RESUMO
It has been observed that immune cell deterioration occurs in the elderly, as well as a chronic low-grade inflammation called inflammaging. These cellular changes must be driven by numerous changes in gene expression and in fact, both protein-coding and non-coding RNA expression alterations have been observed in peripheral blood mononuclear cells from elder people. In the present work we have studied the expression of small non-coding RNA (microRNA and small nucleolar RNA -snoRNA-) from healthy individuals from 24 to 79 years old. We have observed that the expression of 69 non-coding RNAs (56 microRNAs and 13 snoRNAs) changes progressively with chronological age. According to our results, the age range from 47 to 54 is critical given that it is the period when the expression trend (increasing or decreasing) of age-related small non-coding RNAs is more pronounced. Furthermore, age-related miRNAs regulate genes that are involved in immune, cell cycle and cancer-related processes, which had already been associated to human aging. Therefore, human aging could be studied as a result of progressive molecular changes, and different age ranges should be analysed to cover the whole aging process.
Assuntos
Envelhecimento/metabolismo , Leucócitos/metabolismo , RNA Longo não Codificante/biossíntese , RNA Longo não Codificante/genética , Proteínas de Peixe-Zebra/biossíntese , Proteínas de Peixe-Zebra/genética , Adulto , Idoso , Simulação por Computador , Feminino , Regulação da Expressão Gênica no Desenvolvimento/genética , Humanos , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , RNA Mensageiro/biossíntese , RNA Mensageiro/genética , RNA Nucleolar Pequeno/biossíntese , RNA Nucleolar Pequeno/genética , Transcriptoma , Adulto JovemRESUMO
In the last decades extracellular vesicles (EVs) have emerged as key players for intercellular communication. In the case of inflammation, several studies have reported that EV levels are increased in circulation during inflammatory episodes. Based on this, we investigated whether aging results in elevated EV number, as a basal proinflammatory status termed "inflammaging" has been described in aged individuals. Moreover, we also hypothesized that frailty and dependence conditions of the elderly could affect EV concentration in plasma. Results showed that inflammaging, frailty or dependence status do not result in EV increase, at least in the total number of EVs in circulation. These results open a new perspective for investigating the role of EVs in human aging and in the inflammaging process.