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Epigenetic Clocks Track Biological Age, Clinical Biomarkers Show Stronger Link to Cardiovascular Disease

Epigenetic Clocks Track Biological Age, Clinical Biomarkers Show Stronger Link to Cardiovascular Disease

Epigenomic aging markers, specifically epigenetic clocks, are utilized to estimate biological age by tracking DNA methylation patterns. These patterns involve chemical tags on DNA that predictably change over time. While epigenetic measures offer insights into the aging process, a 2024 CARDIA study published in the Journal of the American Heart Association indicated that clinical biomarker models, such as Phenotypic Age, which rely on routine laboratory tests, were more strongly associated with future cardiovascular disease outcomes. Phenotypic Age incorporates nine blood biomarkers related to metabolism, inflammation, and organ function. The study highlights that routine lab work, including blood pressure, glucose, lipids, kidney function, and inflammation markers, remains crucial for reliable health assessments. Different methods for measuring biological age, including epigenetic clocks, clinical biomarker models, telomere length, and functional tests, each provide a distinct perspective on aging, and no...

WashU Medicine Researchers Identify Immune Cell Ratio Predicting Chronic Disease and Mortality

WashU Medicine Researchers Identify Immune Cell Ratio Predicting Chronic Disease and Mortality

Researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, in collaboration with Nationwide Children's Hospital and King's College London, have developed a map of human immune aging that identifies a ratio between two types of immune cells as a predictor of future health risks. The study, published in Immunity, analyzed approximately 12.4 million individual immune cells from 2,609 healthy adults aged 20 to over 90 across various cohorts. They found that a higher proportion of granzyme B-producing white blood cells compared to granzyme K-producing cells in healthy individuals was associated with an increased risk of death and chronic conditions such as Type 2 diabetes, hypertension, liver disease, and renal failure a decade later. Conversely, a healthy immune system tends to shift towards granzyme K cells over time. This suggests that individuals can have different immune aging trajectories, explaining varying health outcomes among people of the same chronological age.

Scientists Develop Data-Driven Diet to Slow Epigenetic Aging by Nearly Four Years

Scientists Develop Data-Driven Diet to Slow Epigenetic Aging by Nearly Four Years

Researchers have developed a new dietary index, the Empirical Dietary Index for Slower Epigenetic Aging (EDISEA), which is designed to slow biological aging. Unlike traditional dietary guidelines based on hypotheses about food benefits, EDISEA is data-driven, identifying dietary features that best predict a slower acceleration of GrimAge2, a second-generation epigenetic clock. Epigenetic clocks measure DNA methylation patterns, which change predictably with age, allowing scientists to estimate biological age. A higher EDISEA score was associated with epigenetic aging that was 4.17 years slower than expected in a derivation sample of 1,711 participants. This finding was validated in an independent sample of 2,311 participants, showing 3.77 years slower epigenetic aging. The study, published in Nature Communications, suggests that adhering to this pattern is linked to a measurably lower risk of death and a broad spectrum of age-related diseases.

Longevity Clinics Integrate into U.S. Real Estate, Driving Wellness-Focused Developments

Longevity Clinics Integrate into U.S. Real Estate, Driving Wellness-Focused Developments

Longevity Clinics Integrate into U.S. Real Estate, Driving Wellness-Focused Developments

Study Reveals Epigenetic Basis for Accelerated Aging in Large Dog Breeds

Study Reveals Epigenetic Basis for Accelerated Aging in Large Dog Breeds

A large-scale study involving nearly 900 companion dogs has identified that larger dog breeds age faster at a molecular level, a finding published in the journal Science. Researchers, led by Blaise Mariner, generated 1,640 methylomes from 894 dogs enrolled in the Dog Aging Project. A methylome maps DNA methylation, which are chemical marks on DNA that influence gene behavior without altering the genetic code. These patterns change predictably with age. The study utilized epigenetic clocks, statistical models that estimate biological age from methylation patterns, to determine that larger dogs and male dogs, both known for shorter lifespans, exhibit accelerated molecular aging. This means the chemical signatures of time accumulate more rapidly in their cells. The research also found that molecular aging is most rapid early in a dog's life, with epigenetic changes during puppyhood and adolescence being more pronounced per unit of chronological time than in later years. Sex-related epigenetic changes were con...

Jonathan the 194-Year-Old Tortoise Offers Clues to Extreme Longevity Through Epigenomic Analysis

Jonathan the 194-Year-Old Tortoise Offers Clues to Extreme Longevity Through Epigenomic Analysis

Jonathan, an estimated 194-year-old Aldabra giant tortoise and the world's oldest known living land animal, is providing new clues to extreme longevity through a comparative study of his genome and epigenome. The research, led by the Kallel Foundation with collaborators including Vanderbilt Health and the University of Cambridge, found that Jonathan retains unusually orderly DNA regulation in pathways linked to cellular maintenance, particularly in areas associated with DNA repair and mitochondrial function. While his DNA shows broader changes associated with advancing age, the study revealed that for 272 promoters, Jonathan's methylation patterns remained relatively orderly, resembling those of younger tortoises. These regions included promoters associated with 35 mitochondrial genes, 25 genes involved in RNA processing, and 15 involved in genome or telomere maintenance, suggesting that preserving regulation in specific biological pathways may be key to his exceptional lifespan.

Longevity Lifestyle Emphasizes Consistent Habits and Holistic Approach for Healthspan

Longevity Lifestyle Emphasizes Consistent Habits and Holistic Approach for Healthspan

Longevity Lifestyle Emphasizes Consistent Habits and Holistic Approach for Healthspan

Cleveland Clinic Neurological Institute Explores Precision Medicine in Multiple Sclerosis Treatment

Cleveland Clinic Neurological Institute Explores Precision Medicine in Multiple Sclerosis Treatment

NeurologyLive has partnered with the Cleveland Clinic Neurological Institute to launch a new Roundtable series titled 'Precision Medicine in Multiple Sclerosis: Advances & Unanswered Questions.' This series aims to delve into the current state of precision medicine within the field of multiple sclerosis (MS). The discussions feature experts from the Cleveland Clinic's Mellen Center for Multiple Sclerosis Treatment and Research, including Robert Bermel, MD, director; Marisa McGinley, DO, staff neurologist; and Rebecca Cebull, CNP, certified nurse practitioner. The panel will address various aspects of MS, such as biomarkers, advanced imaging techniques, genetics, progression independent of relapse activity, and the existing gaps between the theoretical promise of individualized care and its practical application in daily clinical practice. While precision medicine is a widely used term in MS, its practical definition remains largely unsettled. Unlike fields like oncology and rheumatology, which have long cu...

Ascensia Diabetes Care Partners with Sava Technologies for Innovative Wearable Microsensor Technology

Ascensia Diabetes Care Partners with Sava Technologies for Innovative Wearable Microsensor Technology

Ascensia Diabetes Care, a global diabetes care company and subsidiary of PHC Holdings Corporation, has announced a strategic partnership with Sava Technologies, a venture-backed health technology startup. This collaboration aims to support the introduction and future commercialization of Sava’s innovative wearable microsensor technology. The partnership includes an exclusive commercialization and distribution agreement, initially focusing on Europe, and a concurrent financing agreement where Ascensia led Sava's Series B funding round and made a strategic equity investment. Sava’s microsensor technology is designed for continuous monitoring of biomarkers and molecules, starting with glucose, just beneath the skin. The goal is to offer a minimally invasive approach to glucose monitoring that provides additional insights compared to traditional continuous glucose monitors (CGMs). Sava plans a pivotal clinical study for its CGM technology this year, with the aim of obtaining CE approval and launching the micro...

Research Links Stable Circadian Rhythms to Improved Blood Glucose Control in Type 2 Diabetes Patients

Research Links Stable Circadian Rhythms to Improved Blood Glucose Control in Type 2 Diabetes Patients

A research team, including Dr. Lee Da young and Dr. Nan Hee Kim from Ansan Hospital, has found a significant correlation between stable circadian rhythms and better blood glucose management in individuals with type 2 diabetes. The study, published in the journal Metabolism, involved 122 patients with type 2 diabetes receiving insulin treatment at Ansan Hospital between 2021 and 2024. Participants wore continuous glucose monitors (CGM) and wearable activity monitors for 10 days to collect data on blood glucose fluctuations, sleep patterns, physical activity levels, and heart rates. The findings revealed that 46.3% of patients with the most stable circadian rhythms achieved their blood glucose management goals, a rate approximately 2.3 times higher than the 20.0% observed in patients with the least stable rhythms. This association remained significant even after adjusting for factors such as age, BMI, and HbA1c. The research also indicated that afternoon activity had the strongest correlation with blood gluc...

Memorial Sloan Kettering Researchers Challenge Age-Based Genetic Testing for Cancer, Citing 72% Miss Rate of Inherited Variants

Memorial Sloan Kettering Researchers Challenge Age-Based Genetic Testing for Cancer, Citing 72% Miss Rate of Inherited Variants

Researchers at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK) have published findings in Cancer Discovery indicating that age-based criteria for germline genetic testing in cancer patients miss 72% of individuals with pathogenic inherited cancer variants. The study analyzed nearly 40,000 adults across 32 types of solid tumors. While early-onset cancers showed an enrichment of pathogenic germline variants, inherited variants were also found in patients diagnosed at average and older ages. Due to the higher prevalence of cancer later in life, restricting testing to younger patients leads to a significant number of mutation carriers being overlooked. Dr. Zsofia Stadler, a medical oncologist and clinical geneticist at MSK and a principal investigator of the study, emphasized that using age cutoffs as a criterion for genetic testing results in missing the vast majority of patients with an inherited cancer predisposition syndrome. The research suggests a simpler approach: offering germline testing to all adults di...

Scientists Uncover Genetic Secrets of Jonathan the Giant Tortoise's Extreme Longevity

Scientists Uncover Genetic Secrets of Jonathan the Giant Tortoise's Extreme Longevity

Scientists have analyzed the DNA of Jonathan, an Aldabra giant tortoise estimated to be 194 years old, making him the world's oldest known land animal. The research, published in the journal Science Advances, identified 287 unique gene variants in Jonathan that contribute to his extended lifespan by reducing the typical effects of aging. These genes are involved in crucial bodily processes such as inflammation reduction, insulin regulation, DNA damage repair, and cancer suppression. The study also compared Jonathan's epigenome, which controls gene activation, with that of younger Aldabra giant tortoises. Researchers found that the genetic switches regulating Jonathan's DNA repair and metabolism genes remained remarkably similar to those in younger tortoises, a key factor in his longevity. This marks the first time a giant tortoise's epigenome has been investigated, building upon previous genome analysis of Lonesome George, another long-lived tortoise.