Center for Informational Biology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 610054, China.
Center for Informational Biology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 610054, China.
Methods. 2024 Nov;231:37-44. doi: 10.1016/j.ymeth.2024.09.001. Epub 2024 Sep 7.
The process of aging is a notable risk factor for numerous age-related illnesses. Hence, a reliable technique for evaluating biological age or the pace of aging is crucial for understanding the aging process and its influence on the progression of disease. Epigenetic alterations are recognized as a prominent biomarker of aging, and epigenetic clocks formulated on this basis have been shown to provide precise estimations of chronological age. Extensive research has validated the effectiveness of epigenetic clocks in determining aging rates, identifying risk factors for aging, evaluating the impact of anti-aging interventions, and predicting the emergence of age-related diseases. This review provides a detailed overview of the theoretical principles underlying the development of epigenetic clocks and their utility in aging research. Furthermore, it explores the existing obstacles and possibilities linked to epigenetic clocks and proposes potential avenues for future studies in this field.
衰老是许多与年龄相关疾病的显著危险因素。因此，一种可靠的评估生物年龄或衰老速度的技术对于理解衰老过程及其对疾病进展的影响至关重要。表观遗传改变被认为是衰老的一个重要生物标志物，基于此构建的表观遗传钟被证明可以精确估计年龄。大量研究已经验证了表观遗传钟在确定衰老率、识别衰老风险因素、评估抗衰老干预措施的影响以及预测与年龄相关的疾病方面的有效性。本综述详细介绍了表观遗传钟的发展所基于的理论原理及其在衰老研究中的应用。此外，还探讨了与表观遗传钟相关的现有障碍和可能性，并为该领域的未来研究提出了潜在途径。
