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How Is an Epigenetic Approach Used to Modulate Aging?

by Colleen Fleiss on May 11 2023 5:07 AM
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How Is an Epigenetic Approach Used to Modulate Aging?
Aging was found to impact epigenetics and nutrition and physical exercise were found to have a positive effect on the aging process, from an epigenetic point of view (1 Trusted Source
How can we modulate aging through nutrition and physical exercise? An epigenetic approach

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The World Health Organization predicts that by 2050, 2.1 billion people worldwide will be over 60 years old, a drastic increase from only 1 billion in 2019 (2 Trusted Source
Ageing and health

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). Considering these numbers, strategies to ensure an extended “healthspan” or healthy longevity are urgently needed.

In this new review, researchers Ana Teresa Rajado, Nádia Silva, Filipa Esteves, David Brito, Alexandra Binnie, Inês M. Araújo, Clévio Nóbrega, José Bragança, and Pedro Castelo-Branco from the ALFA Score Consortium, University of Algarve Campus Gambelas, William Osler Health System, and Champalimaud Centre for the Unknown discuss their present study that approaches the promotion of healthspan from an epigenetic perspective.

Epigenetics and Aging

Epigenetic phenomena are modifiable in response to an individual’s environmental exposures, and therefore link an individual’s environment to their gene expression pattern. Epigenetic studies demonstrate that aging is associated with decondensation of the chromatin, leading to an altered heterochromatin structure, which promotes the accumulation of errors.

Canonical histones are replaced by histone variants, concomitant with an increase in histone post-translational modifications (PTMs). A slight increase in DNA methylation at promoters has been observed, which represses transcription of previously active genes, in parallel with global genome hypomethylation. Aging is also associated with deregulation of gene expression - usually provided by non-coding RNAs - leading to both the repression of previously transcribed genes and to the transcription of previously repressed genes.

References:
  1. How can we modulate aging through nutrition and physical exercise? An epigenetic approach - (https://www.aging-us.com/article/204668/text)
  2. Ageing and health - (https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/ageing-and-health)
Source-Eurekalert


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