Aging-US

BUFFALO, NY- June 16, 2022 – A new editorial paper was published in Aging (Aging-US) Volume 14, Issue 11, entitled, “WRNing for the right DNA repair pathway choice.” Premature aging diseases, also called ‘progeroid syndrome’, display signs and features of normal aging in early life, ultimately leading to premature death. Although progeroid syndromes do not perfectly mimic chronological aging, they can be excellent model systems to study characteristics of normal aging. Werner syndrome (WS) is one of the rare autosomal recessive progeroid syndromes, characterized by accelerated aging. WRN is suggested to play a central role in maintaining genome stability and rapidly recruits to the DNA damage sites to take part in DNA repair, including base excision DNA repair (BER), classical/alternative non-homologous end joining (NHEJ), homologous recombination (HR), and replication re-start after DNA damage. WRN makes critical DNA-repair pathway choices between classical and alternative NHEJs. In addition to its key role in NHEJ, WRN has been suggested to also participate in HR. However, how it regulates the pathway choice between NHEJ and HR was still unclear. Full press release - https://aging-us.net/2022/06/16/aging-us-wrning-for-the-right-dna-repair-pathway-choice/ DOI: https://doi.org/10.18632/aging.204120 Corresponding Author: Vilhelm A. Bohr - vbohr@nih.gov Keywords: DNA repair, RecQ helicase, helicase, DNA double strand repair pathways Sign up for free Altmetric alerts about this article: https://aging.altmetric.com/details/email_updates?id=10.18632%2Faging.204120 About Aging-US: Launched in 2009, Aging (Aging-US) publishes papers of general interest and biological significance in all fields of aging research and age-related diseases, including cancer—and now, with a special focus on COVID-19 vulnerability as an age-dependent syndrome. Topics in Aging go beyond traditional gerontology, including, but not limited to, cellular and molecular biology, human age-related diseases, pathology in model organisms, signal transduction pathways (e.g., p53, sirtuins, and PI-3K/AKT/mTOR, among others), and approaches to modulating these signaling pathways. Follow Aging on social media: SoundCloud – https://soundcloud.com/Aging-Us Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/AgingUS/ Twitter – https://twitter.com/AgingJrnl Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/agingjrnl/ YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/agingus​ LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/company/aging/ Pinterest – https://www.pinterest.com/AgingUS/ For media inquiries, please contact media@impactjournals.com.

BUFFALO, NY- June 15, 2022 – A new research paper was published in Aging (Aging-US) on the cover of Volume 14, Issue 11, entitled, “Histone deacetylase 4 reverses cellular senescence via DDIT4 in dermal fibroblasts.” Researchers—from Seoul National University, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul National University Graduate School, and Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology (DGIST)—previously demonstrated that histone deacetylase 4 (HDAC4) is consistently downregulated in aged and ultraviolet (UV)-irradiated human skin. However, there is little research on how HDAC4 causes skin aging. “To elucidate the potential role of HDAC4 in the regulation of cellular senescence and skin aging, we established oxidative stress- and UV-induced cellular senescence models using primary human dermal fibroblasts (HDFs).” After overexpression or knockdown of HDAC4 in primary HDFs, RNA sequencing identified candidate molecular targets of HDAC4. “Integrative analyses of our current and public mRNA expression profiles identified DNA damage-inducible transcript 4 (DDIT4) as a critical senescence-associated factor regulated by HDAC4.” Full press release - https://aging-us.net/2022/06/15/aging-us-ddit4-identified-as-candidate-target-of-hdac4-associated-skin-aging/ DOI: https://doi.org/10.18632/aging.204118 Corresponding Authors: Daehee Hwang - daehee@snu.ac.kr, Dong Hun Lee - ivymed27@snu.ac.kr, Jin Ho Chung - jhchung@snu.ac.kr Keywords: cellular senescence, DNA damage-inducible transcript 4, histone deacetylase 4, oxidative stress, ultraviolet light Sign up for free Altmetric alerts about this article: https://aging.altmetric.com/details/email_updates?id=10.18632%2Faging.204118 About Aging-US: Launched in 2009, Aging (Aging-US) publishes papers of general interest and biological significance in all fields of aging research and age-related diseases, including cancer—and now, with a special focus on COVID-19 vulnerability as an age-dependent syndrome. Topics in Aging go beyond traditional gerontology, including, but not limited to, cellular and molecular biology, human age-related diseases, pathology in model organisms, signal transduction pathways (e.g., p53, sirtuins, and PI-3K/AKT/mTOR, among others), and approaches to modulating these signaling pathways. Follow Aging on social media: SoundCloud – https://soundcloud.com/Aging-Us Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/AgingUS/ Twitter – https://twitter.com/AgingJrnl Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/agingjrnl/ YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/agingus​ LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/company/aging/ Pinterest – https://www.pinterest.com/AgingUS/ For media inquiries, please contact media@impactjournals.com.

Dennis Mangan from MTOR LLC in Bakersfield, California details his theory article published by Aging (Aging-US), entitled, “Iron: an underrated factor in aging.” DOI - https://doi.org/10.18632/aging.203612 Corresponding author - Dennis Mangan - pdmangan@outlook.com Abstract Iron is an essential element for virtually all living organisms, but its reactivity also makes it potentially harmful. Iron accumulates with aging, and is associated with many age-related diseases; it also shortens the lifespans of several model organisms. Blocking iron absorption through drugs or natural products extends lifespan. Many life-extending interventions, such as rapamycin, calorie restriction, and old plasma dilution can be explained by the effects they have on iron absorption, excretion, and metabolism. Control of body iron stores so that they remain in a low normal range may be an important, lifespan- and healthspan-extending intervention. Sign up for free Altmetric alerts about this article - https://oncotarget.altmetric.com/details/email_updates?id=10.18632%2Foncotarget.203612 Press release - https://www.aging-us.com/news_room/iron-an-underrated-factor-in-aging Blog post - https://www.impactjournals.com/journals/blog/aging/trending-with-impact-is-iron-a-driver-of-aging/ Keywords - iron, aging, oxidative stress, calorie restriction, plasma dilution About Aging-US Launched in 2009, Aging-US publishes papers of general interest and biological significance in all fields of aging research and age-related diseases, including cancer—and now, with a special focus on COVID-19 vulnerability as an age-dependent syndrome. Topics in Aging-US go beyond traditional gerontology, including, but not limited to, cellular and molecular biology, human age-related diseases, pathology in model organisms, signal transduction pathways (e.g., p53, sirtuins, and PI-3K/AKT/mTOR, among others), and approaches to modulating these signaling pathways. Please visit our website at http://www.Aging-US.com​​ or connect with us: SoundCloud - https://soundcloud.com/Aging-Us Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/AgingUS/ Twitter - https://twitter.com/AgingJrnl Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/agingjrnl/ YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/agingus​ LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/aging/ Pinterest - https://www.pinterest.com/AgingUS/ Aging-US is published by Impact Journals, LLC: http://www.ImpactJournals.com​​ Media Contact 18009220957 MEDIA@IMPACTJOURNALS.COM

Listen to a blog summary of a trending research paper published by Aging (Aging-US) on May 16, 2022, entitled, " Effect of Humanin G (HNG) on inflammation in age-related macular degeneration (AMD)." _______________________ One of the leading causes of vision loss among aging populations in the United States, and worldwide, is age-related macular degeneration (AMD). The progression of this disease is known to be driven by inflammatory processes. However, the exact inflammation-associated proteins and the mechanisms that drive them have not yet been fully elucidated. “Inflammation plays a crucial role in the etiology and pathogenesis of AMD (Age-related Macular Degeneration).” In a new study in Aging (Aging-US), researchers from the University of California Irvine and the University of Southern California investigated a potential therapeutic intervention to reduce chronic inflammation in AMD and delay or prevent retinal degeneration. On May 16, 2022, this trending research paper was published on the cover of Aging’s Volume 14, Issue 10, and entitled, “Effect of Humanin G (HNG) on inflammation in age-related macular degeneration (AMD).” Full blog - https://aging-us.org/2022/06/trending-with-impact-humanin-g-treatment-in-amd-reduces-inflammation/ DOI - https://doi.org/10.18632/aging.204074 Corresponding authors - Cristina Kenney - mkenney@hs.uci.edu Sign up for free Altmetric alerts about this article - https://aging.altmetric.com/details/email_updates?id=10.18632%2Faging.204074 Press release - https://www.aging-us.com/news_room/novel-discovery-in-age-related-macular-degeneration Keywords - aging, Humanin G, HNG, AMD, inflammation, age-related macular degeneration About Aging-US Launched in 2009, Aging-US publishes papers of general interest and biological significance in all fields of aging research and age-related diseases, including cancer—and now, with a special focus on COVID-19 vulnerability as an age-dependent syndrome. Topics in Aging-US go beyond traditional gerontology, including, but not limited to, cellular and molecular biology, human age-related diseases, pathology in model organisms, signal transduction pathways (e.g., p53, sirtuins, and PI-3K/AKT/mTOR, among others), and approaches to modulating these signaling pathways. Please visit our website at http://www.Aging-US.com​​ and connect with us: SoundCloud - https://soundcloud.com/Aging-Us Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/AgingUS/ Twitter - https://twitter.com/AgingJrnl Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/agingjrnl/ YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/agingus​ LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/aging/ Pinterest - https://www.pinterest.com/AgingUS/ Aging-US is published by Impact Journals, LLC: http://www.ImpactJournals.com​​ Media Contact 18009220957 MEDIA@IMPACTJOURNALS.COM

A new research paper was published in Aging (Aging-US) on the cover of Volume 14, Issue 10, entitled, “Effect of Humanin G (HNG) on inflammation in age-related macular degeneration (AMD).” Inflammatory processes drive the progression of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) disease—a leading cause of vision loss in the United States. In this new Aging study, researchers from the University of California Irvine and University of Southern California compared the protein levels of inflammation markers in normal and AMD retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) transmitochondrial cybrid cells and investigated the effects of treatment with exogenous Humanin G. Humanin G (HNG) is a mitochondrial derived peptide that is cytoprotective in AMD and can protect against mitochondrial and cellular stress induced by damaged AMD mitochondria. “The goal of this study was to test our hypothesis that inflammation-associated marker protein levels are increased in AMD and treatment with HNG leads to reduction in their protein levels.” Humanin G protein levels were measured in the plasma of AMD patients and normal subjects using ELISA assay. Humanin G was added to AMD and normal (control) cybrids derived from clinically characterized AMD patients and normal (control) subjects. Cell lysates were extracted from untreated and HNG-treated AMD and normal cybrids, and the Luminex XMAP multiplex assay was used to measure the levels of inflammatory proteins. The researchers found that there were differential levels of inflammation proteins between normal and AMD plasma samples. Compared to control plasma samples, AMD plasma showed higher protein levels of inflammation markers. However, plasma levels of endogenous Humanin protein were 36.58% lower in AMD patients compared to that in age-matched normal subjects. After treatment with Humanin G, the researchers observed a marked reduction in protein levels of inflammation markers that were elevated in AMD RPE transmitochondrial cybrid cells. “In conclusion, we present novel findings that: A) show reduced Humanin protein levels in AMD plasma vs. normal plasma; B) suggest the role of inflammatory markers in AMD pathogenesis, and C) highlight the positive effects of Humanin G in reducing inflammation in AMD.” To the teams’ knowledge, this is the first study to report notably reduced Humanin protein levels in AMD patients, thereby corroborating the pivotal role of Humanin in maintaining tissue homeostasis and normal functioning in the eye. “Our discovery is novel and may contribute to the development of therapeutics/ tools for reducing inflammation to alleviate AMD disease pathology.” DOI: https://doi.org/10.18632/aging.204074 Correspondence to: Cristina Kenney - Email: mkenney@hs.uci.edu Keywords: Humanin G, HNG, AMD, inflammation, age-related macular degeneration Sign up for free Altmetric alerts about this article: https://aging.altmetric.com/details/email_updates?id=10.18632%2Faging.204074 About Aging-US: Launched in 2009, Aging (Aging-US) publishes papers of general interest and biological significance in all fields of aging research and age-related diseases, including cancer—and now, with a special focus on COVID-19 vulnerability as an age-dependent syndrome. Topics in Aging go beyond traditional gerontology, including, but not limited to, cellular and molecular biology, human age-related diseases, pathology in model organisms, signal transduction pathways (e.g., p53, sirtuins, and PI-3K/AKT/mTOR, among others), and approaches to modulating these signaling pathways. Follow Aging on social media: SoundCloud – https://soundcloud.com/Aging-Us Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/AgingUS/ Twitter – https://twitter.com/AgingJrnl Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/agingjrnl/ YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/agingus​ LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/company/aging/ Pinterest – https://www.pinterest.com/AgingUS/ For media inquiries, please contact media@impactjournals.com.

Listen to a blog summary of a trending editorial published in Volume 14, Issue 9 of Aging (Aging-US), entitled, "Cognitive training and neuromodulation for Alzheimer treatment." ______________________________________ Many neurodegenerative disorders among elderly populations share common characteristics. In dementias, for example, neurons and glial cells undergo a progressive loss of structure or function in the brain and spinal cord. Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia and the main cause of cognitive impairment. Studies have confirmed that cognitive treatments, such as cognitive stimulation, training and rehabilitation, can improve brain function by increasing brain plasticity. Recently, researcher Fabrizio Vecchio, from IRCCS San Raffaele Roma‘s Brain Connectivity Laboratory, discussed innovative treatment options for Alzheimer’s disease. On April 27, 2022, Dr. Vecchio published his new editorial paper in Volume 14, Issue 9, of Aging (Aging-US), entitled, “Cognitive training and neuromodulation for Alzheimer treatment.” “Neuromodulation techniques are having a growing consensus as a therapeutic approach of incipient and mild to moderate dementia because of their capability to be modulated both in space, i.e. in different cortical and subcortical areas of the brain, and time.” Full blog -https://aging-us.org/2022/05/trending-with-impact-neuromodulation-in-alzheimers-disease-treatment/ DOI - https://doi.org/10.18632/aging.204044 Corresponding author - Fabrizio Vecchio - fabrizio.vecchio@uniecampus.it Sign up for free Altmetric alerts about this article - https://aging.altmetric.com/details/email_updates?id=10.18632%2Faging.20404 Keywords - aging, EEG, Small World, cognitive training, rTMS, Alzheimer About Aging-US Launched in 2009, Aging-US publishes papers of general interest and biological significance in all fields of aging research and age-related diseases, including cancer—and now, with a special focus on COVID-19 vulnerability as an age-dependent syndrome. Topics in Aging-US go beyond traditional gerontology, including, but not limited to, cellular and molecular biology, human age-related diseases, pathology in model organisms, signal transduction pathways (e.g., p53, sirtuins, and PI-3K/AKT/mTOR, among others), and approaches to modulating these signaling pathways. Please visit our website at http://www.Aging-US.com​​ and connect with us: SoundCloud - https://soundcloud.com/Aging-Us Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/AgingUS/ Twitter - https://twitter.com/AgingJrnl Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/agingjrnl/ YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/agingus​ LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/aging/ Pinterest - https://www.pinterest.com/AgingUS/ Aging-US is published by Impact Journals, LLC: http://www.ImpactJournals.com​​ Media Contact 18009220957 MEDIA@IMPACTJOURNALS.COM

BUFFALO, NY- May 24, 2022 – Aging (Aging-US) is sponsoring the Systems Aging Gordon Research Conference, “Systemic Processes, Omics Approaches and Biomarkers in Aging,” from May 29 to June 3, 2022, at the Grand Summit Hotel at Sunday River in Newry, Maine, USA. This year, the Chair and Vice Chair of the conference are Aging Editorial Board members Vadim N. Gladyshev, Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School and Director of Redox Medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, and Steve Horvath, Professor of Human Genetics and Biostatistics at the University of California, Los Angeles. Dr. Gladyshev is known for his characterization of the human selenoproteome. He was also elected as a member of the U. S. National Academy of Sciences in 2021. Dr. Horvath is a world-renowned researcher, geneticist and biostatistician. Recently, Aging devoted a research collection to Dr. Horvath’s profound contributions in epigenetics and DNA methylation research. Read Aging’s Special Collection on Steve Horvath Publications: https://www.aging-us.com/special-collections-archive/steve-horvath. Both Drs. Gladyshev and Horvath will be speaking and leading discussions at this meeting. In addition, a number of prestigious researchers from renowned institutions will be presenting at this conference. Presenters who are also members of Aging’s Editorial Board include Cynthia Kenyon, Manuel Serrano, Alex Zhavoronkov, and Vera Gorbunova. Over the course of the six-day Systems Aging Gordon Research Conference, presentations will cover many topics, including delaying aging, aging clocks, clinical biomarkers, advances in systemic rejuvenation, comparative and multi-omics approaches, applications of machine learning and artificial intelligence, the current understanding of the molecular basis of aging, and longevity interventions in model organisms. The organizers of the conference hope this meeting will facilitate deep discussions and the free exchange of ideas between not only established researchers but also junior scientists. “The 2022 Systems Aging GRC will set the stage for subsequent meetings and future development of this field, with the idea to ultimately help delay and reverse aging and age-related pathology.” (Source: 2022 Systems Aging GRC) About Aging-US: Launched in 2009, Aging (Aging-US) publishes papers of general interest and biological significance in all fields of aging research and age-related diseases, including cancer—and now, with a special focus on COVID-19 vulnerability as an age-dependent syndrome. Topics in Aging go beyond traditional gerontology, including, but not limited to, cellular and molecular biology, human age-related diseases, pathology in model organisms, signal transduction pathways (e.g., p53, sirtuins, and PI-3K/AKT/mTOR, among others), and approaches to modulating these signaling pathways. Follow Aging on social media: SoundCloud – https://soundcloud.com/Aging-Us Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/AgingUS/ Twitter – https://twitter.com/AgingJrnl Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/agingjrnl/ YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/agingus​ LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/company/aging/ Pinterest – https://www.pinterest.com/AgingUS/ For media inquiries, please contact media@impactjournals.com.

In 2000 and 2011, Drs. Douglas Hanahan and Robert Weinberg authored two papers which stand as the original hallmarks of cancer. Since then, the hallmarks of cancer have been used as a critical framework to develop effective new cancer theranostics. In 2013, López-Otín et al. used the hallmarks of cancer in an effort to construct hallmarks of aging. However, in 2021, Drs. David Gems and João Pedro de Magalhães authored a paper critiquing the hallmarks of aging as a paradigm and urging researchers to move beyond the hallmarks to better understand the process of aging. On May 9, 2022, Dr. Mikhail Blagosklonny published an original review paper in Aging (Aging-US) Volume 14, Issue 9, entitled, “Hallmarks of cancer and hallmarks of aging.” Dr. Blagosklonny expands on Gems and de Magalhães’ sentiment and writes that “canonic hallmarks of aging are superficial imitations of the hallmarks of cancer.” He takes their work to the next level by offering his own original concept that rearranges the hallmarks of cancer and the hallmarks of aging based on the hierarchical principle and the hyperfunction theory of aging. “According to hyperfunction theory, aging is a continuation of developmental and reproductive programs that were not turned off upon their completion.” Full blog - https://aging-us.org/2022/05/an-original-review-on-the-hallmarks-of-cancer-and-aging/ DOI - https://doi.org/10.18632/aging.204082 Corresponding author - Mikhail V. Blagosklonny - Blagosklonny@oncotarget.com, Blagosklonny@rapalogs.com Press release - https://aging-us.com/news_room/hallmarks-of-cancer-and-hallmarks-of-aging-reviewed Keywords - aging, oncology, carcinogenesis, geroscience, mTOR, rapamycin, hyperfunction theory About Aging-US Launched in 2009, Aging-US publishes papers of general interest and biological significance in all fields of aging research and age-related diseases, including cancer—and now, with a special focus on COVID-19 vulnerability as an age-dependent syndrome. Topics in Aging-US go beyond traditional gerontology, including, but not limited to, cellular and molecular biology, human age-related diseases, pathology in model organisms, signal transduction pathways (e.g., p53, sirtuins, and PI-3K/AKT/mTOR, among others), and approaches to modulating these signaling pathways. Please visit our website at http://www.Aging-US.com​​ and connect with us: SoundCloud - https://soundcloud.com/Aging-Us Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/AgingUS/ Twitter - https://twitter.com/AgingJrnl Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/agingjrnl/ YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/agingus​ LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/aging/ Pinterest - https://www.pinterest.com/AgingUS/ Aging-US is published by Impact Journals, LLC: http://www.ImpactJournals.com​​ Media Contact 18009220957 MEDIA@IMPACTJOURNALS.COM

BUFFALO, NY- May 18, 2022 – Dr. Mikhail Blagosklonny published his new review paper in Aging (Aging-US) Volume 14, Issue 9, entitled, “Hallmarks of cancer and hallmarks of aging.” In this review, Dr. Blagosklonny expands on Gems and de Magalhães’ notion that canonic hallmarks of aging are superficial imitations of the hallmarks of cancer. He takes their work a step further and proposes the hallmarks of cancer and aging based on a hierarchical principle and the hyperfunction theory. “Here I present the hallmarks of cancer, depicted as a circle by Hanahan and Weinberg [1], not as the circle but hierarchically, from molecular levels to the organism (Figure 1).” Next, Dr. Blagosklonny depicts the hallmarks of aging suggested by López-Otín et al. based on the hierarchical principle. “This representation renders hallmarks tangible but reveals three shortcomings (Figure 2).” The first shortcoming that Dr. Blagosklonny notes is the lack of hallmarks on the organismal level. The second is that the relationship between hallmarks on different levels is unclear. The third is that the inclusion of genetic instability as a hallmark is based on the theory that aging is caused by the accumulation of molecular damage. “The molecular damage theory was refuted by key experiments, as discussed in detail [44–51].” Dr. Blagosklonny then uses the hyperfunction theory to arrange the hierarchical hallmarks of aging. “Let us depict hallmarks of aging, according to the hyperfunction theory of aging (Figure 3).” Dr. Blagosklonny continues by discussing the key to understanding aging and aging as a selective force for cancer. He concludes this review by discussing the common hallmarks of cancer, aging and cell senescence. “In organismal aging, cancer and cellular senescence, the same key signaling pathways, such as mTOR, are involved. This is why the same drugs, such as rapamycin, can suppress all of them.” DOI: https://doi.org/10.18632/aging.204082 Correspondence to: Mikhail V. Blagosklonny Email: Blagosklonny@oncotarget.com, Blagosklonny@rapalogs.com Keywords: oncology, carcinogenesis, geroscience, mTOR, rapamycin, hyperfunction theory Follow Dr. Blagosklonny on Twitter: https://twitter.com/Blagosklonny About Aging-US: Launched in 2009, Aging-US publishes papers of general interest and biological significance in all fields of aging research and age-related diseases, including cancer—and now, with a special focus on COVID-19 vulnerability as an age-dependent syndrome. Topics in Aging-US go beyond traditional gerontology, including, but not limited to, cellular and molecular biology, human age-related diseases, pathology in model organisms, signal transduction pathways (e.g., p53, sirtuins, and PI-3K/AKT/mTOR, among others), and approaches to modulating these signaling pathways. Follow Aging on social media: SoundCloud – https://soundcloud.com/Aging-Us Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/AgingUS/ Twitter – https://twitter.com/AgingJrnl Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/agingjrnl/ YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/agingus​ LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/company/aging/ Pinterest – https://www.pinterest.com/AgingUS/ For media inquiries, please contact media@impactjournals.com.

A new research paper was published on the cover of Aging (Aging-US) Volume 14, Issue 9, entitled, “Single-cell transcriptomics reveals age-resistant maintenance of cell identities, stem cell compartments and differentiation trajectories in long-lived naked mole-rats skin.” Researchers who authored this research paper are affiliated with the Université Paris Cité, Sorbonne Université, Fondation pour la Recherche en Physiologie, Queen Mary University of London, Hôpital Tenon, Université de Namur ASBL, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d’Alfort, and Hôpital Cochin. “In the present study, we performed extensive in situ analysis and single-cell RNA-sequencing comparing young and older animals.” Skin acts as an essential barrier and protects organisms from external threats, preventing fluid loss, stabilizing body temperature and relaying sensory information to the brain. Maintaining skin homeostasis is essential, as alterations in skin functions can cause various deleterious conditions ranging from fluid loss to more severe diseases, such as infections or UV-induced cancers. Naked mole-rats (NMR) are subterranean rodents characterized by an unusual longevity coupled with an unexplained resistance to aging. At variance with other species, naked mole-rats exhibited a striking stability of skin compartments and cell types, which remained stable over time without aging-associated changes. “Thus, we hypothesize that the maintenance of cellular compartments in the older NMR, especially the stem cell pool through high Igfbp3 expression, coupled with an increase skin immunity, could explain their skin slower rate of aging.” The researchers used single-cell RNA-sequencing (scRNA-seq) to obtain an unbiased molecular RNA profile of the naked mole-rats’ epidermal cell populations. They found that epidermal gene expression did not change with aging. Three classical cellular states defined a unique keratinocyte differentiation trajectory that were not altered after pseudo-temporal reconstruction. NMR skin healing closure was similar in young and older animals and, remarkably, the number of stem cells was constant throughout aging. The researchers found that NMR epidermal cells displayed two main populations, immune cells (one cluster) and keratinocytes, subdivided into 10 clusters. “Performing a deeper analysis within each cluster individually, we found 2 genes overexpressed in basal stem cells of older animals and 5 genes overexpressed in immune cells of older animals.” “Altogether, these results indicate that NMR skin is characterized by peculiar genetic and cellular features, different from those previously demonstrated for mice and humans. The remarkable stability of the aging NMR skin transcriptome likely reflects unaltered homeostasis and resilience.” DOI: https://doi.org/10.18632/aging.204054 Correspondence to: Romain H. Fontaine Email: romain.fontaine@inserm.fr Keywords: naked mole-rat, skin stem cells, wound healing, aging About Aging-US: Launched in 2009, Aging-US publishes papers of general interest and biological significance in all fields of aging research and age-related diseases, including cancer—and now, with a special focus on COVID-19 vulnerability as an age-dependent syndrome. Topics in Aging-US go beyond traditional gerontology, including, but not limited to, cellular and molecular biology, human age-related diseases, pathology in model organisms, signal transduction pathways (e.g., p53, sirtuins, and PI-3K/AKT/mTOR, among others), and approaches to modulating these signaling pathways. Follow Aging on social media: SoundCloud – https://soundcloud.com/Aging-Us Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/AgingUS/ Twitter – https://twitter.com/AgingJrnl Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/agingjrnl/ YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/agingus​ LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/company/aging/ Pinterest – https://www.pinterest.com/AgingUS/ For media inquiries, please contact media@impactjournals.com.