A landmark study led by researchers at King’s College London has provided one of the most comprehensive molecular analyses of aging to date, revealing that genetic and environmental factors continuously interact throughout an individual’s lifespan.

Published in Science, the study examined how genetic variations influence the way people age and identified significant differences in molecular changes among individuals. Researchers observed distinct aging patterns associated with CXCL9, a gene linked to cardiac aging. They also found that levels of TP53, a key tumour suppressor gene, declined with age in some individuals, potentially influencing their susceptibility to cancer.

The findings also demonstrate how environmental exposures can affect molecular aging. Changes in blood levels of PFAS (“forever chemicals”) were associated with evolving molecular profiles, highlighting how environmental factors may contribute to biological changes over time and how public health measures could potentially influence health at the molecular level.

Over an eight-year period, researchers repeatedly analyzed blood RNA levels, the activity of approximately 16,000 genes, and hundreds of metabolites in the same 335 participants from the TwinsUK cohort. This longitudinal multi-omic approach revealed that individuals can experience markedly different—and sometimes even opposite—molecular changes as they age.

By improving our understanding of aging at the molecular level, these findings could help identify individuals at greater risk of age-related diseases and support the development of earlier, more personalized interventions aimed at promoting healthy aging, preventing disease, and extending healthspan and longevity.

Source: https://www.kcl.ac.uk/news/healthy-ageing-shaped-by-more-varied-biology-than-previously-thought