The role of low-grade inflammation and metabolic flexibility in aging and nutritional modulation thereof: a systems biology approach.
Aging is a biological process characterized by the progressive functional decline of many interrelated physiological systems. In particular, aging is associated with the development of a systemic state of low-grade chronic inflammation (inflammaging), and with progressive deterioration of metabolic function. Systems biology has helped in identifying the mediators and pathways involved in these phenomena, mainly through the application of high-throughput screening methods, valued for their molecular comprehensiveness. Nevertheless, inflammation and metabolic regulation are dynamical processes whose behavior must be understood at multiple levels of biological organization (molecular, cellular, organ, and system levels) and on multiple time scales. Mathematical modeling of such behavior, with incorporation of mechanistic knowledge on interactions between inflammatory and metabolic mediators, may help in devising nutritional interventions capable of preventing, or ameliorating, the age-associated functional decline of the corresponding systems.
TNO, Microbiology and Systems Biology Group, Utrechtseweg 48, 3704 HE Zeist, The Netherlands; Wageningen University, Department of Human Nutrition, Wageningen, The Netherlands.
Dulce
D
Calçada
University of Bologna, Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine, Via San Giacomo 12, 40126 Bologna, Italy.
Dario
D
Vianello
University of Bologna, Department of Physics and Astronomy, 40127 Bologna, Italy.
Enrico
E
Giampieri
University of Bologna, Department of Physics and Astronomy, 40127 Bologna, Italy.
Claudia
C
Sala
University of Bologna, Department of Physics and Astronomy, 40127 Bologna, Italy.
Gastone
G
Castellani
TNO, Microbiology and Systems Biology Group, Utrechtseweg 48, 3704 HE Zeist, The Netherlands.
Albert
A
de Graaf
TNO, Microbiology and Systems Biology Group, Utrechtseweg 48, 3704 HE Zeist, The Netherlands.
Bas
B
Kremer
TNO, Microbiology and Systems Biology Group, Utrechtseweg 48, 3704 HE Zeist, The Netherlands.
Ben
B
van Ommen
Wageningen University, Department of Human Nutrition, Wageningen, The Netherlands.
Edith
E
Feskens
University of Bologna, Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine, Via San Giacomo 12, 40126 Bologna, Italy.
Aurelia
A
Santoro
University of Bologna, Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine, Via San Giacomo 12, 40126 Bologna, Italy; University of Bologna, Interdepartmental Centre "L. Galvani" (CIG), 40126 Bologna, Italy.
Claudio
C
Franceschi
TNO, Microbiology and Systems Biology Group, Utrechtseweg 48, 3704 HE Zeist, The Netherlands. Electronic address: jildau.bouwman@tno.nl.
Jildau
J
Bouwman
D000375:Aging; D000818:Animals; D016208:Databases, Factual; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation; D008954:Models, Biological; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D052756:Nutritional Sciences; D012307:Risk Factors; D012984:Software; D049490:Systems Biology
Inflammaging; Mathematical model; Metabolic flexibility; Nutrition; Systems biology