Wang Si, Ren Jie, Jing Ying, Qu Jing, Liu Guang-Hui
Advanced Innovation Center for Human Brain Protection, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.
Aging Translational Medicine Center, Beijing Municipal Geriatric Medical Research Center, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.
Nat Aging. 2024 Dec;4(12):1697-1710. doi: 10.1038/s43587-024-00770-5. Epub 2024 Dec 13.
Reproductive aging, spanning an age-related functional decline in the female and male reproductive systems, compromises fertility and leads to a range of health complications. In this Perspective, we first introduce a comprehensive framework for biomarkers applicable in clinical settings and discuss the existing repertoire of biomarkers used in practice. These encompass functional, imaging-based and biofluid-based biomarkers, all of which reflect the physiological characteristics of reproductive aging and help to determine the reproductive biological age. Next, we delve into the molecular alterations associated with aging in the reproductive system, highlighting the gap between these changes and their potential as biomarkers. Finally, to enhance the precision and practicality of assessing reproductive aging, we suggest adopting cutting-edge technologies for identifying new biomarkers and conducting thorough validations in population studies before clinical applications. These advancements will foster improved comprehension, prognosis and treatment of subfertility, thereby increasing chances of preserving reproductive health and resilience in populations of advanced age.
生殖衰老,涵盖了与年龄相关的女性和男性生殖系统功能衰退,会损害生育能力并导致一系列健康并发症。在这篇观点文章中,我们首先介绍一个适用于临床环境的生物标志物综合框架,并讨论实践中使用的现有生物标志物清单。这些包括功能型、基于影像学和基于生物流体的生物标志物,所有这些都反映了生殖衰老的生理特征,并有助于确定生殖生物学年龄。接下来,我们深入探讨与生殖系统衰老相关的分子改变,突出这些变化与其作为生物标志物的潜力之间的差距。最后,为了提高评估生殖衰老的准确性和实用性,我们建议采用前沿技术来识别新的生物标志物,并在临床应用前在人群研究中进行全面验证。这些进展将有助于更好地理解、预测和治疗生育力低下,从而增加在老年人群中保持生殖健康和恢复力的机会。