As many as 200 proteins can be analyzed to chalk out an age ‘clock’. Population health researcher Austin Argentieri plans to use this ‘protein clock’ to predict the risk of developing chronic diseases like diabetes, cancer, and even Alzheimer’s. Levels of different proteins in the blood can be used effectively to predict age and the risk of a chronic disease accurately. According to him, the key to living longer boils down to preventing chronic diseases.
Although aging takes a toll on the body and increases the risk of age-related diseases, the scenario varies from person to person. Genetics, environment, lifestyle, etc., dictates how prone a person is to a disease. A person in their sixties might harbor diabetes, while another may lead a healthy life. Argentieri aims to design a universal method to compare and contrast the risk status of chronic diseases.
The team analyzed data from 45,441 people, 30 times greater than the last protein clock study. The team measured the levels of 204 proteins to assess the age and chose 20 of the most indicative proteins to design a second ‘clock’. These proteins include collagen, elastin, and various immune system proteins. The clock generally gave identical results to the chronological (time-based age) age, but a difference was observed in some individuals. This difference or gap cements the idea that protein levels change over time. People whose protein-clock age was higher than their numerical age are prone to developing 18 chronic diseases.
This test promises to detect various chronic diseases far ahead of time in a one-step blood test. The next step for Argentieri and his team is to incorporate more demographic variations and genetic diversity and to find a way to prevent the disease from ever happening.
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