Epigenetics Expert: Aging Itself Should Be a Therapeutic Target

Until recently, aging was considered an inevitable, genetically programmed process. Today, more and more scientists and doctors are beginning to view aging itself as a therapeutic goal, Dr. Ewelina Pośpiech, an expert in the epigenetics of aging, told PAP.

She emphasized that we now know that much more depends on us, and the key to slowing down the biological clock may lie in our daily choices regarding diet, exercise and quality of life, which leave a mark on our DNA through its chemical modifications, i.e. methylation.

"Aging is currently one of the biggest health, social, and economic problems. We live longer, but often in poor health, which poses a huge challenge for healthcare systems and entire societies," Dr. Ewelina Pośpiech, a professor at the Pomeranian Medical University (PUM), a specialist in the epigenetics of aging, told PAP.

"That's why research groups around the world are increasingly focusing not only on treating specific diseases, but also on aging itself. Aging itself is becoming a goal, as it is the most important risk factor for most conditions: from cancer to heart disease to dementia," she added.

According to data from the World Health Organization, the number of people over 60 worldwide will double by 2050. This puts enormous pressure on healthcare systems unless life expectancy improves along with longevity. This is where the concept of biological rejuvenation comes into play.

"Simulations show that if each of us were to biologically age just seven years younger, the incidence of chronic diseases could drop by as much as 50 percent. This means that half of us could avoid serious health problems," emphasized Professor Pośpiech.

She explained that biological age can now be measured increasingly precisely thanks to so-called epigenetic clocks—tools that analyze DNA methylation, one of the fundamental epigenetic mechanisms. Methylation, unlike mutations, does not alter the DNA sequence, but influences gene activity. Without interfering with the sequence, it determines which genes are turned on and which are silenced. Epigenetics itself is therefore the science of studying changes in gene expression.

"Every cell in our body has the same DNA, yet they don't function the same way. For example, a heart muscle cell behaves differently than a skin cell. This behavior is determined by epigenetic modifications, including DNA methylation, which involves the attachment of special chemical groups to DNA strands, which allows for the control of gene activity," explained the expert from the Pomeranian Medical University.

Importantly, methylation can be modified by our lifestyle, such as diet, physical activity, sleep duration, and stress, as well as by environmental conditions, such as air pollution. Based on the methylation pattern, a person's biological age can be assessed. The specialist emphasized that aging is, however, a very complex process and difficult to capture with a single diagnostic test. A breakthrough in this field has been achieved through research on DNA methylation, and the epigenetic clocks developed based on this research are currently considered the most precise tool for assessing biological aging.

"Epigenetic clock algorithms analyze hundreds of locations in DNA where methylation changes with age. These biological calendars allow us to read the body's condition much more precisely than based on chronological age, and—even more importantly—to see how lifestyle changes affect this condition. This not only allows us to know whether a given intervention is working, but also provides a potential tool for personalizing recommendations, i.e., selecting an individual health plan based on a given person's epigenetic profile," emphasized the researcher.

She reminded us that the latest findings indicate that although genes play a role in the aging process, they only account for about 30% of its rate, with as much as 70% dependent on environmental factors. "That is, what we eat, how we move, whether we smoke, how stressed we are. All of this leaves a mark on our DNA, in the form of its methylation," explained Professor Pośpiech.

And because epigenetic changes are reversible, even in adulthood, or even old age, it's possible to influence the pace of aging: slow it down or even reverse it. "Epigenetics offers hope for non-invasive, easily accessible, and personalized methods of supporting health. We can decide at any time to change our lifestyle and adopt healthy habits, and this will have a real impact on the functioning of our genes. It's truly amazing," the scientist emphasized.

She cited cigarette smoking as an example. After quitting, the body needs an average of four years to completely restore its normal DNA methylation pattern, but the risk of developing smoking-related diseases decreases more rapidly, day by day. "Our research also indicates that introducing other health-promoting behaviors can accelerate the process of restoring normal methylation, and epigenetic clocks can help measure the effectiveness of all these activities and adjust them accordingly," she added.

Professor Pośpiech also admitted that the vision of DNA methylation testing becoming a routine diagnostic tool, alongside blood counts and cholesterol levels, is becoming increasingly realistic. "Technological progress is rapid and significant. Until recently, methylation analysis was expensive and complicated. Today, sequencing prices are falling, and our teams are working on methods that aim to streamline the implementation of such methods in practice. The ultimate goal is to tailor interventions and treatments to suit the individual, their genes, epigenetics, and environment," she said.

In her opinion, epigenetics fits perfectly into the concept of omics medicine, which combines information from various levels of biological organization, i.e. genomics (study of the entire genome), proteomics (study of proteins), microbiome research (analysis of gut microflora), etc. This comprehensive approach allows for a complete picture of what is happening in the body and a holistic view of health.

"Research shows that our choices have a real impact on how quickly we age and how long we live in good health. It's not just how long we live that matters, but also how fit we are. And if we can influence our biological clock ourselves, it's worth a try," concluded Professor Pośpiech.

More information about Prof. Pośpiech’s research can be found in the publications she co-authored: here , here and here .

Katarzyna Czechowicz (PAP)

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