Why Is Aging Conserved and What Can We Do about It?

Abstract

The field of aging research has progressed rapidly over the past few decades. Genetic modulators of aging rate that are conserved over a broad evolutionary distance have now been identified. Several physiological and environmental interventions have also been shown to influence the rate of aging in organisms ranging from yeast to mammals. Here we briefly review these conserved pathways and interventions and highlight some key unsolved challenges that remain. Although the molecular mechanisms by which these modifiers of aging act are only partially understood, interventions to slow aging are nearing clinical application, and it is likely that we will begin to reap the benefits of aging research prior to solving all of the mysteries that the biology of aging has to offer.

Ageing as an Important Risk Factor for Cancer

“…It is the normal development of an individual (11). However, old age is associated with well-known, typical problems and related comorbidities (Table II) (12). On the cellular level, the ageing is associated with genomic instability, telomere attrition, epigenetic alterations, qualitative and quantitative changes of protein spectra, deregulated nutrient sensing, mitochondrial dysfunction, cellular senescence, stem cell exhaustion and altered intercellular communications (13,14).…”

A randomized controlled trial to establish effects of short-term rapamycin treatment in 24 middle-aged companion dogs

“…Age is the single greatest risk factor for nearly every major cause of morbidity and mortality in humans and their companion animals (Kaeberlein et al 2016;Pitt and Kaeberlein 2015). Recent advances in the field of geroscience have identified several hallmarks of aging that begin to explain the molecular mechanisms linking aging with disease (Lopez-Otin et al 2013;Kennedy et al 2014;Sierra and Kohanski 2017).…”

“…Compared to the commonly used model organisms, companion dogs (Canis lupus familiaris) have great translational potential for geroscience because they uniquely recapitulate many aspects of human aging, including sharing our environment, receiving comparable medical care, and often having detailed medical records available (Pitt and Kaeberlein 2015;Neff and Rine 2006;Gilmore and Greer 2015;Kaeberlein 2015). In this context, the Dog Aging Project seeks to carry out both longitudinal and interventional studies of aging in the privately owned domestic dog, both to gain new insights into mechanisms of human aging and to enhance healthspan and lifespan in dogs (Kaeberlein et al 2016;Kaeberlein 2015).…”

Ectopic fat deposition contributes to age-associated pathology in Caenorhabditis elegans

“…Restriction of calorie intake prolongs life span in many species including rats, mice, fish, worms, flies, and yeast (48). This dietary manipulation is referred as caloric restriction.…”