Expression of P16(INK4a) in Peripheral Blood T-cells is a Biomarker of Human Aging

Overview

Journal Aging Cell

Specialties Cell Biology
Geriatrics

Date 2009 Jun 3

PMID 19485966

Citations 254

Authors

Yan Liu

Hanna K Sanoff

Hyunsoon Cho

Christin E Burd

Chad Torrice

Joseph G Ibrahim

Nancy E Thomas

Norman E Sharpless

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Expression of the p16(INK4a) tumor suppressor sharply increases with age in most mammalian tissues, and contributes to an age-induced functional decline of certain self-renewing compartments. These observations have suggested that p16(INK4a) expression could be a biomarker of mammalian aging. To translate this notion to human use, we determined p16(INK4a) expression in cellular fractions of human whole blood, and found highest expression in peripheral blood T-lymphocytes (PBTL). We then measured INK4/ARF transcript expression in PBTL from two independent cohorts of healthy humans (170 donors total), and analyzed their relationship with donor characteristics. Expression of p16(INK4a), but not other INK4/ARF transcripts, appeared to exponentially increase with donor chronologic age. Importantly, p16(INK4a) expression did not independently correlate with gender or body-mass index, but was significantly associated with tobacco use and physical inactivity. In addition, p16(INK4a) expression was associated with plasma interleukin-6 concentration, a marker of human frailty. These data suggest that p16(INK4a) expression in PBTL is an easily measured, peripheral blood biomarker of molecular age.

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