes at specific sites in the genome. In this study, we used the recently released Infinium Mouse Methylation BeadChip to compare such epigenetic modifications in C57BL/6 (B6) and DBA/2J (DBA) mice. We observed marked differences in age-associated DNA methylation in these commonly used inbred mouse strains, indicating that epigenetic clocks for one strain cannot be simply applied to other strains without further verification. In B6 mice age-associated hypomethylation prevailed with focused hypermethylation at CpG islands, whereas in DBA mice CpG islands revealed rather hypomethylation upon aging. Interestingly, the CpGs with highest age-correlation were still overlapping in B6 and DBA mice and included the genes Hsf4, Prima1, Aspa, and Wnt3a. Notably, Hsf4 and Prima1 were also top candidates in previous studies based on whole genome deep sequencing approaches. Furthermore, Hsf4, Aspa, and Wnt3a revealed highly significant age-associated DNA methylation in the homologous regions in human. Subsequently, we used pyrosequencing of the four relevant regions to establish a targeted epigenetic clock that provided very high correlation with chronological age in independent cohorts of B6 (R2 = 0.98) and DBA (R2 = 0.91). Taken together, the methylome differs extensively between B6 and DBA mice, while prominent age-associated changes are conserved among these strains and even in humans. Our new targeted epigenetic clock with 4 CpGs provides a versatile tool for other researchers analyzing aging in mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan-Felipe Perez-Correa
- Institute for Stem Cell Biology, RWTH Aachen University Medical School, Aachen, Germany
- Helmholtz Institute for Biomedical Engineering, RWTH Aachen University Medical School, Aachen, Germany
| | - Vithurithra Tharmapalan
- Institute for Stem Cell Biology, RWTH Aachen University Medical School, Aachen, Germany
- Helmholtz Institute for Biomedical Engineering, RWTH Aachen University Medical School, Aachen, Germany
| | - Hartmut Geiger
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany
| | - Wolfgang Wagner
- Institute for Stem Cell Biology, RWTH Aachen University Medical School, Aachen, Germany
- Helmholtz Institute for Biomedical Engineering, RWTH Aachen University Medical School, Aachen, Germany
- *Correspondence: Wolfgang Wagner,
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Hibernation slows epigenetic ageing in yellow-bellied marmots. Nat Ecol Evol 2022; 6:418-426. [PMID: 35256811 PMCID: PMC8986532 DOI: 10.1038/s41559-022-01679-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2021] [Accepted: 01/20/2022] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
Species that hibernate generally live longer than would be expected based solely on their body size. Hibernation is characterized by long periods of metabolic suppression (torpor) interspersed by short periods of increased metabolism (arousal). The torpor–arousal cycles occur multiple times during hibernation, and it has been suggested that processes controlling the transition between torpor and arousal states cause ageing suppression. Metabolic rate is also a known correlate of longevity; we thus proposed the ‘hibernation–ageing hypothesis’ whereby ageing is suspended during hibernation. We tested this hypothesis in a well-studied population of yellow-bellied marmots (Marmota flaviventer), which spend 7–8 months per year hibernating. We used two approaches to estimate epigenetic age: the epigenetic clock and the epigenetic pacemaker. Variation in epigenetic age of 149 samples collected throughout the life of 73 females was modelled using generalized additive mixed models (GAMM), where season (cyclic cubic spline) and chronological age (cubic spline) were fixed effects. As expected, the GAMM using epigenetic ages calculated from the epigenetic pacemaker was better able to detect nonlinear patterns in epigenetic ageing over time. We observed a logarithmic curve of epigenetic age with time, where the epigenetic age increased at a higher rate until females reached sexual maturity (two years old). With respect to circannual patterns, the epigenetic age increased during the active season and essentially stalled during the hibernation period. Taken together, our results are consistent with the hibernation–ageing hypothesis and may explain the enhanced longevity in hibernators. Species that hibernate generally have longer lifespans than expected based on their body size. The authors show epigenetic ageing patterns from a natural population of hibernating yellow-bellied marmots consistent with the hypothesis that ageing is suspended during hibernation.
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Wagner W. How to Translate DNA Methylation Biomarkers Into Clinical Practice. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 10:854797. [PMID: 35281115 PMCID: PMC8905294 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.854797] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2022] [Accepted: 02/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent advances in sequencing technologies provide unprecedented opportunities for epigenetic biomarker development. Particularly the DNA methylation pattern-which is modified at specific sites in the genome during cellular differentiation, aging, and disease-holds high hopes for a wide variety of diagnostic applications. While many epigenetic biomarkers have been described, only very few of them have so far been successfully translated into clinical practice and almost exclusively in the field of oncology. This discrepancy might be attributed to the different demands of either publishing a new finding or establishing a standardized and approved diagnostic procedure. This is exemplified for epigenetic leukocyte counts and epigenetic age-predictions. To ease later clinical translation, the following hallmarks should already be taken into consideration when designing epigenetic biomarkers: 1) Identification of best genomic regions, 2) pre-analytical processing, 3) accuracy of DNA methylation measurements, 4) identification of confounding parameters, 5) accreditation as diagnostic procedure, 6) standardized data analysis, 7) turnaround time, and 8) costs and customer requirements. While the initial selection of relevant genomic regions is usually performed on genome wide DNA methylation profiles, it might be advantageous to subsequently establish targeted assays that focus on specific genomic regions. Development of an epigenetic biomarker for clinical application is a long and cumbersome process that is only initiated with the identification of an epigenetic signature.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wolfgang Wagner
- Helmholtz-Institute for Biomedical Engineering, Stem Cell Biology and Cellular Engineering, RWTH Aachen University Medical School, Aachen, Germany
- Center for Integrated Oncology Aachen Bonn Cologne Düsseldorf (CIO ABCD), Aachen, Germany
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8
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Larocca D, Lee J, West MD, Labat I, Sternberg H. No Time to Age: Uncoupling Aging from Chronological Time. Genes (Basel) 2021; 12:611. [PMID: 33919082 PMCID: PMC8143125 DOI: 10.3390/genes12050611] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2021] [Revised: 04/13/2021] [Accepted: 04/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Multicellular life evolved from simple unicellular organisms that could replicate indefinitely, being essentially ageless. At this point, life split into two fundamentally different cell types: the immortal germline representing an unbroken lineage of cell division with no intrinsic endpoint and the mortal soma, which ages and dies. In this review, we describe the germline as clock-free and the soma as clock-bound and discuss aging with respect to three DNA-based cellular clocks (telomeric, DNA methylation, and transposable element). The ticking of these clocks corresponds to the stepwise progressive limitation of growth and regeneration of somatic cells that we term somatic restriction. Somatic restriction acts in opposition to strategies that ensure continued germline replication and regeneration. We thus consider the plasticity of aging as a process not fixed to the pace of chronological time but one that can speed up or slow down depending on the rate of intrinsic cellular clocks. We further describe how germline factor reprogramming might be used to slow the rate of aging and potentially reverse it by causing the clocks to tick backward. Therefore, reprogramming may eventually lead to therapeutic strategies to treat degenerative diseases by altering aging itself, the one condition common to us all.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jieun Lee
- AgeX Therapeutics Inc., Alameda, CA 94501, USA; (J.L.); (M.D.W.); (I.L.); (H.S.)
| | - Michael D. West
- AgeX Therapeutics Inc., Alameda, CA 94501, USA; (J.L.); (M.D.W.); (I.L.); (H.S.)
| | - Ivan Labat
- AgeX Therapeutics Inc., Alameda, CA 94501, USA; (J.L.); (M.D.W.); (I.L.); (H.S.)
| | - Hal Sternberg
- AgeX Therapeutics Inc., Alameda, CA 94501, USA; (J.L.); (M.D.W.); (I.L.); (H.S.)
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Han Y, Nikolić M, Gobs M, Franzen J, de Haan G, Geiger H, Wagner W. Targeted methods for epigenetic age predictions in mice. Sci Rep 2020; 10:22439. [PMID: 33384442 PMCID: PMC7775437 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-79509-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2020] [Accepted: 12/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Age-associated DNA methylation reflects aspect of biological aging—therefore epigenetic clocks for mice can elucidate how the aging process in this model organism is affected by specific treatments or genetic background. Initially, age-predictors for mice were trained for genome-wide DNA methylation profiles and we have recently described a targeted assay based on pyrosequencing of DNA methylation at only three age-associated genomic regions. Here, we established alternative approaches using droplet digital PCR (ddPCR) and barcoded bisulfite amplicon sequencing (BBA-seq). At individual CG dinucleotides (CpGs) the correlation of DNA methylation with chronological age was slightly higher for pyrosequencing and ddPCR as compared to BBA-seq. On the other hand, BBA-seq revealed that neighboring CpGs tend to be stochastically modified at murine age-associated regions. Furthermore, the binary sequel of methylated and non-methylated CpGs in individual reads can be used for single-read predictions, which may reflect heterogeneity in epigenetic aging. In comparison to C57BL/6 mice the single-read age-predictions using BBA-seq were also accelerated in the shorter-lived DBA/2 mice, and in C57BL/6 mice with a lifespan quantitative trait locus of DBA/2 mice. Taken together, we describe alternative targeted methods for epigenetic age predictions that provide new perspectives for aging-intervention studies in mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Han
- Helmholtz-Institute for Biomedical Engineering, Stem Cell Biology and Cellular Engineering, RWTH Aachen University Medical School, Pauwelsstraße 20, 52074, Aachen, Germany.,Institute for Biomedical Engineering - Cell Biology, University Hospital of RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany
| | - Miloš Nikolić
- Helmholtz-Institute for Biomedical Engineering, Stem Cell Biology and Cellular Engineering, RWTH Aachen University Medical School, Pauwelsstraße 20, 52074, Aachen, Germany.,Institute for Biomedical Engineering - Cell Biology, University Hospital of RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany
| | - Michael Gobs
- Helmholtz-Institute for Biomedical Engineering, Stem Cell Biology and Cellular Engineering, RWTH Aachen University Medical School, Pauwelsstraße 20, 52074, Aachen, Germany.,Institute for Biomedical Engineering - Cell Biology, University Hospital of RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany
| | - Julia Franzen
- Helmholtz-Institute for Biomedical Engineering, Stem Cell Biology and Cellular Engineering, RWTH Aachen University Medical School, Pauwelsstraße 20, 52074, Aachen, Germany.,Institute for Biomedical Engineering - Cell Biology, University Hospital of RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany
| | - Gerald de Haan
- Laboratory of Ageing Biology and Stem Cells, European Research Institute for the Biology of Ageing, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Hartmut Geiger
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, Ulm University, 89081, Ulm, Germany
| | - Wolfgang Wagner
- Helmholtz-Institute for Biomedical Engineering, Stem Cell Biology and Cellular Engineering, RWTH Aachen University Medical School, Pauwelsstraße 20, 52074, Aachen, Germany. .,Institute for Biomedical Engineering - Cell Biology, University Hospital of RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany.
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Tsurumi A, Li WX. Aging mechanisms-A perspective mostly from Drosophila. ADVANCED GENETICS (HOBOKEN, N.J.) 2020; 1:e10026. [PMID: 36619249 PMCID: PMC9744567 DOI: 10.1002/ggn2.10026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2019] [Revised: 04/04/2020] [Accepted: 04/08/2020] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
A mechanistic understanding of the natural aging process, which is distinct from aging-related disease mechanisms, is essential for developing interventions to extend lifespan or healthspan. Here, we discuss current trends in aging research and address conceptual and experimental challenges in the field. We examine various molecular markers implicated in aging with an emphasis on the role of heterochromatin and epigenetic changes. Studies in model organisms have been advantageous in elucidating conserved genetic and epigenetic mechanisms and assessing interventions that affect aging. We highlight the use of Drosophila, which allows controlled studies for evaluating genetic and environmental contributors to aging conveniently. Finally, we propose the use of novel methodologies and future strategies using Drosophila in aging research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amy Tsurumi
- Department of SurgeryMassachusetts General Hospital, and Harvard Medical SchoolBostonMassachusettsUSA
- Department of Microbiology and ImmunologyHarvard Medical SchoolBostonMassachusettsUSA
- Shriners Hospitals for Children‐Boston®BostonMassachusettsUSA
| | - Willis X. Li
- Department of MedicineUniversity of California at San DiegoLa JollaCaliforniaUSA
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Fülöp T, Desroches M, A Cohen A, Santos FAN, Rodrigues S. Why we should use topological data analysis in ageing: Towards defining the “topological shape of ageing”. Mech Ageing Dev 2020; 192:111390. [DOI: 10.1016/j.mad.2020.111390] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2020] [Revised: 10/17/2020] [Accepted: 10/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
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12
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Biohorology and biomarkers of aging: Current state-of-the-art, challenges and opportunities. Ageing Res Rev 2020; 60:101050. [PMID: 32272169 DOI: 10.1016/j.arr.2020.101050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 89] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2019] [Revised: 02/06/2020] [Accepted: 03/22/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
The aging process results in multiple traceable footprints, which can be quantified and used to estimate an organism's age. Examples of such aging biomarkers include epigenetic changes, telomere attrition, and alterations in gene expression and metabolite concentrations. More than a dozen aging clocks use molecular features to predict an organism's age, each of them utilizing different data types and training procedures. Here, we offer a detailed comparison of existing mouse and human aging clocks, discuss their technological limitations and the underlying machine learning algorithms. We also discuss promising future directions of research in biohorology - the science of measuring the passage of time in living systems. Overall, we expect deep learning, deep neural networks and generative approaches to be the next power tools in this timely and actively developing field.
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13
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Han Y, Franzen J, Stiehl T, Gobs M, Kuo CC, Nikolić M, Hapala J, Koop BE, Strathmann K, Ritz-Timme S, Wagner W. New targeted approaches for epigenetic age predictions. BMC Biol 2020; 18:71. [PMID: 32580727 PMCID: PMC7315536 DOI: 10.1186/s12915-020-00807-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2020] [Accepted: 06/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Age-associated DNA methylation changes provide a promising biomarker for the aging process. While genome-wide DNA methylation profiles enable robust age-predictors by integration of many age-associated CG dinucleotides (CpGs), there are various alternative approaches for targeted measurements at specific CpGs that better support standardized and cost-effective high-throughput analysis. Results In this study, we utilized 4647 Illumina BeadChip profiles of blood to select CpG sites that facilitate reliable age-predictions based on pyrosequencing. We demonstrate that the precision of DNA methylation measurements can be further increased with droplet digital PCR (ddPCR). In comparison, bisulfite barcoded amplicon sequencing (BBA-seq) gave slightly lower correlation between chronological age and DNA methylation at individual CpGs, while the age-predictions were overall relatively accurate. Furthermore, BBA-seq data revealed that the correlation of methylation levels with age at neighboring CpG sites follows a bell-shaped curve, often associated with a CTCF binding site. We demonstrate that within individual BBA-seq reads the DNA methylation at neighboring CpGs is not coherently modified, but reveals a stochastic pattern. Based on this, we have developed a new approach for epigenetic age predictions based on the binary sequel of methylated and non-methylated sites in individual reads, which reflects heterogeneity in epigenetic aging within a sample. Conclusion Targeted DNA methylation analysis at few age-associated CpGs by pyrosequencing, BBA-seq, and particularly ddPCR enables high precision of epigenetic age-predictions. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the stochastic evolution of age-associated DNA methylation patterns in BBA-seq data enables epigenetic clocks for individual DNA strands.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Han
- Helmholtz-Institute for Biomedical Engineering, Stem Cell Biology and Cellular Engineering, RWTH Aachen University Medical School, Pauwelsstraße 20, 52074, Aachen, Germany.,Institute for Biomedical Engineering - Cell Biology, University Hospital of RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany
| | - Julia Franzen
- Helmholtz-Institute for Biomedical Engineering, Stem Cell Biology and Cellular Engineering, RWTH Aachen University Medical School, Pauwelsstraße 20, 52074, Aachen, Germany.,Institute for Biomedical Engineering - Cell Biology, University Hospital of RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany
| | - Thomas Stiehl
- Interdisciplinary Center for Scientific Computing (IWR), Institute of Applied Mathematics, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Michael Gobs
- Helmholtz-Institute for Biomedical Engineering, Stem Cell Biology and Cellular Engineering, RWTH Aachen University Medical School, Pauwelsstraße 20, 52074, Aachen, Germany.,Institute for Biomedical Engineering - Cell Biology, University Hospital of RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany
| | - Chao-Chung Kuo
- Helmholtz-Institute for Biomedical Engineering, Stem Cell Biology and Cellular Engineering, RWTH Aachen University Medical School, Pauwelsstraße 20, 52074, Aachen, Germany.,Institute for Biomedical Engineering - Cell Biology, University Hospital of RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany
| | - Miloš Nikolić
- Helmholtz-Institute for Biomedical Engineering, Stem Cell Biology and Cellular Engineering, RWTH Aachen University Medical School, Pauwelsstraße 20, 52074, Aachen, Germany.,Institute for Biomedical Engineering - Cell Biology, University Hospital of RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany
| | - Jan Hapala
- Helmholtz-Institute for Biomedical Engineering, Stem Cell Biology and Cellular Engineering, RWTH Aachen University Medical School, Pauwelsstraße 20, 52074, Aachen, Germany.,Institute for Biomedical Engineering - Cell Biology, University Hospital of RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany
| | | | - Klaus Strathmann
- Institute for Transfusion Medicine, RWTH Aachen University Medical School, Aachen, Germany
| | - Stefanie Ritz-Timme
- Institute for Legal Medicine, Heinrich Heine University, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Wolfgang Wagner
- Helmholtz-Institute for Biomedical Engineering, Stem Cell Biology and Cellular Engineering, RWTH Aachen University Medical School, Pauwelsstraße 20, 52074, Aachen, Germany. .,Institute for Biomedical Engineering - Cell Biology, University Hospital of RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany.
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14
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Raj K, Horvath S. Current perspectives on the cellular and molecular features of epigenetic ageing. Exp Biol Med (Maywood) 2020; 245:1532-1542. [PMID: 32276545 DOI: 10.1177/1535370220918329] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
IMPACT STATEMENT The field of epigenetic ageing is relatively new, and the speed of its expansion presents a challenge in keeping abreast with new discoveries and their implications. Several reviews have already addressed the great number of pathologies, health conditions, life-style, and external stressors that are associated with changes to the rate of epigenetic ageing. While these associations highlight and affirm the ability of epigenetic clock to capture biologically meaningful changes associated with age, they do not inform us about the underlying mechanisms. In this very early period since the development of the clock, there have been rather limited experimental research that are aimed at uncovering the mechanism. Hence, the perspective that we proffer is derived from available but nevertheless limited lines of evidence that together provide a seemingly coherent narrative that can be tested. This, we believe would be helpful towards uncovering the workings of the epigenetic clock.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kenneth Raj
- Radiation Effects Department, Centre for Radiation, Chemical and Environmental Hazards, Public Health England, Chilton, Didcot, Oxfordshire OX11 0RQ, UK
| | - Steve Horvath
- Department of Human Genetics, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA and Department of Biostatistics, Fielding School of Public Health, University of California Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
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15
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Jasinska AJ. Resources for functional genomic studies of health and development in nonhuman primates. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2020; 171 Suppl 70:174-194. [PMID: 32221967 DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.24051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2019] [Revised: 01/22/2020] [Accepted: 02/26/2020] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Primates display a wide range of phenotypic variation underlaid by complex genetically regulated mechanisms. The links among DNA sequence, gene function, and phenotype have been of interest from an evolutionary perspective, to understand functional genome evolution and its phenotypic consequences, and from a biomedical perspective to understand the shared and human-specific roots of health and disease. Progress in methods for characterizing genetic, transcriptomic, and DNA methylation (DNAm) variation is driving the rapid development of extensive omics resources, which are now increasingly available from humans as well as a growing number of nonhuman primates (NHPs). The fast growth of large-scale genomic data is driving the emergence of integrated tools and databases, thus facilitating studies of gene functionality across primates. This review describes NHP genomic resources that can aid in exploration of how genes shape primate phenotypes. It focuses on the gene expression trajectories across development in different tissues, the identification of functional genetic variation (including variants deleterious for protein function and regulatory variants modulating gene expression), and DNAm profiles as an emerging tool to understand the process of aging. These resources enable comparative functional genomics approaches to identify species-specific and primate-shared gene functionalities associated with health and development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna J Jasinska
- Center for Neurobehavioral Genetics, Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA.,Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Poznan, Poland.,Eye on Primates, Los Angeles, California, USA
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16
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Neri S, Borzì RM. Molecular Mechanisms Contributing to Mesenchymal Stromal Cell Aging. Biomolecules 2020; 10:E340. [PMID: 32098040 PMCID: PMC7072652 DOI: 10.3390/biom10020340] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2019] [Revised: 02/13/2020] [Accepted: 02/19/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (MSCs) are a reservoir for tissue homeostasis and repair that age during organismal aging. Beside the fundamental in vivo role of MSCs, they have also emerged in the last years as extremely promising therapeutic agents for a wide variety of clinical conditions. MSC use frequently requires in vitro expansion, thus exposing cells to replicative senescence. Aging of MSCs (both in vivo and in vitro) can affect not only their replicative potential, but also their properties, like immunomodulation and secretory profile, thus possibly compromising their therapeutic effect. It is therefore of critical importance to unveil the underlying mechanisms of MSC senescence and to define shared methods to assess MSC aging status. The present review will focus on current scientific knowledge about MSC aging mechanisms, control and effects, including possible anti-aging treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simona Neri
- IRCCS Istituto Ortopedico Rizzoli, Laboratorio di Immunoreumatologia e Rigenerazione Tissutale, 40136 Bologna, Italy;
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17
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Thompson MJ, Chwiałkowska K, Rubbi L, Lusis AJ, Davis RC, Srivastava A, Korstanje R, Churchill GA, Horvath S, Pellegrini M. A multi-tissue full lifespan epigenetic clock for mice. Aging (Albany NY) 2019; 10:2832-2854. [PMID: 30348905 PMCID: PMC6224226 DOI: 10.18632/aging.101590] [Citation(s) in RCA: 110] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2018] [Accepted: 10/05/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Human DNA-methylation data have been used to develop highly accurate biomarkers of aging ("epigenetic clocks"). Recent studies demonstrate that similar epigenetic clocks for mice (Mus Musculus) can be slowed by gold standard anti-aging interventions such as calorie restriction and growth hormone receptor knock-outs. Using DNA methylation data from previous publications with data collected in house for a total 1189 samples spanning 193,651 CpG sites, we developed 4 novel epigenetic clocks by choosing different regression models (elastic net- versus ridge regression) and by considering different sets of CpGs (all CpGs vs highly conserved CpGs). We demonstrate that accurate age estimators can be built on the basis of highly conserved CpGs. However, the most accurate clock results from applying elastic net regression to all CpGs. While the anti-aging effect of calorie restriction could be detected with all types of epigenetic clocks, only ridge regression based clocks replicated the finding of slow epigenetic aging effects in dwarf mice. Overall, this study demonstrates that there are trade-offs when it comes to epigenetic clocks in mice. Highly accurate clocks might not be optimal for detecting the beneficial effects of anti-aging interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael J Thompson
- Molecular, Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Karolina Chwiałkowska
- Centre for Bioinformatics and Data Analysis, Medical University of Bialystok, Bialystok, Poland
| | - Liudmilla Rubbi
- Molecular, Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Aldons J Lusis
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, Department of Medicine, and Department of Human Genetics, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Richard C Davis
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, Department of Medicine, and Department of Human Genetics, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | | | - Ron Korstanje
- The Jackson Laboratory, Bar Harbor, Maine 04609, USA
| | | | - Steve Horvath
- Department of Human Genetics and Biostatistics, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Matteo Pellegrini
- Molecular, Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
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18
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Buisman SC, de Haan G. Epigenetic Changes as a Target in Aging Haematopoietic Stem Cells and Age-Related Malignancies. Cells 2019; 8:E868. [PMID: 31405121 PMCID: PMC6721661 DOI: 10.3390/cells8080868] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2019] [Revised: 08/07/2019] [Accepted: 08/09/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Aging is associated with multiple molecular and functional changes in haematopoietic cells. Most notably, the self-renewal and differentiation potential of hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) are compromised, resulting in myeloid skewing, reduced output of red blood cells and decreased generation of immune cells. These changes result in anaemia, increased susceptibility for infections and higher prevalence of haematopoietic malignancies. In HSCs, age-associated global epigenetic changes have been identified. These epigenetic alterations in aged HSCs can occur randomly (epigenetic drift) or are the result of somatic mutations in genes encoding for epigenetic proteins. Mutations in loci that encode epigenetic modifiers occur frequently in patients with haematological malignancies, but also in healthy elderly individuals at risk to develop these. It may be possible to pharmacologically intervene in the aberrant epigenetic program of derailed HSCs to enforce normal haematopoiesis or treat age-related haematopoietic diseases. Over the past decade our molecular understanding of epigenetic regulation has rapidly increased and drugs targeting epigenetic modifications are increasingly part of treatment protocols. The reversibility of epigenetic modifications renders these targets for novel therapeutics. In this review we provide an overview of epigenetic changes that occur in aging HSCs and age-related malignancies and discuss related epigenetic drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sonja C Buisman
- European Research Institute for the Biology of Ageing, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, 9700 Groningen, The Netherlands.
| | - Gerald de Haan
- European Research Institute for the Biology of Ageing, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, 9700 Groningen, The Netherlands
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19
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Neri S. Genetic Stability of Mesenchymal Stromal Cells for Regenerative Medicine Applications: A Fundamental Biosafety Aspect. Int J Mol Sci 2019; 20:ijms20102406. [PMID: 31096604 PMCID: PMC6566307 DOI: 10.3390/ijms20102406] [Citation(s) in RCA: 93] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2019] [Revised: 05/08/2019] [Accepted: 05/10/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (MSC) show widespread application for a variety of clinical conditions; therefore, their use necessitates continuous monitoring of their safety. The risk assessment of mesenchymal stem cell-based therapies cannot be separated from an accurate and deep knowledge of their biological properties and in vitro and in vivo behavior. One of the most relevant safety issues is represented by the genetic stability of MSCs, that can be altered during in vitro manipulation, frequently required before clinical application. MSC genetic stability has the potential to influence the transformation and the therapeutic effect of these cells. At present, karyotype evaluation represents the definitely prevailing assessment of MSC stability, but DNA alterations of smaller size should not be underestimated. This review will focus on current scientific knowledge about the genetic stability of mesenchymal stem cells. The techniques used and possible improvements together with regulatory aspects will also be discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simona Neri
- Laboratorio di Immunoreumatologia e Rigenerazione Tissutale, IRCCS Istituto Ortopedico Rizzoli, 40136 Bologna, Italy.
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20
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DNA Methylation Clocks in Aging: Categories, Causes, and Consequences. Mol Cell 2019; 71:882-895. [PMID: 30241605 DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2018.08.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 312] [Impact Index Per Article: 62.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2018] [Revised: 07/03/2018] [Accepted: 08/06/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Age-associated changes to the mammalian DNA methylome are well documented and thought to promote diseases of aging, such as cancer. Recent studies have identified collections of individual methylation sites whose aggregate methylation status measures chronological age, referred to as the DNA methylation clock. DNA methylation may also have value as a biomarker of healthy versus unhealthy aging and disease risk; in other words, a biological clock. Here we consider the relationship between the chronological and biological clocks, their underlying mechanisms, potential consequences, and their utility as biomarkers and as targets for intervention to promote healthy aging and longevity.
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21
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Benayoun BA, Pollina EA, Singh PP, Mahmoudi S, Harel I, Casey KM, Dulken BW, Kundaje A, Brunet A. Remodeling of epigenome and transcriptome landscapes with aging in mice reveals widespread induction of inflammatory responses. Genome Res 2019; 29:697-709. [PMID: 30858345 PMCID: PMC6442391 DOI: 10.1101/gr.240093.118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 197] [Impact Index Per Article: 39.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2018] [Accepted: 01/25/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Aging is accompanied by the functional decline of tissues. However, a systematic study of epigenomic and transcriptomic changes across tissues during aging is missing. Here, we generated chromatin maps and transcriptomes from four tissues and one cell type from young, middle-aged, and old mice—yielding 143 high-quality data sets. We focused on chromatin marks linked to gene expression regulation and cell identity: histone H3 trimethylation at lysine 4 (H3K4me3), a mark enriched at promoters, and histone H3 acetylation at lysine 27 (H3K27ac), a mark enriched at active enhancers. Epigenomic and transcriptomic landscapes could easily distinguish between ages, and machine-learning analysis showed that specific epigenomic states could predict transcriptional changes during aging. Analysis of data sets from all tissues identified recurrent age-related chromatin and transcriptional changes in key processes, including the up-regulation of immune system response pathways such as the interferon response. The up-regulation of the interferon response pathway with age was accompanied by increased transcription and chromatin remodeling at specific endogenous retroviral sequences. Pathways misregulated during mouse aging across tissues, notably innate immune pathways, were also misregulated with aging in other vertebrate species—African turquoise killifish, rat, and humans—indicating common signatures of age across species. To date, our data set represents the largest multitissue epigenomic and transcriptomic data set for vertebrate aging. This resource identifies chromatin and transcriptional states that are characteristic of young tissues, which could be leveraged to restore aspects of youthful functionality to old tissues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bérénice A Benayoun
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California 94305, USA
| | - Elizabeth A Pollina
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California 94305, USA
| | - Param Priya Singh
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California 94305, USA
| | - Salah Mahmoudi
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California 94305, USA
| | - Itamar Harel
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California 94305, USA
| | - Kerriann M Casey
- Department of Comparative Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California 94305, USA
| | - Ben W Dulken
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California 94305, USA
| | - Anshul Kundaje
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California 94305, USA.,Department of Computer Science, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, USA
| | - Anne Brunet
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California 94305, USA.,Paul F. Glenn Laboratories for the Biology of Aging, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, USA
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22
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Xiao FH, Wang HT, Kong QP. Dynamic DNA Methylation During Aging: A "Prophet" of Age-Related Outcomes. Front Genet 2019; 10:107. [PMID: 30833961 PMCID: PMC6387955 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2019.00107] [Citation(s) in RCA: 77] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2018] [Accepted: 01/30/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The biological markers of aging used to predict physical health status in older people are of great interest. Telomere shortening, which occurs during the process of cell replication, was initially considered a promising biomarker for the prediction of age and age-related outcomes (e.g., diseases, longevity). However, the high instability in detection and low correlation with age-related outcomes limit the extension of telomere length to the field of prediction. Currently, a growing number of studies have shown that dynamic DNA methylation throughout human lifetime exhibits strong correlation with age and age-related outcomes. Indeed, many researchers have built age prediction models with high accuracy based on age-dependent methylation changes in certain CpG loci. For now, DNA methylation based on epigenetic clocks, namely epigenetic or DNA methylation age, serves as a new standard to track chronological age and predict biological age. Measures of age acceleration (Δage, DNA methylation age – chronological age) have been developed to assess the health status of a person. In addition, there is evidence that an accelerated epigenetic age exists in patients with certain age-related diseases (e.g., Alzheimer’s disease, cardiovascular disease). In this review, we provide an overview of the dynamic signatures of DNA methylation during aging and emphasize its practical utility in the prediction of various age-related outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fu-Hui Xiao
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China.,Center for Excellence in Animal Evolution and Genetics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China.,Key Laboratory of Healthy Aging Research of Yunnan Province, Kunming, China.,Kunming Key Laboratory of Healthy Aging Study, Kunming, China.,KIZ/CUHK Joint Laboratory of Bioresources and Molecular Research in Common Diseases, Kunming, China
| | - Hao-Tian Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China.,Center for Excellence in Animal Evolution and Genetics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China.,Key Laboratory of Healthy Aging Research of Yunnan Province, Kunming, China.,Kunming Key Laboratory of Healthy Aging Study, Kunming, China.,KIZ/CUHK Joint Laboratory of Bioresources and Molecular Research in Common Diseases, Kunming, China.,Kunming College of Life Science, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Qing-Peng Kong
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China.,Center for Excellence in Animal Evolution and Genetics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China.,Key Laboratory of Healthy Aging Research of Yunnan Province, Kunming, China.,Kunming Key Laboratory of Healthy Aging Study, Kunming, China.,KIZ/CUHK Joint Laboratory of Bioresources and Molecular Research in Common Diseases, Kunming, China
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23
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Wang M, Lemos B. Ribosomal DNA harbors an evolutionarily conserved clock of biological aging. Genome Res 2019; 29:325-333. [PMID: 30765617 PMCID: PMC6396418 DOI: 10.1101/gr.241745.118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 75] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2018] [Accepted: 01/22/2019] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
The ribosomal DNA (rDNA) is the most evolutionarily conserved segment of the genome and gives origin to the nucleolus, an energy intensive nuclear organelle and major hub influencing myriad molecular processes from cellular metabolism to epigenetic states of the genome. The rDNA/nucleolus has been directly and mechanistically implicated in aging and longevity in organisms as diverse as yeasts, Drosophila, and humans. The rDNA is also a significant target of DNA methylation that silences supernumerary rDNA units and regulates nucleolar activity. Here, we introduce an age clock built exclusively with CpG methylation within the rDNA. The ribosomal clock is sufficient to accurately estimate individual age within species, is responsive to genetic and environmental interventions that modulate life-span, and operates across species as distant as humans, mice, and dogs. Further analyses revealed a significant excess of age-associated hypermethylation in the rDNA relative to other segments of the genome, and which forms the basis of the rDNA clock. Our observations identified an evolutionarily conserved marker of aging that is easily ascertained, grounded on nucleolar biology, and could serve as a universal marker to gauge individual age and response to interventions in humans as well as laboratory and wild organisms across a wide diversity of species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meng Wang
- Department of Environmental Health, Program in Molecular and Integrative Physiological Sciences, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA
| | - Bernardo Lemos
- Department of Environmental Health, Program in Molecular and Integrative Physiological Sciences, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA.,Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02142, USA
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24
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Olova N, Simpson DJ, Marioni RE, Chandra T. Partial reprogramming induces a steady decline in epigenetic age before loss of somatic identity. Aging Cell 2019; 18:e12877. [PMID: 30450724 PMCID: PMC6351826 DOI: 10.1111/acel.12877] [Citation(s) in RCA: 103] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2018] [Revised: 10/03/2018] [Accepted: 10/17/2018] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Induced pluripotent stem cells (IPSCs), with their unlimited regenerative capacity, carry the promise for tissue replacement to counter age-related decline. However, attempts to realize in vivo iPSC have invariably resulted in the formation of teratomas. Partial reprogramming in prematurely aged mice has shown promising results in alleviating age-related symptoms without teratoma formation. Does partial reprogramming lead to rejuvenation (i.e., "younger" cells), rather than dedifferentiation, which bears the risk of cancer? Here, we analyse the dynamics of cellular age during human iPSC reprogramming and find that partial reprogramming leads to a reduction in the epigenetic age of cells. We also find that the loss of somatic gene expression and epigenetic age follows different kinetics, suggesting that they can be uncoupled and there could be a safe window where rejuvenation can be achieved with a minimized risk of cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nelly Olova
- MRC Human Genetics Unit, MRC; Institute of Genetics and Molecular Medicine; University of Edinburgh; Edinburgh UK
| | - Daniel J. Simpson
- MRC Human Genetics Unit, MRC; Institute of Genetics and Molecular Medicine; University of Edinburgh; Edinburgh UK
| | - Riccardo E. Marioni
- Centre for Cognitive Ageing and Cognitive Epidemiology, Centre for Genomic and Experimental Medicine; Institute of Genetics and Molecular Medicine, University of Edinburgh; Edinburgh UK
| | - Tamir Chandra
- MRC Human Genetics Unit, MRC; Institute of Genetics and Molecular Medicine; University of Edinburgh; Edinburgh UK
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25
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Kane AE, Sinclair DA. Epigenetic changes during aging and their reprogramming potential. Crit Rev Biochem Mol Biol 2019; 54:61-83. [PMID: 30822165 PMCID: PMC6424622 DOI: 10.1080/10409238.2019.1570075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 147] [Impact Index Per Article: 29.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2018] [Revised: 01/09/2019] [Accepted: 01/11/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
The aging process results in significant epigenetic changes at all levels of chromatin and DNA organization. These include reduced global heterochromatin, nucleosome remodeling and loss, changes in histone marks, global DNA hypomethylation with CpG island hypermethylation, and the relocalization of chromatin modifying factors. Exactly how and why these changes occur is not fully understood, but evidence that these epigenetic changes affect longevity and may cause aging, is growing. Excitingly, new studies show that age-related epigenetic changes can be reversed with interventions such as cyclic expression of the Yamanaka reprogramming factors. This review presents a summary of epigenetic changes that occur in aging, highlights studies indicating that epigenetic changes may contribute to the aging process and outlines the current state of research into interventions to reprogram age-related epigenetic changes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alice E. Kane
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Charles Perkins Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - David A. Sinclair
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Pharmacology, The University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
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26
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Belsky DW, Harrati A. To the freezers! Stored biospecimens from human randomized trials are an important new direction for studies of biological aging. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci 2019; 74:89-90. [DOI: 10.1093/gerona/gly269] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Daniel W Belsky
- Department of Epidemiology, Robert N Butler Aging Center, Columbia University, Mailman School of Public Health
| | - Amal Harrati
- Department of Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine
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27
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Shen C, Wen L, Ko R, Gao J, Shen X, Zuo X, Sun L, Hsu YH, Zhang X, Cui Y, Wang M, Zhou F. DNA methylation age is not affected in psoriatic skin tissue. Clin Epigenetics 2018; 10:160. [PMID: 30587242 PMCID: PMC6307188 DOI: 10.1186/s13148-018-0584-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2018] [Accepted: 11/09/2018] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Psoriasis (Ps) is a common chronic inflammatory skin disease. The keratinocytes of psoriatic skin defy normal apoptosis and exhibit active cell proliferation. Aberrant DNA methylation (DNAm) has been suggested relevant through regulating the expression of Ps susceptibility genes. However, it is unclear whether the biological age inferred from DNA methylome is affected. Results To address the above issue, we applied a recently developed methylation clock model to our Chinese Han population dataset, which includes DNAm data of 114 involved psoriatic skin tissues (PP) and 41 uninvolved psoriatic skin tissues (PN) from Ps patients, and 62 normal skin tissues (NN) from health controls. We first confirmed the applicability of the clock in PN and NN. We then showed that PP samples have largely unchanged DNAm age, and that no association was observed between available clinical features and DNAm age acceleration. Examination of genome-wide CpGs yielded age-associated CpGs with concordant age-association coefficients among the three groups, which was also supported by an external dataset. We also interestingly observed two clock CpGs differentially methylated between PP and PN. Conclusions Overall, our results suggest no significant alteration in DNAm age in PN and PP. Therefore, the increase in keratinocyte proliferation and alteration in DNAm caused by Ps may not affect the biological age of psoriatic skin tissue. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s13148-018-0584-y) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Changbing Shen
- Institute and Department of Dermatology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230032, Anhui, China.,Department of Dermatology, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, Beijing, 100029, China.,Graduate School, Peking Union Medical College and Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100730, China.,Hebrew SeniorLife Institute for Aging Research and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02131, USA.,Molecular and Integrative Physiological Sciences, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.,Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, 02142, USA
| | - Leilei Wen
- Institute and Department of Dermatology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230032, Anhui, China
| | - Randy Ko
- Department of Biochemistry, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, 87131, USA
| | - Jing Gao
- Department of Dermatology, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230601, Anhui, China
| | - Xue Shen
- Institute and Department of Dermatology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230032, Anhui, China
| | - Xianbo Zuo
- Institute and Department of Dermatology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230032, Anhui, China
| | - Liangdan Sun
- Institute and Department of Dermatology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230032, Anhui, China
| | - Yi-Hsiang Hsu
- Hebrew SeniorLife Institute for Aging Research and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02131, USA.,Molecular and Integrative Physiological Sciences, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.,Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, 02142, USA
| | - Xuejun Zhang
- Institute and Department of Dermatology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230032, Anhui, China.,Department of Dermatology, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230601, Anhui, China.,Institute and Department of Dermatology, Huashan Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, 200040, China
| | - Yong Cui
- Department of Dermatology, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, Beijing, 100029, China. .,Graduate School, Peking Union Medical College and Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100730, China.
| | - Meng Wang
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.
| | - Fusheng Zhou
- Institute and Department of Dermatology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230032, Anhui, China.
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Han Y, Eipel M, Franzen J, Sakk V, Dethmers-Ausema B, Yndriago L, Izeta A, de Haan G, Geiger H, Wagner W. Epigenetic age-predictor for mice based on three CpG sites. eLife 2018; 7:37462. [PMID: 30142075 PMCID: PMC6156076 DOI: 10.7554/elife.37462] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2018] [Accepted: 08/23/2018] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Epigenetic clocks for mice were generated based on deep-sequencing analysis of the methylome. Here, we demonstrate that site-specific analysis of DNA methylation levels by pyrosequencing at only three CG dinucleotides (CpGs) in the genes Prima1, Hsf4, and Kcns1 facilitates precise estimation of chronological age in murine blood samples, too. DBA/2 mice revealed accelerated epigenetic aging as compared to C57BL6 mice, which is in line with their shorter life-expectancy. The three-CpG-predictor provides a simple and cost-effective biomarker to determine biological age in large intervention studies with mice. Epigenetic marks are chemical modifications found throughout the genome – the DNA within cells. By influencing the activity of nearby genes, the marks govern developmental processes and help cells to adapt to changes in their surroundings. Some epigenetic marks can be gained or lost with age. A lot of aging research focuses on one type of mark, called “DNA methylation”. By measuring the presence or absence of specific methyl groups, scientists can estimate biological age – which may differ from calendar age. Recent studies have developed computer models called epigenetic aging clocks to predict the biological age of mouse cells. These clocks use epigenetic data collected from the entire genomes of mice, and are useful for understanding how the aging process is affected by genetic parameters, diet, or other environmental factors. Yet, the genome sequencing methods used to construct most existing epigenetic clocks are expensive, labor-intensive, and cannot be easily applied to large groups of mice. Han et al. have developed a new way to predict biological aging in mice that needs methylation information from just three particular sections of the genome. Even though this approach is much faster and less expensive than other epigenetic approaches to measuring aging, it has a similar level of accuracy to existing models. Han et al. use the new method to show that cells from different strains of laboratory mice age at different rates. Furthermore, in a strain that has a shorter life expectancy, aging seems to be accelerated. The new approach developed by Han et al. will make it easier to study how aging in mice is affected by different interventions. Further studies will also be needed to better understand how epigenetic marks relate to biological aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Han
- Helmholtz-Institute for Biomedical Engineering, Stem Cell Biology and Cellular Engineering, RWTH Aachen University Medical School, Aachen, Germany.,Institute for Biomedical Engineering - Cell Biology, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany
| | - Monika Eipel
- Helmholtz-Institute for Biomedical Engineering, Stem Cell Biology and Cellular Engineering, RWTH Aachen University Medical School, Aachen, Germany.,Institute for Biomedical Engineering - Cell Biology, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany
| | - Julia Franzen
- Helmholtz-Institute for Biomedical Engineering, Stem Cell Biology and Cellular Engineering, RWTH Aachen University Medical School, Aachen, Germany.,Institute for Biomedical Engineering - Cell Biology, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany
| | - Vadim Sakk
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany
| | - Bertien Dethmers-Ausema
- Laboratory of Ageing Biology and Stem Cells, European Research Institute for the Biology of Ageing, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands
| | - Laura Yndriago
- Tissue Engineering Laboratory, Instituto Biodonostia, San Sebastian, Spain
| | - Ander Izeta
- Tissue Engineering Laboratory, Instituto Biodonostia, San Sebastian, Spain.,Department of Biomedical Engineering, School of Engineering, Tecnun-University of Navarra, San Sebastian, Spain
| | - Gerald de Haan
- Laboratory of Ageing Biology and Stem Cells, European Research Institute for the Biology of Ageing, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands
| | - Hartmut Geiger
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany.,Experimental Hematology and Cancer Biology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Burnet Campus, Cincinnati, United States
| | - Wolfgang Wagner
- Helmholtz-Institute for Biomedical Engineering, Stem Cell Biology and Cellular Engineering, RWTH Aachen University Medical School, Aachen, Germany.,Institute for Biomedical Engineering - Cell Biology, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany
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29
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Frobel J, Rahmig S, Franzen J, Waskow C, Wagner W. Epigenetic aging of human hematopoietic cells is not accelerated upon transplantation into mice. Clin Epigenetics 2018; 10:67. [PMID: 29796118 PMCID: PMC5964682 DOI: 10.1186/s13148-018-0499-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2018] [Accepted: 05/09/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Transplantation of human hematopoietic stem cells into immunodeficient mice provides a powerful in vivo model system to gain functional insights into hematopoietic differentiation. So far, it remains unclear if epigenetic changes of normal human hematopoiesis are recapitulated upon engraftment into such “humanized mice.” Mice have a much shorter life expectancy than men, and therefore, we hypothesized that the xenogeneic environment might greatly accelerate the epigenetic clock. Results We demonstrate that genome-wide DNA methylation patterns of normal human hematopoietic development are indeed recapitulated upon engraftment in mice—particularly those of normal early B cell progenitor cells. Furthermore, we tested three epigenetic aging signatures, and none of them indicated that the murine environment accelerated age-associated DNA methylation changes. Conclusions Epigenetic changes of human hematopoietic development are recapitulated in the murine transplantation model, whereas epigenetic aging is not accelerated by the faster aging environment and seems to occur in the cell intrinsically.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joana Frobel
- 1Helmholtz-Institute for Biomedical Engineering, Stem Cell Biology and Cellular Engineering, RWTH Aachen University Medical School, Pauwelsstraße 20, 52074 Aachen, Germany
| | - Susann Rahmig
- 2Regeneration in Hematopoiesis, Institute for Immunology, Technical University Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Julia Franzen
- 1Helmholtz-Institute for Biomedical Engineering, Stem Cell Biology and Cellular Engineering, RWTH Aachen University Medical School, Pauwelsstraße 20, 52074 Aachen, Germany
| | - Claudia Waskow
- 2Regeneration in Hematopoiesis, Institute for Immunology, Technical University Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Wolfgang Wagner
- 1Helmholtz-Institute for Biomedical Engineering, Stem Cell Biology and Cellular Engineering, RWTH Aachen University Medical School, Pauwelsstraße 20, 52074 Aachen, Germany
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30
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Cui D, Xu X. DNA Methyltransferases, DNA Methylation, and Age-Associated Cognitive Function. Int J Mol Sci 2018; 19:E1315. [PMID: 29710796 PMCID: PMC5983821 DOI: 10.3390/ijms19051315] [Citation(s) in RCA: 74] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2018] [Revised: 04/20/2018] [Accepted: 04/20/2018] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Ageing, a leading cause of the decline/deficits in human learning, memory, and cognitive abilities, is a major risk factor for age-associated neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease. Emerging evidence suggests that epigenetics, an inheritable but reversible biochemical process, plays a crucial role in the pathogenesis of age-related neurological disorders. DNA methylation, the best-known epigenetic mark, has attracted most attention in this regard. DNA methyltransferases (DNMTs) are key enzymes in mediating the DNA methylation process, by which a methyl group is transferred, faithfully or anew, to genomic DNA sequences. Biologically, DNMTs are important for gene imprinting. Accumulating evidence suggests that DNMTs not only play critical roles, including gene imprinting and transcription regulation, in early development stages of the central nervous system (CNS), but also are indispensable in adult learning, memory, and cognition. Therefore, the impact of DNMTs and DNA methylation on age-associated cognitive functions and neurodegenerative diseases has emerged as a pivotal topic in the field. In this review, the effects of each DNMT on CNS development and healthy and pathological ageing are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Di Cui
- Max Planck Institute for Biology of Ageing, 50931 Cologne, Germany.
| | - Xiangru Xu
- Max Planck Institute for Biology of Ageing, 50931 Cologne, Germany.
- Department of Anesthesiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA.
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31
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Prattichizzo F, De Nigris V, Spiga R, Mancuso E, La Sala L, Antonicelli R, Testa R, Procopio AD, Olivieri F, Ceriello A. Inflammageing and metaflammation: The yin and yang of type 2 diabetes. Ageing Res Rev 2018; 41:1-17. [PMID: 29081381 DOI: 10.1016/j.arr.2017.10.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 167] [Impact Index Per Article: 27.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2017] [Revised: 09/21/2017] [Accepted: 10/23/2017] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is characterised by chronic low-grade inflammation, recently referred to as 'metaflammation', a relevant factor contributing to the development of both diabetes and its complications. Nonetheless, 'canonical' anti-inflammatory drugs do not yield satisfactory results in terms of prevention of diabetes progression and of cardiovascular events, suggesting that the causal mechanisms fostering metaflammation deserve further research to identify new druggable targets. Metaflammation resembles ageing-induced low-grade inflammation, previously referred to as inflammageing, in terms of clinical presentation and the molecular profile, pointing to a common aetiology for both conditions. Along with the mechanisms proposed to fuel inflammageing, here we dissect a plethora of pathological cascades triggered by gluco- and lipotoxicity, converging on candidate phenomena possibly explaining the enduring pro-inflammatory program observed in diabetic tissues, i.e. persistent immune-system stimulation, accumulation of senescent cells, epigenetic rearrangements, and alterations in microbiota composition. We discuss the possibility of harnessing these recent discoveries in future therapies for T2DM. Moreover, we review recent evidence regarding the ability of diets and physical exercise to modulate selected inflammatory pathways relevant for the diabetic pathology. Finally, we examine the latest findings showing putative anti-inflammatory mechanisms of anti-hyperglycaemic agents with proven efficacy against T2DM-induced cardiovascular complications, in order to gain insights into quickly translatable therapeutic approaches.
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Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW The aim of this paper is to review the recent literature on traumatic stress-related accelerated aging, including a focus on cellular mechanisms and biomarkers of cellular aging and on the clinical manifestations of accelerated biological aging. RECENT FINDINGS Multiple lines of research converge to suggest that PTSD is associated with accelerated aging in the epigenome, and the immune and inflammation systems, and this may be reflected in premature onset of cardiometabolic and cardiovascular disease. The current state of research paves the way for future work focused on identifying the peripheral and central biological mechanisms linking traumatic stress to accelerated biological aging and medical morbidity, with an emphasis on processes involved in inflammation, immune functioning, oxidative stress, autonomic arousal, and stress response. Ultimately, such work could help reduce the pace of biological aging and improve health and wellness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erika J Wolf
- National Center for PTSD, VA Boston Healthcare System, (116B-2), 150 South Huntington Ave, Boston, MA, 02130, USA.
- Department of Psychiatry, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA.
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33
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De Paoli-Iseppi R, Deagle BE, McMahon CR, Hindell MA, Dickinson JL, Jarman SN. Measuring Animal Age with DNA Methylation: From Humans to Wild Animals. Front Genet 2017; 8:106. [PMID: 28878806 PMCID: PMC5572392 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2017.00106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2017] [Accepted: 08/02/2017] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
DNA methylation (DNAm) is a key mechanism for regulating gene expression in animals and levels are known to change with age. Recent studies have used DNAm changes as a biomarker to estimate chronological age in humans and these techniques are now also being applied to domestic and wild animals. Animal age is widely used to track ongoing changes in ecosystems, however chronological age information is often unavailable for wild animals. An ability to estimate age would lead to improved monitoring of (i) population trends and status and (ii) demographic properties such as age structure and reproductive performance. Recent studies have revealed new examples of DNAm age association in several new species increasing the potential for developing DNAm age biomarkers for a broad range of wild animals. Emerging technologies for measuring DNAm will also enhance our ability to study age-related DNAm changes and to develop new molecular age biomarkers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ricardo De Paoli-Iseppi
- Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of TasmaniaHobart, TAS, Australia.,Australian Antarctic DivisionHobart, TAS, Australia
| | | | | | - Mark A Hindell
- Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of TasmaniaHobart, TAS, Australia
| | - Joanne L Dickinson
- Cancer, Genetics and Immunology Group, Menzies Institute for Medical ResearchHobart, TAS, Australia
| | - Simon N Jarman
- Trace and Environmental DNA Laboratory, Department of Environment and Agriculture, Curtin UniversityPerth, WA, Australia.,CSIRO Indian Ocean Marine Research Centre, University of Western AustraliaPerth, WA, Australia
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