LEXINGTON, Ky., May 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- A new groundbreaking
study, recently published in *Nature Aging*, by researchers from
the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, TruDiagnostic, and
Harvard, has unveiled significant
insights into the mechanisms of epigenetic clocks, which are widely
used to predict biological age. The study's findings suggest that a
large portion of the predictive accuracy of chronological clocks
can be attributed to stochastic, or random, DNA methylation (DNAm)
changes rather than deterministic biological aging processes.
Epigenetic clocks, such as those developed by Horvath and Zhang,
have gained prominence for their ability to estimate an
individual's biological age with remarkable accuracy, based solely
on patterns of DNA methylation. However, the precise mechanisms by
which these changes in DNAm occur has remained largely unexplored
until now.
The research team, led by Dr. Andrew Teschendorff, utilized
sophisticated simulation models and extensive DNAm data from over
25 independent cohorts totaling 22,770 samples. Their analysis
revealed that between 66% to 90% of the accuracy of various
epigenetic clocks could be explained by stochastic processes. This
finding was particularly pronounced in Zhang's clock, which showed
that up to 90% of its predictive capability could be attributed to
these random changes.
Dr. Andrew E. Teschendorff, a senior author of the study, noted,
"Our results further indicate that biological age-acceleration is
unlikely to be the result of an increased rate of stochastic
change, but instead being driven by non-stochastic processes.
However, one exception to this seems to be mitotic age-acceleration
in precancerous lesions."
Furthermore, the study distinguished between different types of
epigenetic clocks, finding that those more predictive of
chronological age, like Zhang's clock, were largely influenced by
stochastic DNAm changes. In contrast, clocks like PhenoAge, which
are more reflective of biological age, showed a lower degree of
stochastic influence. This suggests that first generation clocks,
trained to predict chronological age, have less utility in
predicting outcomes of aging than clocks trained on other
phenotypes of aging or biomarkers.
These insights are vital for the future development and
refinement of epigenetic clocks, potentially guiding medical
professionals towards more accurate assessments of biological aging
and associated health risks.
"One trend we have seen in recent years is that clocks trained
to predict chronological age have lower predictive power than newer
clocks trained on biological information. Additionally,
chronological clocks can sometimes increase with known lifespan
extension interventions. This is counter intuitive. This study
might explain why. Clocks trained to predict chronological age are
driven by random variation over time while clocks which are
predictive of lifespan seem to be much more dynamic and responsive
to the ways we live our life" added Dr. Varun Dwaraka, a
co-author of the study.
The full study is available in the latest issue of *Nature
Aging* and provides a comprehensive view of the stochastic
components influencing epigenetic aging. This research not only
advances our understanding of genetic aging mechanisms but also
enhances the potential for personalized medical strategies based on
more accurate DNA methylation profiling.
For further information, access the full paper here.
About TruDiagnostic
Home to the largest, private DNA methylation database in the
world, TruDiagnostic is a leading health data company and
CLIA-certified laboratory that specializes in epigenetic testing
and research. In partnership with notable biotech developers,
researchers, and academic institutions, we are transforming the
healthcare potential of epigenetic data into actionable
applications. We aim to improve people's lives by arming patients
and physicians with novel biological insights; enabling them to
make the right lifestyle and medical decisions through information
found in the fluid epigenome. With the ability to analyze more than
1,000,000 locations on one's DNA, our TruAge biological aging tests
provide the most in-depth results, and multi-omic correlations to
accelerated aging.
Additional Contacts
Hannah Went, Director
of Operations
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General Inquiries
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(937) 570-0471
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(833)
963-1700
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hannah@trudiagnostic.com
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support@trudiagnostic.com
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www.trudiagnostic.com
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www.trudiagnostic.com
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**Contact:**
Dr. Andrew E. Teschendorff
Email: andrew@sinh.ac.cn
University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
Emilie Arroyo, Media
Relations
(786) 247-4579
emilie@trudiagnostic.com
www.trudiagnostic.com
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SOURCE TruDiagnostic