Mixed
Epigenetic aging, as measured by the Skin&blood clock, is distinct from cellular senescence, telomere attrition, and genomic instability, but is associated with nutrient sensing, mitochondrial activity, and stem cell composition.
Epigenetic age is not a simple proxy for cellular damage or telomere length. Interventions that extend lifespan (like caloric restriction or rapamycin) slow epigenetic aging, while those that extend lifespan via other mechanisms (like NAD precursors or metformin in this specific context) may not. To influence epigenetic age, focus on nutrient sensing (mTOR pathway) and mitochondrial health, as these are mechanistically linked to the clock's ticking, distinct from DNA repair or telomere maintenance.
Collectively, these experiments demonstrate that epigenetic aging, as measured by the Skin&blood clock, is distinct from two of the best-characterized hallmarks of aging, cellular senescence and telomere attrition.
Why this rating
The study uses primary human cells from multiple donors, rigorous controls, and multiple experimental modalities (irradiation, genetic modification, pharmacological intervention) to establish causality and distinction.
Source
The relationship between epigenetic age and the hallmarks of aging in human cells
Sylwia Kabacik et al. · Nature Aging · 2022
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