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Published on: April 6, 2022
Comprehensive human proteome profiles across a 50-year lifespan reveal aging trajectories and signatures
Yingjie Ding1, Yuesheng Zuo1, Bin Zhang2
1China National Center for Bioinformation and Beijing Institute of Genomics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China.
Abstract:
Proteins are the cornerstone of life. However, the proteomic blueprint of aging across human tissues remains uncharted. Here, we present a comprehensive proteomic and histological analysis of 516 samples from 13 human tissues spanning five decades. This dynamic atlas reveals widespread transcriptome-proteome decoupling and proteostasis decline, characterized by amyloid accumulation. Based on aging-associated protein changes, we developed tissue-specific proteomic age clocks and characterized organ-level aging trajectories. Temporal analysis revealed an aging inflection around age 50, with blood vessels being a tissue that ages early and is markedly susceptible to aging. We further defined a plasma proteomic signature of aging that matches its tissue origins and identified candidate senoproteins, including GAS6, driving vascular and systemic aging. Together, our findings lay the groundwork for a systems-level understanding of human aging through the lens of proteins.
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