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- TL;DR Summary
- DNA methylation - Grimage strongly predicts lifespan and healthspan
Popular precis:
https://www.aging-us.com/dna-methylation-grimage-strongly-predicts-lifespan-and-healthspan Ake Lu, Steve Horvath
David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA
My take:
While DNA may change anywhere due to methylation, so that cells in a given tissue may have different damage points on DNA, there apparently is a Universal "calendar" (or clock if you like) that is consistent for recording methylation changes. Sampling methylation states using ~1000 places on sample DNA from the parts of this calendar is the first step. Next step is applying metrics using GrimAge software on the sample data to give an overall estimate of age-related DNA damage. The changes to DNA start in utero. And persist throughout life.
One result is in units called packyears - number of years of smoking.
Aging appears to be an open source journal. @Ygggdrasil likely knows more details about this universal calendar. I'm strictly an outsider.
https://www.aging-us.com/dna-methylation-grimage-strongly-predicts-lifespan-and-healthspan Ake Lu, Steve Horvath
David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA
DNA biomarkers measure an individual’s risk of mortality by analyzing positions on the DNA where methyl groups change with age. These positions are analysed by applying DNA from blood onto a “chip”, which measures the degree of their methylation.
My take:
While DNA may change anywhere due to methylation, so that cells in a given tissue may have different damage points on DNA, there apparently is a Universal "calendar" (or clock if you like) that is consistent for recording methylation changes. Sampling methylation states using ~1000 places on sample DNA from the parts of this calendar is the first step. Next step is applying metrics using GrimAge software on the sample data to give an overall estimate of age-related DNA damage. The changes to DNA start in utero. And persist throughout life.
One result is in units called packyears - number of years of smoking.
Aging appears to be an open source journal. @Ygggdrasil likely knows more details about this universal calendar. I'm strictly an outsider.