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Rattan SIS. Seven knowledge gaps in modern biogerontology. Biogerontology 2024; 25:1-8. [PMID: 38206540 DOI: 10.1007/s10522-023-10089-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2024]
Abstract
About a year ago, members of the editorial board of Biogerontology were requested to respond to a query by the editor-in-chief of the journal as to what one question within their field of ageing research still needs to be asked and answered. This editorial is inspired by the wide range and variety of questions, ideas, comments and suggestions received in response to that query. The seven knowledge gaps identified in this article are arranged into three main categories: evolutionary aspects of longevity, biological survival and death aspects, and heterogeneity in the progression and phenotype of ageing. This is not an exhaustive and exclusive list, and may be modified and expanded. Implications of these knowledge gaps, especially in the context of ongoing attempts to develop effective interventions in ageing and longevity are also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suresh I S Rattan
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Aarhus University, 8000, Aarhus C, Denmark.
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2
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Silva EHA, Santana NNM, Seixas NRM, Bezerra LLF, Silva MMO, Santos SF, Cavalcante JS, Leocadio-Miguel MA, Engelberth RC. Blue light exposure-dependent improvement in robustness of circadian rest-activity rhythm in aged rats. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0292342. [PMID: 37792859 PMCID: PMC10550138 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0292342] [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: 06/22/2023] [Accepted: 09/18/2023] [Indexed: 10/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The aging effects on circadian rhythms have diverse implications including changes in the pattern of rhythmic expressions, such as a wide fragmentation of the rhythm of rest-activity and decrease in amplitude of activity regulated by the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN). The study of blue light on biological aspects has received great current interest due, among some aspects, to its positive effects on psychiatric disorders in humans. This study aims to evaluate the effect of blue light therapy on the SCN functional aspects, through the evaluation of the rest-activity rhythm, in aging rats. For this, 33 sixteen-months-old male Wistar rats underwent continuous records of locomotor activity and were exposed to periods of 6 hours of blue light during the first half of the light phase (Zeitgeber times 0-6) for 14 days. After this, the rats were maintained at 12h:12h light:dark cycle to check the long-term effect of blue light for 14 days. Blue light repeated exposure showed positive effects on the rhythmic variables of locomotor activity in aged rats, particularly the increase in amplitude, elevation of rhythmic robustness, phase advance in acrophase, and greater consolidation of the resting phase. This effect depends on the presence of daily blue light exposure. In conclusion, our results indicate that blue light is a reliable therapy to reduce circadian dysfunctions in aged rats, but other studies assessing how blue light modulates the neural components to modulate this response are still needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eryck Holmes A. Silva
- Laboratory of Neurochemical Studies, Department of Physiology and Behavior, Biosciences Center, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Brazil
| | | | - Narita Renata M. Seixas
- Laboratory of Neurochemical Studies, Department of Physiology and Behavior, Biosciences Center, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Brazil
| | - Lyzandro Lucas F. Bezerra
- Laboratory of Neurochemical Studies, Department of Physiology and Behavior, Biosciences Center, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Brazil
| | - Maria Milena O. Silva
- Laboratory of Neurochemical Studies, Department of Physiology and Behavior, Biosciences Center, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Brazil
| | - Sâmarah F. Santos
- Laboratory of Neurochemical Studies, Department of Physiology and Behavior, Biosciences Center, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Brazil
| | - Jeferson S. Cavalcante
- Laboratory of Neurochemical Studies, Department of Physiology and Behavior, Biosciences Center, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Brazil
| | | | - Rovena Clara Engelberth
- Laboratory of Neurochemical Studies, Department of Physiology and Behavior, Biosciences Center, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Brazil
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3
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Lathe R, St Clair D. Programmed ageing: decline of stem cell renewal, immunosenescence, and Alzheimer's disease. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2023. [PMID: 37068798 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12959] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2022] [Revised: 03/27/2023] [Accepted: 03/30/2023] [Indexed: 04/19/2023]
Abstract
The characteristic maximum lifespan varies enormously across animal species from a few hours to hundreds of years. This argues that maximum lifespan, and the ageing process that itself dictates lifespan, are to a large extent genetically determined. Although controversial, this is supported by firm evidence that semelparous species display evolutionarily programmed ageing in response to reproductive and environmental cues. Parabiosis experiments reveal that ageing is orchestrated systemically through the circulation, accompanied by programmed changes in hormone levels across a lifetime. This implies that, like the circadian and circannual clocks, there is a master 'clock of age' (circavital clock) located in the limbic brain of mammals that modulates systemic changes in growth factor and hormone secretion over the lifespan, as well as systemic alterations in gene expression as revealed by genomic methylation analysis. Studies on accelerated ageing in mice, as well as human longevity genes, converge on evolutionarily conserved fibroblast growth factors (FGFs) and their receptors, including KLOTHO, as well as insulin-like growth factors (IGFs) and steroid hormones, as key players mediating the systemic effects of ageing. Age-related changes in these and multiple other factors are inferred to cause a progressive decline in tissue maintenance through failure of stem cell replenishment. This most severely affects the immune system, which requires constant renewal from bone marrow stem cells. Age-related immune decline increases risk of infection whereas lifespan can be extended in germfree animals. This and other evidence suggests that infection is the major cause of death in higher organisms. Immune decline is also associated with age-related diseases. Taking the example of Alzheimer's disease (AD), we assess the evidence that AD is caused by immunosenescence and infection. The signature protein of AD brain, Aβ, is now known to be an antimicrobial peptide, and Aβ deposits in AD brain may be a response to infection rather than a cause of disease. Because some cognitively normal elderly individuals show extensive neuropathology, we argue that the location of the pathology is crucial - specifically, lesions to limbic brain are likely to accentuate immunosenescence, and could thus underlie a vicious cycle of accelerated immune decline and microbial proliferation that culminates in AD. This general model may extend to other age-related diseases, and we propose a general paradigm of organismal senescence in which declining stem cell proliferation leads to programmed immunosenescence and mortality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard Lathe
- Division of Infection Medicine, Chancellor's Building, University of Edinburgh Medical School, Little France, Edinburgh, EH16 4SB, UK
| | - David St Clair
- Institute of Medical Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, AB25 2ZD, UK
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Lidsky PV, Yuan J, Rulison JM, Andino-Pavlovsky R. Is Aging an Inevitable Characteristic of Organic Life or an Evolutionary Adaptation? BIOCHEMISTRY. BIOKHIMIIA 2022; 87:1413-1445. [PMID: 36717438 PMCID: PMC9839256 DOI: 10.1134/s0006297922120021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2022] [Revised: 09/27/2022] [Accepted: 11/04/2022] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
Aging is an evolutionary paradox. Several hypotheses have been proposed to explain it, but none fully explains all the biochemical and ecologic data accumulated over decades of research. We suggest that senescence is a primitive immune strategy which acts to protect an individual's kin from chronic infections. Older organisms are exposed to pathogens for a longer period of time and have a higher likelihood of acquiring infectious diseases. Accordingly, the parasitic load in aged individuals is higher than in younger ones. Given that the probability of pathogen transmission is higher within the kin, the inclusive fitness cost of infection might exceed the benefit of living longer. In this case, programmed lifespan termination might be an evolutionarily stable strategy. Here, we discuss the classical evolutionary hypotheses of aging and compare them with the pathogen control hypothesis, discuss the consistency of these hypotheses with existing empirical data, and present a revised conceptual framework to understand the evolution of aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter V Lidsky
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of California San Francisco, CA, USA.
| | - Jing Yuan
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of California San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Jacob M Rulison
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of California San Francisco, CA, USA
- University of California Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Raul Andino-Pavlovsky
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of California San Francisco, CA, USA.
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5
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Abstract
Abstract
Biological ageing can be tentatively defined as an intrinsic and inevitable degradation of biological function that accumulates over time at every level of biological organisation from molecules to populations. Senescence is characterised by a progressive loss of physiological integrity, leading to impaired function and increased vulnerability to death. With advancing age, all components of the human body undergo these cumulative, universal, progressive, intrinsic and deleterious (CUPID) changes. Although ageing is not a disease per se, age is the main risk factor for the development of a panoply of age-related diseases. From a mechanistic perspective, a myriad of molecular processes and components of ageing can be studied. Some of them seem especially important and they are referred to as the hallmarks of ageing. There is compelling evidence that senescence has evolved as an emergent metaphenomenon that originates in the difficulty in maintaining homeodynamics in biological systems. From an evolutionary perspective, senescence is the inevitable outcome of an evolutionarily derived equilibrium between the amount of resources devoted to somatic maintenance and the amount of resources devoted to sexual reproduction. Single-target, single-molecule and disease-oriented approaches to ageing are severely limited because they neglect the dynamic, interactive and networking nature of life. These limitations notwithstanding, many authors promote single-target and disease-oriented approaches to senescence, e.g. repurposed drugs, claiming that these methods can enhance human health and longevity. Senescence is neither a disease nor a monolithic process. In this review, the limitations of these methods are discussed. The current state of biogerontology is also summarised.
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Abstract
Species-specific limits to lifespan (lifespan setpoint) determine the life expectancy of any given organism. Whether limiting lifespan provides an evolutionary benefit or is the result of an inevitable decline in fitness remains controversial. The identification of mutations extending lifespan suggests that aging is under genetic control, but the evolutionary driving forces limiting lifespan have not been defined. By examining the impact of lifespan on pathogen spread in a population, we propose that epidemics drive lifespan setpoints' evolution. Shorter lifespan limits infection spread and accelerates pathogen clearance when compared to populations with longer-lived individuals. Limiting longevity is particularly beneficial in the context of zoonotic transmissions, where pathogens must undergo adaptation to a new host. Strikingly, in populations exposed to pathogens, shorter-living variants outcompete individuals with longer lifespans. We submit that infection outbreaks can contribute to control the evolution of species' lifespan setpoints.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter V Lidsky
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94143-2280
| | - Raul Andino
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94143-2280
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Dodig S, Čepelak I, Pavić I. Hallmarks of senescence and aging. Biochem Med (Zagreb) 2019; 29:030501. [PMID: 31379458 PMCID: PMC6610675 DOI: 10.11613/bm.2019.030501] [Citation(s) in RCA: 172] [Impact Index Per Article: 34.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2019] [Accepted: 06/10/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The complex process of biological aging, as an intrinsic feature of living beings, is the result of genetic and, to a greater extent, environmental factors and time. For many of the changes taking place in the body during aging, three factors are important: inflammation, immune aging and senescence (cellular aging, biological aging). Senescence is an irreversible form of long-term cell-cycle arrest, caused by excessive intracellular or extracellular stress or damage. The purpose of this cell-cycles arrest is to limit the proliferation of damaged cells, to eliminate accumulated harmful factors and to disable potential malignant cell transformation. As the biological age does not have to be in accordance with the chronological age, it is important to find specific hallmarks and biomarkers that could objectively determine the rate of age of a person. These biomarkers might be a valuable measure of physiological, i.e. biological age. Biomarkers should meet several criteria. For example, they have to predict the rate of aging, monitor a basic process that underlies the aging process, be able to be tested repeatedly without harming the person. In addition, biomarkers have to be indicators of biological processes, pathogenic processes or pharmacological responses to therapeutic intervention. It is considered that the telomere length is the weak biomarker (with poor predictive accuracy), and there is currently no reliable biomarker that meets all the necessary criteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Slavica Dodig
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Hematology, Faculty of Pharmacy and Biochemistry, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Ivana Čepelak
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Hematology, Faculty of Pharmacy and Biochemistry, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Ivan Pavić
- Department of Pulmonology, Allergology and Immunology, Children’s Hospital Zagreb; School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
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8
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Retesting the influences of mutation accumulation and antagonistic pleiotropy on human senescence and disease. Nat Ecol Evol 2019; 3:992-993. [PMID: 31235922 DOI: 10.1038/s41559-019-0925-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2019] [Accepted: 05/14/2019] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
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9
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Muntané G, Farré X, Rodríguez JA, Pegueroles C, Hughes DA, de Magalhães JP, Gabaldón T, Navarro A. Biological Processes Modulating Longevity across Primates: A Phylogenetic Genome-Phenome Analysis. Mol Biol Evol 2019; 35:1990-2004. [PMID: 29788292 PMCID: PMC6063263 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msy105] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Aging is a complex process affecting different species and individuals in different ways. Comparing genetic variation across species with their aging phenotypes will help understanding the molecular basis of aging and longevity. Although most studies on aging have so far focused on short-lived model organisms, recent comparisons of genomic, transcriptomic, and metabolomic data across lineages with different lifespans are unveiling molecular signatures associated with longevity. Here, we examine the relationship between genomic variation and maximum lifespan across primate species. We used two different approaches. First, we searched for parallel amino-acid mutations that co-occur with increases in longevity across the primate linage. Twenty-five such amino-acid variants were identified, several of which have been previously reported by studies with different experimental setups and in different model organisms. The genes harboring these mutations are mainly enriched in functional categories such as wound healing, blood coagulation, and cardiovascular disorders. We demonstrate that these pathways are highly enriched for pleiotropic effects, as predicted by the antagonistic pleiotropy theory of aging. A second approach was focused on changes in rates of protein evolution across the primate phylogeny. Using the phylogenetic generalized least squares, we show that some genes exhibit strong correlations between their evolutionary rates and longevity-associated traits. These include genes in the Sphingosine 1-phosphate pathway, PI3K signaling, and the Thrombin/protease-activated receptor pathway, among other cardiovascular processes. Together, these results shed light into human senescence patterns and underscore the power of comparative genomics to identify pathways related to aging and longevity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gerard Muntané
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology (UPF-CSIC), Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.,Hospital Universitari Institut Pere Mata, IISPV, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Biomedical Network Research Centre on Mental Health (CIBERSAM), Reus, Spain
| | - Xavier Farré
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology (UPF-CSIC), Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Juan Antonio Rodríguez
- CNAG-CRG, Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Cinta Pegueroles
- Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Barcelona, Spain.,Department of Experimental and Health Sciences, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - David A Hughes
- Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom.,MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - João Pedro de Magalhães
- Integrative Genomics of Ageing Group, Institute of Ageing and Chronic Disease, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Toni Gabaldón
- Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Barcelona, Spain.,Department of Experimental and Health Sciences, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.,Institució Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats (ICREA), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Arcadi Navarro
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology (UPF-CSIC), Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.,Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Barcelona, Spain.,Department of Experimental and Health Sciences, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.,Institució Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats (ICREA), Barcelona, Spain
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10
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Li S, Zhao H, Zhang P, Liang C, Zhang Y, Hsu A, Dong M. DAF-16 stabilizes the aging transcriptome and is activated in mid-aged Caenorhabditis elegans to cope with internal stress. Aging Cell 2019; 18:e12896. [PMID: 30773782 PMCID: PMC6516157 DOI: 10.1111/acel.12896] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2018] [Accepted: 11/03/2018] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
The roles and regulatory mechanisms of transcriptome changes during aging are unclear. It has been proposed that the transcriptome suffers decay during aging owing to age‐associated down‐regulation of transcription factors. In this study, we characterized the role of a transcription factor DAF‐16, which is a highly conserved lifespan regulator, in the normal aging process of Caenorhabditis elegans. We found that DAF‐16 translocates into the nucleus in aged wild‐type worms and activates the expression of hundreds of genes in response to age‐associated cellular stress. Most of the age‐dependent DAF‐16 targets are different from the canonical DAF‐16 targets downstream of insulin signaling. This and other evidence suggest that activation of DAF‐16 during aging is distinct from activation of DAF‐16 due to reduced signaling from DAF‐2. Further analysis showed that it is due in part to a loss of proteostasis during aging. We also found that without daf‐16, dramatic gene expression changes occur as early as on adult day 2, indicating that DAF‐16 acts to stabilize the transcriptome during normal aging. Our results thus reveal that normal aging is not simply a process in which the gene expression program descends into chaos due to loss of regulatory activities; rather, there is active transcriptional regulation during aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shang‐Tong Li
- School of Life Sciences Tsinghua University Beijing China
- Peking University‐Tsinghua University‐National Institute of Biological Sciences (PTN) Joint Graduate Program Beijing China
- National Institute of Biological Sciences Beijing China
| | - Han‐Qing Zhao
- National Institute of Biological Sciences Beijing China
| | - Pan Zhang
- National Institute of Biological Sciences Beijing China
| | - Chung‐Yi Liang
- Research Center for Healthy Aging China Medical University Taichung Taiwan
| | | | - Ao‐Lin Hsu
- Research Center for Healthy Aging China Medical University Taichung Taiwan
- Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology National Yang‐Ming University Taipei Taiwan
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Geriatric and Palliative Medicine University of Michigan Ann Arbor Michigan
| | - Meng‐Qiu Dong
- National Institute of Biological Sciences Beijing China
- Tsinghua Institute of Multidisciplinary Biomedical Research, Tsinghua University Beijing China
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11
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Nesterenko O, Rashydov N. Features of the Proline Synthesis of Pea Seedlings in Depend of Salt and Hyperthermia Treatment Coupled with Ionizing Radiation. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SECONDARY METABOLITE 2018. [DOI: 10.21448/ijsm.407285] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022] Open
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12
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Empirical verification of evolutionary theories of aging. Aging (Albany NY) 2017; 8:2568-2589. [PMID: 27783562 PMCID: PMC5115907 DOI: 10.18632/aging.101090] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2016] [Accepted: 10/11/2016] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
We recently selected 3 long-lived mutant strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae by a lasting exposure to exogenous lithocholic acid. Each mutant strain can maintain the extended chronological lifespan after numerous passages in medium without lithocholic acid. In this study, we used these long-lived yeast mutants for empirical verification of evolutionary theories of aging. We provide evidence that the dominant polygenic trait extending longevity of each of these mutants 1) does not affect such key features of early-life fitness as the exponential growth rate, efficacy of post-exponential growth and fecundity; and 2) enhances such features of early-life fitness as susceptibility to chronic exogenous stresses, and the resistance to apoptotic and liponecrotic forms of programmed cell death. These findings validate evolutionary theories of programmed aging. We also demonstrate that under laboratory conditions that imitate the process of natural selection within an ecosystem, each of these long-lived mutant strains is forced out of the ecosystem by the parental wild-type strain exhibiting shorter lifespan. We therefore concluded that yeast cells have evolved some mechanisms for limiting their lifespan upon reaching a certain chronological age. These mechanisms drive the evolution of yeast longevity towards maintaining a finite yeast chronological lifespan within ecosystems.
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13
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Romanov GA, Sukhoverov VS. Arginine CGA codons as a source of nonsense mutations: a possible role in multivariant gene expression, control of mRNA quality, and aging. Mol Genet Genomics 2017; 292:1013-1026. [DOI: 10.1007/s00438-017-1328-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2017] [Accepted: 05/11/2017] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
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14
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Chatterjee A, Georgiev G, Iannacchione G. Aging and efficiency in living systems: Complexity, adaptation and self-organization. Mech Ageing Dev 2017; 163:2-7. [PMID: 28267566 DOI: 10.1016/j.mad.2017.02.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2016] [Accepted: 02/28/2017] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Living systems are open, out-of-equilibrium thermodynamic entities, that maintain order by locally reducing their entropy. Aging is a process by which these systems gradually lose their ability to maintain their out-of-equilibrium state, as measured by their free-energy rate density, and hence, their order. Thus, the process of aging reduces the efficiency of those systems, making them fragile and less adaptive to the environmental fluctuations, gradually driving them towards the state of thermodynamic equilibrium. In this paper, we discuss the various metrics that can be used to understand the process of aging from a complexity science perspective. Among all the metrics that we propose, action efficiency, is observed to be of key interest as it can be used to quantify order and self-organization in any physical system. Based upon our arguments, we present the dependency of other metrics on the action efficiency of a system, and also argue as to how each of the metrics, influences all the other system variables. In order to support our claims, we draw parallels between technological progress and biological growth. Such parallels are used to support the universal applicability of the metrics and the methodology presented in this paper. Therefore, the results and the arguments presented in this paper throw light on the finer nuances of the science of aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Atanu Chatterjee
- Department of Physics, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, 100 Institute Road, Worcester, MA 01609, USA.
| | - Georgi Georgiev
- Department of Physics, Assumption College, 500 Salisbury St., Worcester, MA 01609, USA; Department of Physics, Tufts University, 4 Colby St., Medford, MA 02155, USA
| | - Germano Iannacchione
- Department of Physics, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, 100 Institute Road, Worcester, MA 01609, USA
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15
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Rodríguez JA, Marigorta UM, Hughes DA, Spataro N, Bosch E, Navarro A. Antagonistic pleiotropy and mutation accumulation influence human senescence and disease. Nat Ecol Evol 2017; 1:55. [DOI: 10.1038/s41559-016-0055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2016] [Accepted: 12/14/2016] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
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16
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Gomez-Perez A, Kyryakov P, Burstein MT, Asbah N, Noohi F, Iouk T, Titorenko VI. Empirical Validation of a Hypothesis of the Hormetic Selective Forces Driving the Evolution of Longevity Regulation Mechanisms. Front Genet 2016; 7:216. [PMID: 27999589 PMCID: PMC5138192 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2016.00216] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2016] [Accepted: 11/24/2016] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Exogenously added lithocholic bile acid and some other bile acids slow down yeast chronological aging by eliciting a hormetic stress response and altering mitochondrial functionality. Unlike animals, yeast cells do not synthesize bile acids. We therefore hypothesized that bile acids released into an ecosystem by animals may act as interspecies chemical signals that generate selective pressure for the evolution of longevity regulation mechanisms in yeast within this ecosystem. To empirically verify our hypothesis, in this study we carried out a three-step process for the selection of long-lived yeast species by a long-term exposure to exogenous lithocholic bile acid. Such experimental evolution yielded 20 long-lived mutants, three of which were capable of sustaining their considerably prolonged chronological lifespans after numerous passages in medium without lithocholic acid. The extended longevity of each of the three long-lived yeast species was a dominant polygenic trait caused by mutations in more than two nuclear genes. Each of the three mutants displayed considerable alterations to the age-related chronology of mitochondrial respiration and showed enhanced resistance to chronic oxidative, thermal, and osmotic stresses. Our findings empirically validate the hypothesis suggesting that hormetic selective forces can drive the evolution of longevity regulation mechanisms within an ecosystem.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Pavlo Kyryakov
- Department of Biology, Concordia University Montreal, QC, Canada
| | | | - Nimara Asbah
- Department of Biology, Concordia University Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Forough Noohi
- Department of Biology, Concordia University Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Tania Iouk
- Department of Biology, Concordia University Montreal, QC, Canada
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Lenart P, Bienertová-Vašků J. Double strand breaks may be a missing link between entropy and aging. Mech Ageing Dev 2016; 157:1-6. [DOI: 10.1016/j.mad.2016.06.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2016] [Revised: 05/11/2016] [Accepted: 06/02/2016] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
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18
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da Costa JP, Rocha-Santos T, Duarte AC. Analytical tools to assess aging in humans: The rise of geri-omics. Trends Analyt Chem 2016. [DOI: 10.1016/j.trac.2015.09.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
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19
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Longevity extension by phytochemicals. Molecules 2015; 20:6544-72. [PMID: 25871373 PMCID: PMC6272139 DOI: 10.3390/molecules20046544] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2015] [Revised: 04/07/2015] [Accepted: 04/08/2015] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Phytochemicals are structurally diverse secondary metabolites synthesized by plants and also by non-pathogenic endophytic microorganisms living within plants. Phytochemicals help plants to survive environmental stresses, protect plants from microbial infections and environmental pollutants, provide them with a defense from herbivorous organisms and attract natural predators of such organisms, as well as lure pollinators and other symbiotes of these plants. In addition, many phytochemicals can extend longevity in heterotrophic organisms across phyla via evolutionarily conserved mechanisms. In this review, we discuss such mechanisms. We outline how structurally diverse phytochemicals modulate a complex network of signaling pathways that orchestrate a distinct set of longevity-defining cellular processes. This review also reflects on how the release of phytochemicals by plants into a natural ecosystem may create selective forces that drive the evolution of longevity regulation mechanisms in heterotrophic organisms inhabiting this ecosystem. We outline the most important unanswered questions and directions for future research in this vibrant and rapidly evolving field.
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Romanov GA, Sukhoverov VS, Vanyushin BF. Epigenetic mutagenesis as program of age-related protein dysfunction and aging. Russ J Dev Biol 2015. [DOI: 10.1134/s106236041502006x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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Moskalev AA, Pasyukova EG. From theories of aging to anti-aging interventions. Front Genet 2014; 5:276. [PMID: 25177344 PMCID: PMC4132295 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2014.00276] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2014] [Accepted: 07/27/2014] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Alexey A Moskalev
- Radiation Ecology, Laboratory of Molecular Radiobiology and Gerontology, Institute of Biology of Komi Science Center of Ural Branch of RAS Syktyvkar, Russia ; Syktyvkar State University Syktyvkar, Russia ; Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology (State University) Dolgoprudny, Russia
| | - Elena G Pasyukova
- Laboratory of Genome Variation, Institute of Molecular Genetics, Russian Academy of Sciences Moscow, Russia
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Zhavoronkov A, Buzdin AA, Garazha AV, Borisov NM, Moskalev AA. Signaling pathway cloud regulation for in silico screening and ranking of the potential geroprotective drugs. Front Genet 2014; 5:49. [PMID: 24624136 PMCID: PMC3940060 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2014.00049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2013] [Accepted: 02/16/2014] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The major challenges of aging research include absence of the comprehensive set of aging biomarkers, the time it takes to evaluate the effects of various interventions on longevity in humans and the difficulty extrapolating the results from model organisms to humans. To address these challenges we propose the in silico method for screening and ranking the possible geroprotectors followed by the high-throughput in vivo and in vitro validation. The proposed method evaluates the changes in the collection of activated or suppressed signaling pathways involved in aging and longevity, termed signaling pathway cloud, constructed using the gene expression data and epigenetic profiles of young and old patients' tissues. The possible interventions are selected and rated according to their ability to regulate age-related changes and minimize differences in the signaling pathway cloud. While many algorithmic solutions to simulating the induction of the old into young metabolic profiles in silico are possible, this flexible and scalable approach may potentially be used to predict the efficacy of the many drugs that may extend human longevity before conducting pre-clinical work and expensive clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alex Zhavoronkov
- Department of Biological and Medical Physics, Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology Dolgoprudny, Russia ; First Oncology Research and Advisory Center Moscow, Russia ; The Biogerontology Research Foundation London, UK ; Department of Experimental and Molecular Medicine, D. Rogachyov Federal Research Center of Pediatric Hematology, Oncology and Immunology Moscow, Russia
| | - Anton A Buzdin
- Department of Biological and Medical Physics, Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology Dolgoprudny, Russia ; First Oncology Research and Advisory Center Moscow, Russia ; Department of Experimental and Molecular Medicine, D. Rogachyov Federal Research Center of Pediatric Hematology, Oncology and Immunology Moscow, Russia ; Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences Moscow, Russia
| | - Andrey V Garazha
- Department of Biological and Medical Physics, Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology Dolgoprudny, Russia ; First Oncology Research and Advisory Center Moscow, Russia ; Department of Experimental and Molecular Medicine, D. Rogachyov Federal Research Center of Pediatric Hematology, Oncology and Immunology Moscow, Russia ; Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences Moscow, Russia
| | - Nikolay M Borisov
- Department of Biological and Medical Physics, Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology Dolgoprudny, Russia ; First Oncology Research and Advisory Center Moscow, Russia ; Burnasyan Federal Medical Biophysical Center Moscow, Russia
| | - Alexey A Moskalev
- Department of Biological and Medical Physics, Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology Dolgoprudny, Russia ; Department of Ecology, Syktyvkar State University Syktyvkar, Russia ; Laboratory of Molecular Radiobiology and Gerontology, Institute of Biology of Komi Science Center of Ural Branch of Russian Academy of Sciences Syktyvkar, Russia
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Arancio W, Pizzolanti G, Genovese SI, Pitrone M, Giordano C. Epigenetic involvement in Hutchinson-Gilford progeria syndrome: a mini-review. Gerontology 2014; 60:197-203. [PMID: 24603298 DOI: 10.1159/000357206] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2013] [Accepted: 11/11/2013] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Hutchinson-Gilford progeria syndrome (HGPS) is a rare human genetic disease that leads to a severe premature ageing phenotype, caused by mutations in the LMNA gene. The LMNA gene codes for lamin-A and lamin-C proteins, which are structural components of the nuclear lamina. HGPS is usually caused by a de novo C1824T mutation that leads to the accumulation of a dominant negative form of lamin-A called progerin. Progerin also accumulates physiologically in normal ageing cells as a rare splicing form of lamin-A transcripts. From this perspective, HGPS cells seem to be good candidates for the study of the physiological mechanisms of ageing. Progerin accumulation leads to faster cellular senescence, stem cell depletion and the progeroid phenotype. Tissues of mesodermic origin are especially affected by HGPS. HGPS patients usually have a bad quality of life and, with current treatments, their life expectancy does not exceed their second decade at best. Though progerin can be expressed in almost any tissue, when death occurs, it is usually due to cardiovascular complications. In HGPS, severe epigenetic alterations have been reported. Histone-covalent modifications are radically different from control specimens, with the tendency to lose the bipartition into euchromatin and heterochromatin. This is reflected in an altered spatial compartmentalization and conformation of chromatin within the nucleus. Moreover, it seems that microRNAs and microRNA biosynthesis might play a role in HGPS. Exemplary in this connection is the suggested protective effect of miR-9 on the central nervous system of affected individuals. This mini-review will report on the state of the art of HGPS epigenetics, and there will be a discussion of how epigenetic alterations in HGPS cells can alter the cellular metabolism and lead to the systemic syndrome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Walter Arancio
- Section of Endocrinology, Diabetology and Metabolism, Biomedical Department of Internal and Specialized Medicine (DiBiMIS), University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
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Santulli G, Ciccarelli M, Trimarco B, Iaccarino G. Physical activity ameliorates cardiovascular health in elderly subjects: the functional role of the β adrenergic system. Front Physiol 2013; 4:209. [PMID: 23964243 PMCID: PMC3740240 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2013.00209] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2013] [Accepted: 07/23/2013] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Aging is a complex process characterized by a gradual decline in organ functional reserves, which eventually reduces the ability to maintain homeostasis. An exquisite feature of elderly subjects, which constitute a growing proportion of the world population, is the high prevalence of cardiovascular disorders, which negatively affect both the quality of life and the life expectancy. It is widely acknowledged that physical activity represents one of the foremost interventions capable in reducing the health burden of cardiovascular disease. Interestingly, the benefits of moderate-intensity physical activity have been established both in young and elderly subjects. Herein we provide a systematic and updated appraisal of the literature exploring the pathophysiological mechanisms evoked by physical activity in the elderly, focusing on the functional role of the β adrenergic system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gaetano Santulli
- Department of Translational Medical Sciences, "Federico II" University Naples, Italy ; Department of Advanced Biomedical Sciences, "Federico II" University Naples, Italy ; College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York Presbyterian Hospital, Columbia University in the City of New York Manhattan, New York, NY, USA
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