A preliminary candidate approach identifies the combination of chemerin, fetuin-A, and fibroblast growth factors 19 and 21 as a potential biomarker panel of successful aging.
Although the number of centenarians is growing worldwide, the potential factors influencing the aging process remain only partially elucidated. Researchers are increasingly focusing toward biomarkers as tools to shed more light on the pathophysiology of complex phenotypes, including the ability to reach successful aging, i.e., free of major chronic diseases. We therefore conducted a case-control study examining the potential associations of multiple candidate biomarkers in healthy centenarians and sex-matched healthy elderly controls. Using a case-control study of 81 centenarians (aged ≥ 100 years) selected based on the fact that they were disease-free and 46 healthy elderly controls (aged 70-80 years), serum levels of 15 different candidate biomarkers involved in the regulation of metabolism, angiogenesis, inflammation, and bone formation were measured. Of the 15 biomarkers tested, four molecules (chemerin, fetuin-A, and fibroblast growth factors [FGF] 19 and 21) were found to be independently associated with successful aging regardless of sex. Logistic regression analysis confirmed that chemerin, fetuin-A, FGF19, and FGF21 were independently associated with successful aging [predicted probability (PP) = 1 / [1 + 1 / exp (11.832 - 0.027 × (chemerin) - 0.009 × (fetuin-A) + 0.014 × (FGF19) - 0.007 × (FGF21)]. The area under the curve (AUC) of predicted probability values for the four-biomarker panel revealed that it can discriminate between centenarians and elderly controls with excellent accuracy (AUC > 0.94, P < 0.001). Although preliminary in essence and limited by the low sample size and lack of replication in other independent cohorts, our data suggest an independent association between successful aging and serum chemerin, fetuin-A, FGF19, and FGF21, which may provide novel information on the mechanisms behind the human aging process. Whether the four-biomarker panel may predict successful aging deserves further scrutiny.
Research Institute of Hospital 12 de Octubre ('i+12'), Avda. de Córdoba s/n, 28041, Madrid, Spain, fabian.sanchis@uv.es.
Fabian
F
Sanchis-Gomar
Helios
H
Pareja-Galeano
Alejandro
A
Santos-Lozano
Nuria
N
Garatachea
Carmen
C
Fiuza-Luces
Letizia
L
Venturini
Giovanni
G
Ricevuti
Alejandro
A
Lucia
Enzo
E
Emanuele
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000097:blood*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D018925:Chemokines / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D060748:Fetuins / Q000378:metabolism*; D005346:Fibroblast Growth Factors / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests
D015415:Biomarkers; D018925:Chemokines; C117476:FGF19 protein, human; D060748:Fetuins; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; C478630:RARRES2 protein, human; C414620:fibroblast growth factor 21; D005346:Fibroblast Growth Factors