Whole-genome studies of aging, GWAS, and longevity-associated variants
Cellular senescence functions as a pivotal stress response with dual roles; it serves as a barrier against early tumorigenesis while paradoxically driving late-stage tumor progression and the pathogenesis of many other age-related diseases, including cardiovascular, …
Experimental evolution studies with Drosophila melanogaster have long played a role in the effort to dissect the genetic basis of aging and longevity. While selection for postponed reproduction reliably extends lifespan, additional phenotypic consequences and …
Researchers found that caloric restriction slows aging of hematopoietic stem cells (blood-forming cells) in mice by activating specific genes like KDR and PU.1 that control whether these cells self-renew or differentiate. The discovery identifies molecular …
Telomeres gradually shorten at each cell division, and telomerase counteracts this shortening by elongating telomere sequences. This dynamic balance between elongation and shortening results in a steady-state telomere length (TL) distribution. Here, we develop a …
Researchers discovered that a single dose of radiation therapy used to treat dangerous heart rhythms causes lasting epigenetic changes—modifications that affect which genes are active without changing DNA sequence—leading to improved electrical conduction in heart …
Researchers developed a standardized method to adapt epigenetic aging clocks—which measure biological age through DNA methylation patterns—from older microarray technology to newer sequencing platforms using cell-free DNA. This is important because sequencing is becoming the …
Epstein-Barr virus-associated gastric cancer (EBVaGC) accounts for ~9% to 10% of gastric cancers worldwide and is defined by a distinctive molecular profile, including extreme hypermethylation of the DNA. Targeting this aberrant methylation may be a …
The decline in ovarian function with age affects fertility and is associated with increased risk of age-related diseases, including osteoporosis and dementia. Notably, earlier menopause is linked to shorter lifespan, yet the molecular mechanisms underlying …
Oncogenic viruses can induce epigenetic changes in host cells, which may contribute to cell transformation and tumorigenesis by altering gene expression patterns. Human adenoviruses, while primarily known for their lytic infections, have also been implicated …
In mice, intermittent fasting triggers the production of a metabolite called β-hydroxybutyrate that signals cells to activate DNA repair and antioxidant defense programs in the hippocampus. These protective effects persisted even after mice resumed normal …
Glioblastoma is a highly aggressive primary brain tumour marked by extensive genomic and epigenomic alterations, cellular heterogeneity, and therapeutic resistance. Despite maximal surgical resection followed by chemoradiotherapy, median survival remains approximately 15 months, reflecting the …
Researchers compared gut bacteria in people aged 45–59, 60–89, and 90+ and found that centenarians have distinctly different microbial communities—richer in beneficial bacteria like Akkermansia and enriched in pathways that produce fatty acids and other …
Researchers found that mice lacking the FXR gene age much faster and die younger than normal mice, with widespread organ damage and metabolic breakdown. This suggests FXR is a critical aging control switch, making it …
Researchers studied 3,703 adults over 90 and 22,354 younger adults to identify genetic variants linked not just to living longer, but to living longer *well*. They found that certain genes (APOE, APOC1) are associated with …
Aging is a primary risk factor for disease progression in multiple sclerosis (MS). Because of this, treatments that can reduce the consequences of molecular aging, like senescence, have been proposed as a strategy to address …
Hydra is a freshwater cnidarian genus that provides a unique comparative model for aging research, contrasting the immortal H. vulgaris with the aging-inducible H. oligactis. Here, we report a high-quality, chromosome-level genome assembly of H. …
Researchers used lab-grown cells to show that mitochondrial DNA variants affecting energy production influence telomere length by controlling reactive oxygen species and NAD levels. This suggests that inherited mitochondrial traits may influence how quickly our …
BACKGROUND: Stem cells residing in the perivascular niche are critical for skeletal homeostasis. Vascular endothelin-1 (ET-1) controls stem cell fate in development, but its role in the exhaustion of skeletal stem cells (SSCs) and subsequent …
Pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) exhibits marked spatial heterogeneity, with alveolar pneumonia and organized granulomas frequently coexisting within the same lung. While granulomas have long dominated conceptual models of TB pathogenesis, the immune programs operating within alveolar …
In a recent article in Science, Shenhar et al. report that human life span heritability reaches ~55% after removing "extrinsic" mortality, roughly seven-fold higher than recent large pedigree estimates. This conclusion rests on classifying deaths …