The rate of aging is determined in the womb

22 biomarkers of aging were found in the blood

Copper news based on EurekAlert! – Rate of aging may be determined in the womb and linked to birthweight, study revealsExperts from King's College London for the first time isolated 22 molecular biomarkers of aging in the blood.

One of the found metabolites was simultaneously associated with such characteristics most susceptible to age–related changes as pulmonary function and bone density, and with an indicator of normal intrauterine development - birth weight, which indicates the key role of this factor in the aging processes and the appearance of diseases associated with these processes. The work was published on July 8 in the International Journal of Epidemiology (Menni et al., Metabolic markers reveal novel pathways of aging and early development in human populations).

The authors of the study used the method of metabolomic profiling in their work – an integral analysis of the concentration levels in tissue fluids of metabolites (intermediates and products of many reactions occurring during metabolism), which allows to obtain a complete picture of all biochemical changes in the body from the beginning of its functioning. The objects of the study were blood samples of more than six thousand people, some of whom were in pairs of monozygotic (identical) twins.

As a result, 22 metabolites were identified that are directly related to chronological age – their concentration levels are higher the older a person is. One of these metabolites, C–glycosyl tryptophan (C-glyTrp), turned out to be particularly important for understanding the mechanisms underlying aging, and its role was unexpected for the authors of the study. It was found that C-glyTrp is not only associated with age, but also associated with lung function, bone density, cholesterol and blood pressure – that is, with potential sources of diseases developing with age. In addition, this metabolite, as it turned out, is directly related to birth weight – in the identical twin who was born with a lower weight, the concentration of C-glyTrp, respectively, is lower.

"We were able to demonstrate for the first time that birth weight affects the molecular mechanism that changes the level of this metabolite. This can help us understand exactly how insufficient intake of nutrients in the prenatal period changes molecular bonds, resulting in rapid aging and a high risk of age–related diseases," said lead author Ana Valdes.

"Scientists have known before that birth weight is an important factor in the health of an individual in middle and older age, and people born with low weight are more susceptible to age-related diseases. However, the molecular mechanism underlying this phenomenon has not been clear until now. Our study has shed light on some of these connections," said Valdez co–author Professor Tim Spector.

According to the authors, in the future, a simple blood test for the biomarkers of aging found by them will allow to determine the level of negative age-related changes relative to the biological age of a person and to assess the risk of developing senile diseases, as well as to develop new approaches to the prevention of such diseases.

Portal "Eternal youth" http://vechnayamolodost.ru10.07.2013