BUFFALO, NY- July 23, 2024 – A new #research paper was #published in Aging (listed by MEDLINE/PubMed as "Aging (Albany NY)" and "Aging-US" by Web of Science) Volume 16, Issue 13, entitled, “Co-analysis of methylation platforms for signatures of biological aging in the domestic dog reveals previously unexplored confounding factors.”

Chronological age reveals the number of years an individual has lived since birth. By contrast, biological age varies between individuals of the same chronological age at a rate reflective of physiological decline. Differing rates of physiological decline are related to longevity and result from genetics, environment, behavior, and disease. The creation of methylation biological age predictors is a long-standing challenge in aging research due to the lack of individual pre-mortem longevity data. 

In this new study, researchers Aitor Serres Armero, Reuben M. Buckley, Lajoyce Mboning, Gabriella J. Spatola, Steve Horvath, Matteo Pellegrini, and Elaine A. Ostrander from the National Human Genome Research Institute, the University of California Los Angeles, and Altos Labs ask whether dogs experience changes in their epigenetic age at a rate predicted by breed longevity.

“The consistent differences in longevity between domestic dog breeds enable the construction of biological age estimators which can, in turn, be contrasted with methylation measurements to elucidate mechanisms of biological aging.”

The researchers drew on three flagship methylation studies using distinct measurement platforms and tissues to assess the feasibility of creating biological age methylation clocks in the dog. They expanded epigenetic clock building strategies to accommodate phylogenetic relationships between individuals, thus controlling for the use of breed standard metrics. The team observed that biological age methylation clocks are affected by population stratification and require heavy parameterization to achieve effective predictions. 

“Finally, we observe that methylation-related markers reflecting biological age signals are rare and do not colocalize between datasets.”

DOI - https://doi.org/10.18632/aging.206012

Corresponding author - Elaine A. Ostrander - eostrand@mail.nih.gov

Video short - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rr2gA8bpJwk

Sign up for free Altmetric alerts about this article - 
https://aging.altmetric.com/details/email_updates?id=10.18632%2Faging.206012

Subscribe for free publication alerts from Aging - https://www.aging-us.com/subscribe-to-toc-alerts

Keywords - aging, biological age, methylation, dog, lifespan, penalized regression

About Aging-US

The mission of the journal is to understand the mechanisms surrounding aging and age-related diseases, including cancer as the main cause of death in the modern aged population.

The journal aims to promote 1) treatment of age-related diseases by slowing down aging, 2) validation of anti-aging drugs by treating age-related diseases, and 3) prevention of cancer by inhibiting aging. (Cancer and COVID-19 are age-related diseases.)

Please visit our website at https://www.Aging-US.com​​ and connect with us:

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/AgingUS/
X - https://twitter.com/AgingJrnl
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/agingjrnl/
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@AgingJournal
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/aging/
Pinterest - https://www.pinterest.com/AgingUS/
Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/1X4HQQgegjReaf6Mozn6Mc

MEDIA@IMPACTJOURNALS.COM

Aging (Aging-US)

Co-analysis of Methylation Platforms for Signatures of Biological Aging in the Domestic Dog

BUFFALO, NY- January 16, 2025 – A new #research paper was #published in Aging (listed by MEDLINE/PubMed as "Aging (Albany NY)" and "Aging-US" by Web of Science) Volume 16, Issue 22 on December 2, 2024, entitled “Less frequent skin ulcers among patients with Werner syndrome treated with pioglitazone: findings from the Japanese Werner Syndrome Registry.”

Scientists from Chiba University in Japan and other institutions have discovered that the drug pioglitazone, commonly used to treat diabetes, may help prevent painful skin ulcers in people with Werner syndrome. Werner syndrome is a rare genetic condition that causes people to age faster than normal, leading to early gray hair, cataracts, and other age-related health problems. One of the most serious complications is skin ulcers, which affect nearly 70% of people with the disorder and can lead to severe pain, infections, and even amputations.

The study, led by first author Kazuto Aono and corresponding author Masaya Koshizaka, looked at 51 patients with Werner syndrome from the Japanese Werner Syndrome Registry. Over half of the patients had skin ulcers, and those with ulcers were generally older and had higher blood pressure. The research team found that patients who took pioglitazone were much less likely to have ulcers, even after accounting for age.

The research suggests that pioglitazone's ability to reduce inflammation helps wounds heal faster and prevents ulcers from forming. However, since the drug can cause side effects, like weaker bones, scientists recommend further studies to explore safer options, such as creams or gels made from pioglitazone that can be applied directly to the skin.

“Nanostructured hybrid materials loaded with pioglitazone are also being developed for clinical use and may be useful as wound dressings for ulcer treatment.” 

Although the study shows promising results, the authors emphasize that more long-term studies are needed to confirm how effective the treatment is besides the exploration of other factors, like diet and exercise, that may also help reduce the ulcers.

In conclusion, this study presents pioglitazone as a potential option to prevent skin ulcers in Werner syndrome patients. While further studies are needed, these findings provide hope for better treatments.

DOI - https://doi.org/10.18632/aging.206161

Corresponding author - Masaya Koshizaka - overslope@chiba-u.jp

Sign up for free Altmetric alerts about this article - 
https://aging.altmetric.com/details/email_updates?id=10.18632%2Faging.206161

Subscribe for free publication alerts from Aging - https://www.aging-us.com/subscribe-to-toc-alerts

Keywords - aging, Werner syndrome, skin ulcer, metformin, pioglitazon, progeroid syndrome

About Aging-US

The mission of the journal is to understand the mechanisms surrounding aging and age-related diseases, including cancer as the main cause of death in the modern aged population.

The journal aims to promote 1) treatment of age-related diseases by slowing down aging, 2) validation of anti-aging drugs by treating age-related diseases, and 3) prevention of cancer by inhibiting aging. (Cancer and COVID-19 are age-related diseases.)

Please visit our website at https://www.Aging-US.com​​ and connect with us:

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/AgingUS/
X - https://twitter.com/AgingJrnl
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/agingjrnl/
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@AgingJournal
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/aging/
Pinterest - https://www.pinterest.com/AgingUS/
Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/1X4HQQgegjReaf6Mozn6Mc

MEDIA@IMPACTJOURNALS.COM

Fewer Skin Ulcers in Werner Syndrome Patients Treated with Pioglitazone

Cancer and aging are two sides of age-related tumorigenesis.

The mission of the journal is to understand the mechanisms surrounding aging and age-related diseases, including cancer as the main cause of death in the modern aged population.

The journal aims to promote 1) treatment of age-related diseases by slowing down aging, 2) validation of anti-aging drugs by treating age-related diseases, and 3) prevention of cancer by inhibiting aging. (Cancer and COVID-19 are age-related diseases.)

Read about the Aging (Aging-US) Scientific Integrity Process: https://aging-us.com/scientific-integrity

Co-analysis of Methylation Platforms for Signatures of Biological Aging in the Domestic Dog

Aging (Aging-US) Podcast

Related tracks