bims-minfam Biomed News
on Inflammation and metabolism in ageing and cancer
Issue of 2022–10–23
ten papers selected by
Ayesh Seneviratne, Western University



  1. Cell Rep. 2022 Oct 18. pii: S2211-1247(22)01292-X. [Epub ahead of print]41(3): 111451
      Stem cells play central roles in tissue development, homeostasis, and regeneration. Decades of scientific research have uncovered processes of stem cell decline in tissue and organismal aging, and more recently, pioneering technologies permit the dissection of its underlying mechanisms and inform therapeutic development for aging and aging-associated disorders. In this review, we elucidate aging-related features across different somatic stem cell types, with a specific focus on epigenetic changes, loss of protein homeostasis, and systemic influencing factors, including chronic inflammation, circadian rhythm dysregulation, and metabolic disorder. Our survey of organismal stem cell aging summarizes its underlying biological implications, points to potential biomarkers of stem cell aging, and discusses stem cell-based therapeutic strategies with the potential for promoting healthy aging and combating aging and age-related diseases.
    Keywords:  CP: Stem cell research; chronic inflammation; circadian rhythm; epigenetic changes; metabolic disorder; protein homeostasis; stem cell aging; tissue homeostasis
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.celrep.2022.111451
  2. Biogerontology. 2022 Oct 19.
      Immunological aging is strongly associated with the observable deleterious effects of human aging. Our understanding of the causes, effects, and therapeutics of aging immune cells has long been considered within the sole purview of immunosenescence. However, it is being progressively realized that immunosenescence may not be the only determinant of immunological aging. The cellular senescence-centric theory of aging proposes a more fundamental and specific role of immune cells in regulating senescent cell (SC) burden in aging tissues that has augmented the notion of senescence immunotherapy. Now, in addition, several emerging studies are suggesting that cellular senescence itself may be prevalent in aging immune cells, and that senescent immune cells exhibiting characteristic markers of cellular senescence, similar to non-leucocyte cells, could be among the key drivers of various facets of physiological aging. The present review integrates the current knowledge related to immunosenescence and cellular senescence in immune cells per se, and aims at providing a cohesive overview of these two phenomena and their significance in immunity and aging. We present evidence and rationalize that understanding the extent and impact of cellular senescence in immune cells vis-à-vis immunosenescence is necessary for truly comprehending the notion of an 'aged immune cell'. In addition, we also discuss the emerging significance of dietary factors such as phytochemicals, probiotic bacteria, fatty acids, and micronutrients as possible modulators of immunosenescence and cellular senescence. Evidence and opportunities related to nutritional bioactive components and immunological aging have been deliberated to augment potential nutrition-oriented immunotherapy during aging.
    Keywords:  Aging; Cellular senescence; Immunity; Immunosenescence; Inflamm-aging; Nutrition
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1007/s10522-022-09995-6
  3. Aging Clin Exp Res. 2022 Oct 16.
    Lifelines Corona Research Initiative
       BACKGROUND: Frailty is associated with COVID-19 severity in clinical settings. No general population-based studies on the association between actual frailty status and COVID-19 hospitalization are available.
    AIMS: To investigate the association between frailty and the risk of COVID-19 hospitalization once infected.
    METHODS: 440 older adults who participated in the Lifelines COVID-19 Cohort study in the Northern Netherlands and reported positive COVID-19 testing results (54.2% women, age 70 ± 4 years in 2021) were included in the analyses. COVID-19 hospitalization status was self-reported. The Groningen Frailty Indicator (GFI) was derived from 15 self-reported questionnaire items related to daily activities, health problems, and psychosocial functioning, with a score ≥ 4 indicating frailty. Both frailty and COVID-19 hospitalization were assessed in the same period. Poisson regression models with robust standard errors were used to analyze the associations between frailty and COVID-19 hospitalization.
    RESULTS: Of 440 older adults included, 42 were hospitalized because of COVID-19 infection. After adjusting for sociodemographic and lifestyle factors, a higher risk of COVID-19 hospitalization was observed for frail individuals (risk ratio (RR) [95% CI] 1.97 [1.06-3.67]) compared to those classified as non-frail.
    DISCUSSION: Frailty was positively associated with COVID-19 hospitalization once infected, independent of sociodemographic and lifestyle factors. Future research on frailty and COVID-19 should consider biomarkers of aging and frailty to understand the pathophysiological mechanisms and manifestations between frailty and COVID-19 outcomes.
    CONCLUSIONS: Frailty was positively associated with the risk of hospitalization among older adults that were infected with COVID-19. Public health strategies for frailty prevention in older adults need to be advocated, as it is helpful to reduce the burden of the healthcare system, particularly during a pandemic like COVID-19.
    Keywords:  COVID-19; Coronavirus; Frailty; Groningen Frailty Indicator
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1007/s40520-022-02268-9
  4. Front Pharmacol. 2022 ;13 982387
      Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a metabolic, endocrine disease characterized by persistent hyperglycemia. Several studies have shown that herbal tea improves glucose metabolism disorders in patients with T2DM. This study summarizes the published randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on herbal tea as a adjuvant therapy for treating T2DM and found that herbal teas have potential add-on effects in lowering blood glucose levels. In addition, we discussed the polyphenol contents in common herbal teas and their possible adverse effects. To better guide the application of herbal teas, we further summarized the hypoglycemic mechanisms of common herbal teas, which mainly involve: 1) improving insulin resistance, 2) protecting islet β-cells, 3) anti-inflammation and anti-oxidation, 4) inhibition of glucose absorption, and 5) suppression of gluconeogenesis. In conclusion, herbal tea, as a novel adjuvant therapy for treating T2DM, has the potential for further in-depth research and product development.
    Keywords:  herbal tea; mechanism; randomized controlled trial; review; type 2 diabetes
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.3389/fphar.2022.982387
  5. Front Oncol. 2022 ;12 912696
      Venetoclax combined with hypomethylating agents such as azacitidine and decitabine is the standard regime for the elderly patient with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) unfit for intensive induction therapy. However, many patients struggle with finances and forgo treatments due to the high costs of venetoclax. In this study, we performed the regime with azacitidine, low-dose venetoclax, and grapefruit juice on an unfit AML patient with TP53 mutation. The peak venetoclax concentration (Cmax) and side effects on the patient were also monitored. The patient achieved complete remission with the venetoclax Cmax within the effective concentration range (1,000-3,000 ng/ml) and maintained durable remission until recently. Febrile neutropenia, thrombocytopenia, and pneumonia appeared during the first cycle and were recovered by stimulating agents and antibiotic treatment. This improvement combination approach by drug-food interaction may enlighten other similarly patients with AML, especially those in low-middle income countries.
    Keywords:  AML – acute myeloid leukaemia; adverse risk; grapefruit; unfit; venetoclax
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.3389/fonc.2022.912696
  6. Aging Cell. 2022 Oct 17. e13714
      Recent advances in cell reprogramming showed that OSKM induction is able to improve cell physiology in vitro and in vivo. Here, we show that a single short reprogramming induction is sufficient to prevent musculoskeletal functions deterioration of mice, when applied in early life. In addition, in old age, treated mice have improved tissue structures in kidney, spleen, skin, and lung, with an increased lifespan of 15% associated with organ-specific differential age-related DNA methylation signatures rejuvenated by the treatment. Altogether, our results indicate that a single short reprogramming early in life might initiate and propagate an epigenetically related mechanism to promote a healthy lifespan.
    Keywords:  aging; epigenetics; longevity; metabolism; transient reprogramming
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1111/acel.13714
  7. Neurol Clin. 2022 Nov;pii: S0733-8619(22)00019-6. [Epub ahead of print]40(4): 785-797
      The ketogenic diet is one of the four major treatments for epilepsy, along with antiseizure medications, neuromodulation, and surgery. Ketogenic diet therapy has been proven to be a safe and effective antiseizure regimen for a century. There are multiple methods to administer the diet and the initiation should be individualized for each patient. The diet has been shown to be an effective treatment of choice for Glut1 deficiency, pyruvate dehydrogenase deficiency, infantile spasms, and superrefractory status epilepticus among others. This review discusses the administration of ketogenic diet therapy and highlights its role for specific epilepsy syndromes.
    Keywords:  Epilepsy; Glut1 deficiency; Ketogenic diet; Ketosis; Refractory
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ncl.2022.03.009
  8. Eur Heart J. 2022 Oct 18. pii: ehac551. [Epub ahead of print]
      
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1093/eurheartj/ehac551