Aging & Longevity

The global incidence of obesity-related metabolic disorders and their comorbidities continue to increase along with a demand for innovative therapeutic interventions. An in-depth understanding of de novo thermogenic adipogenesis is vital to harness the potential of these adipocytes. Here, we combine genetic lineage tracing and single-nucleus RNA sequencing to demonstrate that adult adipose-resident c-kit^(+) cells are previously unidentified brown adipocyte progenitor cells (APCs). c-kit^(+)...

Age-related decline in the ability of bone marrow (BM) to recruit transplanted hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs) limits the potential of HSPC-based medicine. Using in vivo imaging and manipulation combined with integrative metabolomic analyses, we show that, with aging, degradation of non-neurogenic acetylcholine disrupts the local Chrm5-eNOS-nitric oxide signaling, reducing arterial dilation and decreasing both BM blood flow and sinusoidal wall shear stress. Consequently, aging BM...

Nontargeted peak detection in LC-MS-based metabolomics must become robust and benchmarked. We present MassCube, a Python-based open-source framework for MS data processing that we systematically benchmark against other algorithms and different types of input data. From raw data, peaks are detected by constructing mass traces through signal clustering and Gaussian-filter assisted edge detection. Peaks are then grouped for adduct and in-source fragment detection, and compounds are annotated by...

A central process contributing to the phenotype of aging is cellular senescence. We recently identified the FOXO4 - p53 axis as pivotal in maintaining the viability of senescent cells, and that senescent cells can be targeted selectively with the senolytic peptide FOXO4-DRI. Here, we solve the solution NMR structural models of the p53 transactivation domain in complex with the FOXO4 forkhead domain and in complex with FOXO4-DRI. Strikingly, we find that the disordered FOXO4-DRI binds to the...

Temperature-dependent, selective molecular diffusion through porous materials is crucial for membrane separations and is typically modeled as an Arrhenius-type activated process. Although this dependence can be described phenomenologically by an activation energy, tracing its molecular origins is often difficult, hindering robust membrane design for practical applications. Here, we investigate gas transport across monolayer nanoporous graphene membranes and observe significant, reversible,...

Caloric restriction (CR) delays aging-related hallmarks in various organisms by slowing growth and development while enhancing metabolic homeostasis. However, desirable diets that harness the metabolic benefits of CR without imposing food intake restrictions remain elusive. Here we evaluated the effects of a high-fiber diet we developed, in which 30% of the macronutrients in a standard diet are replaced with indigestible cellulose, compared to a CR control consisting of a nighttime-2h-restricted...

Immunometabolism, encompassing metabolic processes within the immune system, plays a pivotal role in modulating the development, activity, and function of immune cells. Oxidative stress, resulting from an imbalance between pro-oxidants and antioxidants, is a critical factor in the pathogenesis of various diseases, including cancer and aging. This review synthesizes current knowledge on the interplay between immunometabolism and oxidative stress, highlighting their mechanisms in cancer...

Previous studies suggest glial and neuronal changes may trigger synaptic dysfunction in Alzheimer's disease (AD), but the link between their markers and synaptic abnormalities in the living brain remains unclear. We investigated the association between glial reactivity and synaptic dysfunction biomarkers in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from 478 individuals in cognitively unimpaired (CU) and cognitively impaired (CI) individuals. We measured amyloid-β (Aβ), phosphorylated tau (pTau181), astrocyte...

Intestinal stem cell (ISC) aging diminishes the regenerative capacity of the intestinal epithelia, but effective therapeutic strategies to counteract human ISC aging remain elusive. Here, we find that the synthesis of α-lipoic acid (ALA) is reduced in old human small intestine. Notably, ALA supplementation inhibits ISC aging and decreases the number of atypical Paneth cells in old human intestinal organoids and in old mouse small intestines. Importantly, we discern that the effect of ALA on...

Mitochondrial dysfunction contributes to aging and diseases like neurodegeneration and cardiovascular disorders. Mitochondria transfer and transplantation (MTT) represent promising therapeutic strategies aimed at restoring cellular function by introducing functional mitochondria into damaged cells. However, challenges like transfer efficiency, stability, and cellular integration limit clinical application. Recent biotechnological advances-such as liposomes, extracellular vesicles, and surface...

Cancer survivors may have higher biological age (BA) than cancer-free persons (controls). In HRS, we examined the associations of BA with cancer prevalence and mortality. BA was estimated by the Klemera and Doubal method (KDM-BA), phenotypic age (PhenoAge), and subjective age (SA) among 946 cancer survivors and 4555 controls; and by epigenetic clocks (Horvath, Hannum, Levine, GrimAge, Zhang Score (ZS), and methylation-based pace of aging (mPOA)) among 582 cancer survivors and 2805 controls. Age...

Resident leptin-receptor-expressing (LepR^(+)) cells senescence in the aged bone marrow impairs the regenerative capacity of osteo- and other lineages of cells. In this study, a LepR^(+) cell-targeting nitric oxide (NO) nanopump with in vivo self-controlled turn-on ability was constructed to rejuvenate the LepR^(+) cells in the aged bone marrow. The nanopump co-entrapped hydrophobic chemiluminescence substrate and NO donor into the matrix of amphiphilic polymer through a nanoprecipitation...

Doxorubicin (DOX), although effective in treating cancer, has significant cardiac side effects, which limit its clinical utility. In this study, we collected time-course transcriptomics and metabolomics data from the human cardiomyocyte cell line AC16, which we analyzed along with curated public transcriptomics data on DOX-induced toxicity. We developed a multiomics analysis workflow and a computational toolbox, pipeGEM, to integrate RNA-seq data with metabolic models, enabling the simulation of...

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To understand how aging affects functional decline and increases disease risk, it is necessary to develop measures of how fast a person is aging. Using data from the Dunedin Study, we introduce an accurate and reliable measure for the rate of longitudinal aging derived from cross-sectional brain magnetic resonance imaging, that is, the Dunedin Pace of Aging Calculated from NeuroImaging (DunedinPACNI). Exporting this measure to the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative, UK Biobank and...

Ageing is a complex biological process whose underlying mechanisms remain contentious. Nonetheless, due to an ageing global population and the rising incidence of age-related diseases, understanding why we age is one of the most important scientific questions of our time, with profound medical implications. Here, I explore the fundamental nature of the ageing process and provide an overview of modern mechanistic theories. I critically examine two main groups of ageing theories: error-based and...

Recent evidence challenged the traditional, categorical approach to sex differences, indicating that each human brain comprises a mosaic of features, some of which are more common among males, others, among females, whereas the remaining are equally common between sexes. Thus, a focus on regional sexual differentiation of brain function, instead of holistic sex-based categorization, could be more useful for understanding psychiatric conditions, such as mood and behavioural disorders, to which...

Ni(Fe) (oxy)hydroxides have long been recognized as benchmark electrocatalysts for water oxidation in alkaline media. Maximizing their activity and longevity will be vital for facilitating scalable water electrolysis. However, progress is hindered by insufficient understandings of surface Fe dynamics and by the absence of effective regulatory approach. Here we show the surface Fe dynamics beyond the immediate vicinity of Ni(Fe) oxyhydroxides on working electrode but being remotely influenced by...

Hyperconnectivity in functional brain networks occurs decades before disease onset in Huntington's disease. However, the biological mechanisms remain unknown. We investigate connectivity in Huntington's disease using Morphometric INverse Divergence (MIND) in three Huntington's disease cohorts (N = 512) spanning from two decades before the onset of symptoms through to functional decline. Here, we identify stage-specific profiles, with hyperconnectivity 22 years from predicted motor onset,...

Mutations in mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) accumulate during aging and contribute to age-related conditions. High mtDNA copy number masks newly emerged recessive mutations; however, phenotypes develop when cellular levels of a mutant mtDNA rise above a critical threshold. The process driving this increase is unknown. Single-cell DNA sequencing of mouse and human hepatocytes detected increases in abundance of mutant alleles in sequences governing mtDNA replication. These alleles provided a...