BookJuan Carlos Gomez-Verjan, Nadia Alejandra Rivero-Segura, editors.
Summary: The world population is rapidly aging--it is estimated that by 1950, around 17% of the population will be elderly. In this context, aging involves several physiological, psychological and highly complex social processes that vary from one person to another. For a long time, medical care for older adults has focused on treating chronic, age-related diseases and their associated consequences. Recently, biomedical research brings a novel point of view to develop more effective interventions by targeting the aging process itself rather than separate conditions. There is a growing number of reports indicating that aging is driven by several interconnected mechanisms and biological components referred to as the molecular pillars of aging. Interfering with these mechanisms could help to treat, prevent, and understand the development of age-related diseases and associated syndromes. This book provides a clinical perspective and general update on biomedical and genetic research in aging, moving from an update in the molecular pillars of aging to a perspective of the most recent pharmacological, clinical, and diagnostic applications using genomic approaches and techniques. While this book focuses on the specifics of genetics and genomics, it also adopts a clinical perspective of geroscience, which seeks to understand the genetic, molecular and cellular mechanisms that make aging an important risk factor and, sometimes, a determining factor in the diseases and common chronic conditions of older people. Additionally, Clinical Genetics and Genomics of Aging is a significant contribution to support aging research, as it shows that collaboration across disciplines is relevant to progress in the field. As more and more people benefit from increased longevity, clinician and researchers will be empowered by this knowledge to contribute to the progress of aging research.
Contents:
Intro
Foreword
Acknowledgments
Contents
Contributors
1: An Update on the Molecular Pillars of Aging
Introduction
DNA: A Central Molecule of the Aging Process
Mutations Accumulate in Nuclear and Mitochondrial DNA During Aging
Telomere Attrition: More Than a Consequence of Cellular Replication
The Epigenome and Its Architectural Importance
Transcriptome Deregulation in Aging
Proteome Findings in Aging Research
Altered Proteostasis
Conserved Metabolic Pathways Offer Clues to the Factors of Aging and Longevity
mTOR
Sirtuins
IGF
AMPK 5: Genomic Tools Used in Molecular Clinical Aging Research
Introduction
Exome and Whole-Genome Sequencing
Transcriptome Sequencing
Single-Cell Whole-Genome Sequencing
Sequencing the Mitochondrial Genome and the Discovery of Age-Related Alterations
DNA Methylation Sequencing
Analysis of Protein-DNA Interaction Genome Wide, Chip-Seq
References
6: Molecular Biomarkers of Aging Studies in Humans
Introduction
Molecular Biomarkers for Inflammation in Aging
Molecular Biomarkers for Oxidative Stress
Molecular Biomarkers for Hormones in Aging
Growth Hormone Ischemic Stroke
Microbiome and Age-Related Neurodegenerative Diseases
Conclusions
References
3: Molecular Aspects of Hippocampal Aging
Introduction
Neuronal Loss
Gene Expression and Regulation
Electrophysiological Alterations Upon Aging
Calcium Dynamics and Homeostasis
Adenosine A2A Receptors (A2AR)
Caffeine Effects in Aging and Alzheimer's Disease
The Neuroimmune System Upon Aging
Conclusion
References
4: Mitochondrial Function in Aging
Introduction
Mitochondrial Physiology
Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) Role in Aging
Mitochondrial Dynamics Mitochondrial Fission
Mitochondrial Fusion
Mitochondrial Turnover
Mitochondrial Biogenesis
Mitochondrial Dynamics in Age-Related Neurodegenerative Diseases
Mitochondrial Dynamics in Parkinson's Disease (PD)
Mitochondrial Dynamics in Alzheimer's Disease (AD)
Mitochondrial Dynamics in Heart and Skeletal Muscle
Mitochondrial Metabolism in Aging
Mitochondrial Metabolism in Aged Skeletal Muscle
Mitochondrial Metabolism in the Aged Heart
Mitochondrial Metabolism in the Aged Brain
Concluding Remarks
References