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Researchers identified 17 plasma proteins associated with all-cause mortality in older adults, and several were also associated with biological-age measures. The findings were replicated in a separate cohort, but they do not show that the proteins cause aging or provide a clinical test for an individual’s lifespan.
A study published in Geromedicine identified 17 plasma proteins associated with all-cause mortality among older adults, with several also tracking measures of biological aging across organ systems. Researchers tested the findings in a second cohort, but the results show statistical associations—not that the proteins cause aging or can predict an individual’s lifespan.
According to the study’s report in Geromedicine, researchers measured 4,265 proteins in blood samples from 1,025 older adults enrolled in the LonGenity study. Participants were followed for an average of 8.05 years. The team used statistical models to assess associations between protein levels and death from any cause, then compared mortality-linked proteins with chronic disease burden and proteome-derived measures of biological age.
The study reported that several proteins were associated in the same direction across mortality and biological-age measures. Higher levels of ERBB1, also called the epidermal growth factor receptor, and ANTXR2 were associated with lower mortality risk and younger biological age across multiple organ systems. Higher levels of MIC-1/GDF15, HE4 and IGFBP-2 were associated with higher mortality risk and older biological age across multiple systems.
The authors also reported narrower associations: elevated MIC-1/GDF15 was linked to older organismal biological age, while ERBB1 was linked to younger liver biological age. The report says the researchers evaluated key associations in 1,124 participants from the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging and replicated those associations there.
Protein Signals Across Organ Systems
The study authors say the findings offer a way to investigate how system-wide biological processes relate to aging, chronic disease and survival. Proteins associated with both mortality and measures of biological age may help guide future research into why people of the same chronological age can have different health and resilience.
The results may also inform research into candidate biomarkers of healthy aging. However, the study reports associations in research populations; it does not establish that measuring these proteins can reliably forecast an individual’s health or lifespan. The findings are a research lead, not a clinical prediction tool.
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Two Cohorts Tested the Associations
As described in the Geromedicine study, chronological age counts elapsed years, while biological-age measures aim to reflect changes in the body or particular organs. The researchers examined whether proteins associated with mortality also related to such measures, including estimates derived from the blood proteome.
The analysis used the LonGenity cohort and then checked key results in participants from the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging. The study, titled “Exploring mortality-linked proteins: Understanding their association with biological aging, disease phenotypes, signaling pathways, and their implications for longevity,” was published open access in Geromedicine. The article lists authors affiliated with Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Stony Brook University, the National Institute on Aging, Stanford University School of Medicine, Kannur University and collaborating institutions.
Associations Do Not Establish Cause
The study authors note that their analysis does not establish whether the identified proteins contribute to aging or mortality, or whether their levels change in response to other processes. The report describes statistical associations; further mechanistic research would be needed to determine what role, if any, the proteins play.
The study does not establish a validated blood test for estimating a person’s lifespan or predicting a particular disease outcome. The report provides no evidence that using these measurements to guide clinical decisions improves health. How well the associations apply beyond the two study cohorts, and whether they can support useful individual predictions, remain open questions.
Further Validation and Mechanistic Research
The study points to further research into the biological pathways behind the reported associations and whether they hold in additional populations. Future studies could also examine whether protein levels add useful information to existing measures of age-related health and disease.
The report identifies proteins for future mechanistic and clinical investigation; it does not announce a new diagnostic test or a change in clinical practice. The source article does not specify a follow-up study or timeline.
Key Questions
What did the study find?
Researchers identified 17 plasma proteins associated with all-cause mortality in older adults. Several were also associated with biological-age measures across organ systems.
Which proteins were linked to lower mortality risk?
Higher levels of ERBB1 and ANTXR2 were associated with lower mortality risk and younger biological age across multiple organ systems. The study does not show that raising either protein would reduce risk.
Which proteins were linked to higher mortality risk?
Higher levels of MIC-1/GDF15, HE4 and IGFBP-2 were associated with higher mortality risk and older biological age across multiple organ systems.
Can a blood test based on these proteins predict lifespan?
No such clinical test is established by this study. It reports associations in two cohorts and does not validate a test for predicting an individual’s lifespan or disease outcome.
Did the study prove the proteins cause aging?
No. The results show statistical associations, not cause and effect. Further research is needed to investigate the proteins’ roles and the pathways involved.
Source: news-medical.net
