Title:Metabolomics to Study Human Aging: A Review
Volume: 24
Issue: 4
Author(s): Claudia Martins, Sandra Magalhães*, Idália Almeida, Vanessa Neto, Sandra Rebelo and Alexandra Nunes
Affiliation:
- Department of Surgery and Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, UnIC@RISE,
Cardiovascular Research & Development Centre, University of Porto, Alameda Prof. Hernâni Monteiro, Porto
4200-319, Portugal
Keywords:
Aging, senescence, cellular models, animal models, metabolomics, biomarkers of senescence.
Abstract: In the last years, with the increase in the average life expectancy, the world’s
population is progressively aging, which entails social, health and economic problems. In
this sense, the need to better understand the physiology of the aging process becomes
an urgent need. Since the study of aging in humans is challenging, cellular and animal
models are widely used as alternatives. Omics, namely metabolomics, have emerged in
the study of aging, with the aim of biomarker discovering, which may help to
uncomplicate this complex process. This paper aims to summarize different models
used for aging studies with their advantages and limitations. Also, this review gathers the
published articles referring to biomarkers of aging already discovered using
metabolomics approaches, comparing the results obtained in the different studies.
Finally, the most frequently used senescence biomarkers are described, along with their
importance in understanding aging.