scholarly journals Key Signaling Pathways in Aging and Potential Interventions for Healthy Aging

Cells ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 660
Author(s):  
Mengdi Yu ◽  
Hongxia Zhang ◽  
Brian Wang ◽  
Yinuo Zhang ◽  
Xiaoying Zheng ◽  
...  

Aging is a fundamental biological process accompanied by a general decline in tissue function. Indeed, as the lifespan increases, age-related dysfunction, such as cognitive impairment or dementia, will become a growing public health issue. Aging is also a great risk factor for many age-related diseases. Nowadays, people want not only to live longer but also healthier. Therefore, there is a critical need in understanding the underlying cellular and molecular mechanisms regulating aging that will allow us to modify the aging process for healthy aging and alleviate age-related disease. Here, we reviewed the recent breakthroughs in the mechanistic understanding of biological aging, focusing on the adenosine monophosphate-activated kinase (AMPK), Sirtuin 1 (SIRT1) and mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathways, which are currently considered critical for aging. We also discussed how these proteins and pathways may potentially interact with each other to regulate aging. We further described how the knowledge of these pathways may lead to new interventions for antiaging and against age-related disease.

2018 ◽  
Vol 19 (11) ◽  
pp. 3558 ◽  
Author(s):  
Natalia Vilchinskaya ◽  
Igor Krivoi ◽  
Boris Shenkman

Molecular mechanisms that trigger disuse-induced postural muscle atrophy as well as myosin phenotype transformations are poorly studied. This review will summarize the impact of 5′ adenosine monophosphate -activated protein kinase (AMPK) activity on mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1)-signaling, nuclear-cytoplasmic traffic of class IIa histone deacetylases (HDAC), and myosin heavy chain gene expression in mammalian postural muscles (mainly, soleus muscle) under disuse conditions, i.e., withdrawal of weight-bearing from ankle extensors. Based on the current literature and the authors’ own experimental data, the present review points out that AMPK plays a key role in the regulation of signaling pathways that determine metabolic, structural, and functional alternations in skeletal muscle fibers under disuse.


2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (10) ◽  
pp. 1040
Author(s):  
Dolors Puigoriol-Illamola ◽  
Júlia Companys-Alemany ◽  
Kris McGuire ◽  
Natalie Z. M. Homer ◽  
Rosana Leiva ◽  
...  

Impaired glucocorticoid (GC) signaling is a significant factor in aging, stress, and neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease. Therefore, the study of GC-mediated stress responses to chronic moderately stressful situations, which occur in daily life, is of huge interest for the design of pharmacological strategies toward the prevention of neurodegeneration. To address this issue, SAMP8 mice were exposed to the chronic mild stress (CMS) paradigm for 4 weeks and treated with RL-118, an 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 (11β-HSD1) inhibitor. The inhibition of this enzyme is linked with a reduction in GC levels and cognitive improvement, while CMS exposure has been associated with reduced cognitive performance. The aim of this project was to assess whether RL-118 treatment could reverse the deleterious effects of CMS on cognition and behavioral abilities and to evaluate the molecular mechanisms that compromise healthy aging in SAMP8 mice. First, we confirmed the target engagement between RL-118 and 11β-HSD1. Additionally, we showed that DNA methylation, hydroxymethylation, and histone phosphorylation were decreased by CMS induction, and increased by RL-118 treatment. In addition, CMS exposure caused the accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS)-induced damage and increased pro-oxidant enzymes—as well as pro-inflammatory mediators—through the NF-κB pathway and astrogliosis markers, such as GFAP. Of note, these modifications were reversed by 11β-HSD1 inhibition. Remarkably, although CMS altered mTORC1 signaling, autophagy was increased in the SAMP8 RL-118-treated mice. We also showed an increase in amyloidogenic processes and a decrease in synaptic plasticity and neuronal remodeling markers in mice under CMS, which were consequently modified by RL-118 treatment. In conclusion, 11β-HSD1 inhibition through RL-118 ameliorated the detrimental effects induced by CMS, including epigenetic and cognitive disturbances, indicating that GC-excess attenuation shows potential as a therapeutic strategy for age-related cognitive decline and AD.


2021 ◽  
Vol 2 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rebecca L. McIntyre ◽  
Mizanur Rahman ◽  
Siva A. Vanapalli ◽  
Riekelt H. Houtkooper ◽  
Georges E. Janssens

Intervening in aging processes is hypothesized to extend healthy years of life and treat age-related disease, thereby providing great benefit to society. However, the ability to measure the biological aging process in individuals, which is necessary to test for efficacy of these interventions, remains largely inaccessible to the general public. Here we used NHANES physical activity accelerometer data from a wearable device and machine-learning algorithms to derive biological age predictions for individuals based on their movement patterns. We found that accelerated biological aging from our “MoveAge” predictor is associated with higher all-cause mortality. We further searched for nutritional or pharmacological compounds that associate with decelerated aging according to our model. A number of nutritional components peak in their association to decelerated aging later in life, including fiber, magnesium, and vitamin E. We additionally identified one FDA-approved drug associated with decelerated biological aging: the alpha-blocker doxazosin. We show that doxazosin extends healthspan and lifespan in C. elegans. Our work demonstrates how a biological aging score based on relative mobility can be accessible to the wider public and can potentially be used to identify and determine efficacy of geroprotective interventions.


Author(s):  
Pavanello ◽  
Campisi ◽  
Tona ◽  
Lin ◽  
Iliceto

DNA methylation (DNAm) is an emerging estimator of biological aging, i.e., the often-defined “epigenetic clock”, with a unique accuracy for chronological age estimation (DNAmAge). In this pilot longitudinal study, we examine the hypothesis that intensive relaxing training of 60 days in patients after myocardial infarction and in healthy subjects may influence leucocyte DNAmAge by turning back the epigenetic clock. Moreover, we compare DNAmAge with another mechanism of biological age, leucocyte telomere length (LTL) and telomerase. DNAmAge is reduced after training in healthy subjects (p = 0.053), but not in patients. LTL is preserved after intervention in healthy subjects, while it continues to decrease in patients (p = 0.051). The conventional negative correlation between LTL and chronological age becomes positive after training in both patients (p < 0.01) and healthy subjects (p < 0.05). In our subjects, DNAmAge is not associated with LTL. Our findings would suggest that intensive relaxing practices influence different aging molecular mechanisms, i.e., DNAmAge and LTL, with a rejuvenating effect. Our study reveals that DNAmAge may represent an accurate tool to measure the effectiveness of lifestyle-based interventions in the prevention of age-related diseases.


e-Neuroforum ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 23 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Olga Garaschuk

AbstractMicroglia are the main immune cells of the brain contributing, however, not only to brain’s immune defense but also to many basic housekeeping functions such as development and maintenance of functional neural networks, provision of trophic support for surrounding neurons, monitoring and modulating the levels of synaptic activity, cleaning of accumulating extracellular debris and repairing microdamages of the brain parenchyma. As a consequence, age-related alterations in microglial function likely have a manifold impact on brain’s physiology. In this review, I discuss the recent data about physiological properties of microglia in the adult mammalian brain; changes observed in the brain innate immune system during healthy aging and the probable biological mechanisms responsible for them as well as changes occurring in humans and mice during age-related neurodegenerative disorders along with underlying cellular/molecular mechanisms. Together these data provide a new conceptual framework for thinking about the role of microglia in the context of age-mediated brain dysfunction.


2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tiina Öhman ◽  
Fitsum Tamene ◽  
Helka Göös ◽  
Sirpa Loukovaara ◽  
Markku Varjosalo

AbstractAging is a phenomenon associated with profound medical implications. Idiopathic epiretinal membrane (iEMR) and macular hole (MH) are the major vision-threatening vitreoretinal diseases affecting millions of aging people globally, making these conditions an important public health issue. The iERM is characterized by fibrous tissue developing on the surface of the macula, leading to biomechanical and biochemical macular damage. MH is a small breakage in the macula associated with many ocular conditions. Although several individual factors and pathways are suggested, a systems pathology level understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying these disorders is lacking. Therefore, we performed mass spectrometry based label-free quantitative proteomics analysis of the vitreous proteomes from patients with iERM (n=26) and MH (n=21) to identify the key proteins as well as the multiple interconnected biochemical pathways contributing to the development of these diseases. We identified a total of 1014 unique proteins, of which many were linked to inflammation and complement cascade, revealing the inflammational processes in retinal diseases. Additionally, we detected a profound difference in proteomes of the iEMR and MH compared to the non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy. A large number of neuronal proteins were present at higher levels in iERM and MH vitreous, including neuronal adhesion molecules, nervous system development proteins and signalling molecules. This points toward the important role of neurodegeneration component in the pathogenesis of age-related vitreoretinal diseases. Despite of marked similarities, several unique vitreous proteins were identified in both iERM and MH conditions, providing a candidate targets for diagnostic and new therapeutic approaches. Identification of previously reported and novel proteins in human vitreous humor from patient with iERM and MH provide renewed understanding of the pathogenesis of age-related vitreoretinal diseases.


2019 ◽  
Vol 25 (39) ◽  
pp. 4139-4149 ◽  
Author(s):  
Francesco Guarasci ◽  
Patrizia D'Aquila ◽  
Alberto Montesanto ◽  
Andrea Corsonello ◽  
Dina Bellizzi ◽  
...  

: Patterns of DNA methylation, the best characterized epigenetic modification, are modulated by aging. In humans, different studies at both site-specific and genome-wide levels have reported that modifications of DNA methylation are associated with the chronological aging process but also with the quality of aging (or biological aging), providing new perspectives for establishing powerful biomarkers of aging. : In this article, the role of DNA methylation in aging and longevity has been reviewed by analysing literature data about DNA methylation variations occurring during the lifetime in response to environmental factors and genetic background, and their association with the aging process and, in particular, with the quality of aging. Special attention has been devoted to the relationship between nuclear DNA methylation patterns, mitochondrial DNA epigenetic modifications, and longevity. Mitochondrial DNA has recently been reported to modulate global DNA methylation levels of the nuclear genome during the lifetime, and, in spite of the previous belief, it has been found to be the target of methylation modifications. : Analysis of DNA methylation profiles across lifetime shows that a remodeling of the methylome occurs with age and/or with age-related decline. Thus, it can be an excellent biomarker of aging and of the individual decline and frailty status. The knowledge about the mechanisms underlying these modifications is crucial since it might allow the opportunity for targeted treatment to modulate the rate of aging and longevity.


2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dilip Jeste ◽  
Jeanne Maglione

The number of older adults in our society is increasing rapidly. Aging is complex and may occur at varying rates across multiple domains, including biological aging, cognitive aging, and emotional aging. Age-related medical conditions are now among the leading causes of morbidity and mortality among older adults, making healthy aging a major public health priority. Successful aging encompasses more than longevity, medical health, or freedom from disability. It can be viewed as a multidimensional construct including minimization of disability and medical illness combined with maximization of physical, cognitive, emotional, and social functioning. We review the current literature regarding successful aging. We also discuss strategies to improve the likelihood of successful aging and several key advances, such as definitions of successful aging in different populations, neuroplasticity of aging, wisdom as an empirical construct, the concept of a good (or successful) death, and the development of age-friendly communities.  This review contains 3 figures, 5 tables, and 53 references. Key words: aging, elderly, older adult, successful aging, successful aging interventions


2018 ◽  
Vol 125 (6) ◽  
pp. 1860-1870 ◽  
Author(s):  
Venkateswara R. Gogulamudi ◽  
Jinjin Cai ◽  
Lisa A. Lesniewski

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) remain the leading causes of death in the United States, and advancing age is a primary risk factor. Impaired endothelium-dependent dilation and increased stiffening of the arteries with aging are independent predictors of CVD. Increased tissue and systemic oxidative stress and inflammation underlie this age-associated arterial dysfunction. Calorie restriction (CR) is the most powerful intervention known to increase life span and improve age-related phenotypes, including arterial dysfunction. However, the translatability of long-term CR to clinical populations is limited, stimulating interest in the pursuit of pharmacological CR mimetics to reproduce the beneficial effects of CR. The energy-sensing pathways, mammalian target of rapamycin, AMPK, and sirtuin-1 have all been implicated in the beneficial effects of CR on longevity and/or physiological function and, as such, have emerged as potential targets for therapeutic intervention as CR mimetics. Although manipulation of each of these pathways has CR-like benefits on arterial function, the magnitude and/or mechanisms can be disparate from that of CR. Nevertheless, targeting these pathways in older individuals may provide some benefits against arterial dysfunction and CVD. The goal of this review is to provide a brief discussion of the mechanisms and pathways underlying age-associated dysfunction in large arteries, explain how these are impacted by CR, and to present the available evidence, suggesting that targets for energy-sensing pathways may act as vascular CR mimetics.


2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (6) ◽  
pp. 1989 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alessandro Rabbito ◽  
Maciej Dulewicz ◽  
Agnieszka Kulczyńska-Przybik ◽  
Barbara Mroczko

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is one of the most frequent neurodegenerative diseases affecting more than 35 million people in the world, and its incidence is estimated to triple by 2050. Alzheimer’s disease is an age-related disease characterized by the progressive loss of memory and cognitive function, caused by the unstoppable neurodegeneration and brain atrophy. Current AD treatments only relieve the symptoms. The first molecular signs of the disease identified decades ago and were related to the tau neurofibrillary tangles and the β amyloid plaques. Despite the considerable progress in the diagnostic field, there is no certain knowledge of the specific biomarkers reflecting molecular mechanisms that trigger the symptoms of the disease. Therefore, there is an enormous need to find biomarkers useful for early diagnosis, before the first symptoms appear, and develop new therapeutic targets, which would guarantee improving patients’ quality of life. Researchers from all around the world are looking for biomarkers that can be identified in different biological fluids such as plasma, serum, and cerebrospinal fluid, specific for Alzheimer’s disease. In this review, we would like to resume some of the most interesting discovery in pathological mechanisms underlying Alzheimer’s disease and promising biomarkers.


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