Deciphering Longevity: Unveiling the Accuracy of Centenarian Clocks in Age Estimation
Posted on January 17, 2024 • 3 minutes • 451 words
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A very interesting study was published in the article “Centenarian Clocks: Epigenetic Clocks for Validating Claims of Exceptional Longevity.” This groundbreaking research introduces three DNA methylation-based age estimators, or ‘epigenetic clocks’, specifically designed to verify age claims of centenarians. The study utilized an extensive dataset comprising over 7000 blood and saliva samples, including significant contributions from centenarians, semi-supercentenarians, and supercentenarians.
The research begins by highlighting the limitations of standard epigenetic clocks, especially their tendency to underestimate the ages of extremely old individuals. To address this, the researchers developed ‘Centenarian Clocks’ using advanced machine learning techniques, including elastic net regression and neural networks. These clocks demonstrated improved accuracy in predicting the ages of centenarians compared to standard clocks.
The study also explored the feasibility of using urine samples for epigenetic age estimation, recognizing the less invasive nature of urine sample collection, especially in frail, older individuals. The findings suggested that urine-based epigenetic clocks can also be reliable, although the accuracy varied depending on the specific clock used.
Additionally, the research examined the relationship between these centenarian clocks and mortality risk. The findings indicated a weak predictive power of these clocks for mortality risk, suggesting their primary utility lies in age estimation rather than as markers of biological aging or health status.
The study further investigated the relationship between centenarian clocks and clinical biomarkers, uncovering some associations with dietary factors, inflammation markers, and metabolic traits. However, these relationships were generally weak, reinforcing the idea that these clocks are more suited for age validation rather than as comprehensive indicators of health or biological aging.
In an epigenome-wide association study (EWAS) of age, the researchers identified significant age-related changes in DNA methylation across different age groups. This part of the study highlighted specific genes and chromatin states associated with aging, offering insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying the aging process.
The chromatin state analysis provided a deeper understanding of the genomic regions where age-related DNA methylation changes occur. This analysis revealed that age-related changes were enriched in specific chromatin states, particularly those associated with the polycomb repressive complex, which plays a crucial role in gene regulation.
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In discussing their findings, the authors highlight the potential of centenarian clocks to validate age claims, especially in the absence of reliable birth records. They also note the limitations of their study, including the need for larger datasets and independent validation of their models. The study concludes with a call for further research to refine these epigenetic clocks and to explore their potential applications in the study of aging and longevity.
Overall, this study represents a significant step forward in the field of gerontology and offers valuable tools for researchers and demographers studying exceptional longevity.
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