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A new study has revealed the potential for a simple, non-invasive cheek swab test to predict an individual’s risk of mortality, opening the door to a new era in personalized health and aging science. Published in Frontiers in Aging, the research showcases a breakthrough in epigenetic clock technology, introducing “CheekAge”—a tool that accurately assesses biological aging and mortality risk through cheek cells.
Aging at Different Rates: Unraveling Epigenetic Clocks
We all age at different rates, influenced by a combination of genetic, environmental, and lifestyle factors. While some individuals, such as supercentenarians, benefit from genetics that slow the aging process, many factors like stress, poor nutrition, and harmful habits like smoking accelerate aging. These influences leave detectable marks on our genome in the form of epigenetic changes, specifically DNA methylation.
Scientists have long studied these epigenetic markers to create “epigenetic clocks” that can estimate an individual’s biological age. Until now, most of these clocks required blood samples, which can be uncomfortable and invasive. However, CheekAge, developed by scientists in the U.S., utilizes easily collected cheek cells to provide a new and more accessible method.
CheekAge: Predicting Mortality with Precision
The research team, led by Dr. Maxim Shokhirev, Head of Computational Biology and Data Science at Tally Health in New York, designed CheekAge by analyzing DNA methylation at approximately 200,000 genomic sites in cheek cells. The second-generation clock was trained on health and lifestyle data, making it a robust predictor of biological aging.
In their recent study, Shokhirev and his colleagues evaluated CheekAge’s ability to predict mortality using data from 1,513 individuals from the Lothian Birth Cohorts (LBC) program at the University of Edinburgh. These individuals, born in 1921 and 1936, were followed for decades, providing invaluable longitudinal data on cognitive aging, lifestyle, and mortality. The research team compared CheekAge predictions with actual mortality outcomes, revealing that the tool accurately predicted the risk of death. A single standard deviation increase in CheekAge was associated with a 21% increase in the hazard ratio of all-cause mortality.
Aging Signals Across Tissues
One of the study’s most remarkable findings is that CheekAge, trained on cheek cell data, was also able to predict mortality based on blood methylation data. “This suggests there are common mortality signals across tissues,” explained Shokhirev. The fact that a simple cheek swab can serve as a reliable predictor of aging opens up new opportunities for non-invasive health monitoring and research into age-related diseases.
Unlocking the Genetics of Aging
Further analysis of the data pinpointed specific genes linked to the strongest predictors of mortality. Notably, the PDZRN4 gene, a potential tumor suppressor, and ALPK2, a gene implicated in cancer and cardiovascular health in animal models, stood out as particularly significant. Other genes associated with cancer, osteoporosis, inflammation, and metabolic syndrome were also highlighted, suggesting they may play key roles in determining human lifespan and susceptibility to age-related diseases.
Dr. Adiv Johnson, Head of Scientific Affairs and Education at Tally Health, emphasized the potential for future research: “It would be intriguing to determine if genes like ALPK2 impact lifespan or health in animal models. Future studies are needed to explore whether CheekAge can also predict the onset of age-related diseases or the length of an individual’s ‘healthspan’—the period of life free from chronic disease and disability.”
The Road Ahead
This groundbreaking study, funded by a range of prestigious organizations including the Wellcome Trust, Age UK, and the University of Edinburgh, paves the way for further research into epigenetic aging and mortality prediction. The development of CheekAge offers a non-invasive, accessible tool that could revolutionize how we assess biological aging, track health over time, and possibly extend the healthy years of life.
As researchers continue to refine epigenetic clocks like CheekAge, we move closer to a future where personalized health interventions can be tailored to an individual’s biological age rather than their chronological age, offering hope for longer, healthier lives.
Reference:
Shokhirev, M.N., et al. “CheekAge, a next-generation epigenetic buccal clock, is predictive of mortality in human blood.” Frontiers in Aging, August 2024. DOI: 10.3389/fragi.2024.1460360
