Measuring biological age in mice using differential mass spectrometry

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Proteomics
• Biomarker Discovery

Background:

• Aging is a complex process increasing disease risk, with biological age potentially differing from chronological age.
• Accurate measurement of biological age is crucial for understanding aging and developing interventions.
• Current methods for assessing biological age have limitations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate a novel proteomics-based approach for quantifying biological age in mammals.
• To identify a panel of proteins that accurately reflect age-related changes in mammals.
• To assess the utility of this approach in diverse mouse models and intervention studies.

Main Methods:

• Unbiased differential mass spectrometry was employed to quantify thousands of proteins in mouse liver.
• A reference panel of 14 proteins from C57BL/6 mice was established to correlate protein expression with chronological age.
• This panel was used to calculate a biological age score for different mouse strains and treatment groups.

Main Results:

• A robust panel of 14 age-associated proteins was identified, enabling the creation of a "biological age calculator".
• The calculator identified f1 hybrid mice as biologically younger and progeroid mice as biologically older than the reference population.
• Rapamycin-treated mice, known for lifespan extension, were calculated to be 18% biologically younger than placebo-treated controls.

Conclusions:

• Proteomics offers a powerful, unbiased approach to measure subtle changes in biological age in mammals.
• The developed biological age calculator serves as a valuable tool for aging research and evaluating interventions.
• This method has the potential to advance our understanding of aging heterogeneity and its impact on health.