Healthy aging and aging-related kidney diseases: lessons from centenarians

The world's population is aging, and age-related diseases such as neurodegenerative, cardiovascular, and metabolic disorders are rapidly increasing. The field of nephrology is expected to be profoundly influenced by the demographic trend toward increased life expectancy. Consequently, promoting healthy aging has emerged as a critical priority for both individuals and society. Centenarians (those who have reached the age of 100) exemplify exceptional longevity and are regarded as a model of healthy aging. They are distinguished by a notable resistance to risk factors commonly associated with cardiovascular diseases, such as diabetes and dyslipidemia. Remarkably, although centenarians exhibit a high prevalence of chronic kidney disease (CKD), they rarely advance to CKD stage 5 or experience kidney failure. The longevity of centenarians may be attributed to the slow aging of their cardiovascular and kidney systems, as well as influences from lifestyle, environmental, genetic, and cultural factors. Examining kidney function and structure in centenarians may elucidate the mechanisms regulating intrinsic kidney aging. Recent research has demonstrated that age-related kidney disease, the counterpart of healthy aging kidney, is closely related to cellular and immune senescence. Thus, the pathogenesis of aging-related diseases is discussed in the context of cellular and immune senescence. This special issue emphasizes the clinical and genetic characteristics and prognostic biomarkers of centenarians and insights into the mechanisms underlying aging-related kidney diseases. These findings will provide significant insights into the prevention of kidney aging and the development of potential therapeutic strategies.