A new study published in the journal Cell has shed light on the complex process of aging, revealing that it is not a linear decline but rather a series of distinct steps. The research, led by Guang-Hui Liu at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, analyzed tens of thousands of proteins from human tissues and found that aging accelerates dramatically around age 50.
The study used mass spectrometry to profile over 12,700 unique proteins from tissue samples collected from 76 people aged 14 to 68. The researchers identified an inflection point in protein expression between ages 45 and 55, which marked a rapid and broad change across many organs. The aorta, or main artery, was found to age the fastest and most dramatically of all tissues examined.
The study’s findings suggest that blood vessels play a crucial role in accelerating aging, particularly through the release of proteins that promote damage elsewhere in the body. One such protein, called GAS6, was identified as particularly potent, triggering inflammation and senescence in both blood vessels and distant organs.
To track how different parts of the body age, the researchers built “proteomic clocks” that predict a tissue’s biological age based on protein levels. The data revealed that organs do not tick forward at the same rate, with some like the adrenal gland showing early changes in the 30s and others like the spleen and pancreas shifting more markedly after 50.
The study also found signs of “proteostasis failure,” a collapse in the systems that usually keep proteins correctly folded and functioning. This breakdown was marked by the buildup of amyloid proteins, which are linked to diseases like Alzheimer’s.
The findings support the idea that aging unfolds in phases rather than linearly, with distinct inflection points at around 50 and again near 60. The study provides valuable insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying aging and highlights the potential for targeted interventions to slow or reverse age-related decline.
The research team hopes to use their proteomic atlas to track organ-specific aging and develop non-invasive biomarkers for tracking disease progression. The study’s findings have significant implications for our understanding of aging and age-related diseases, and could lead to new therapeutic approaches in the future.
Source: https://www.zmescience.com/science/biology/aging-isnt-linear