Dataset Information

Association Between Elevated suPAR, a New Biomarker of Inflammation, and Accelerated Aging.

ABSTRACT:

Background

To understand and measure the association between chronic inflammation, aging, and age-related diseases, broadly applicable standard biomarkers of systemic chronic inflammation are needed. We tested whether elevated blood levels of the emerging chronic inflammation marker soluble urokinase plasminogen activator receptor (suPAR) were associated with accelerated aging, lower functional capacity, and cognitive decline.

Methods

We used data from the Dunedin Study, a population-representative 1972-1973 New Zealand birth cohort (n = 1037) that has observed participants to age 45 years. Plasma suPAR levels were analyzed at ages 38 and 45 years. We performed regression analyses adjusted for sex, smoking, C-reactive protein, and current health conditions.

Results

Of 997 still-living participants, 875 (88%) had plasma suPAR measured at age 45. Elevated suPAR was associated with accelerated pace of biological aging across multiple organ systems, older facial appearance, and with structural signs of older brain age. Moreover, participants with higher suPAR levels had greater decline in physical function and cognitive function from childhood to adulthood compared to those with lower suPAR levels. Finally, improvements in health habits between ages 38 and 45 (smoking cessation or increased physical activity) were associated with less steep increases in suPAR levels over those years.

Conclusions

Our findings provide initial support for the utility of suPAR in studying the role of chronic inflammation in accelerated aging and functional decline.

SUBMITTER: Rasmussen LJH

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7812430 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Publications

Association Between Elevated suPAR, a New Biomarker of Inflammation, and Accelerated Aging.

Rasmussen Line Jee Hartmann LJH Caspi Avshalom A Ambler Antony A Danese Andrea A Elliott Maxwell M Eugen-Olsen Jesper J Hariri Ahmad R AR Harrington HonaLee H Houts Renate R Poulton Richie R Ramrakha Sandhya S Sugden Karen K Williams Benjamin B Moffitt Terrie E TE

The journals of gerontology. Series A, Biological sciences and medical sciences 20210101 2

<h4>Background</h4>To understand and measure the association between chronic inflammation, aging, and age-related diseases, broadly applicable standard biomarkers of systemic chronic inflammation are needed. We tested whether elevated blood levels of the emerging chronic inflammation marker soluble urokinase plasminogen activator receptor (suPAR) were associated with accelerated aging, lower functional capacity, and cognitive decline.<h4>Methods</h4>We used data from the Dunedin Study, a populat ...[more]

PMID: 32766674

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Project description:Systemic chronic inflammation (SCI) is persistent, health-damaging, low-grade inflammation that plays a major role in immunosenescence and in development and progression of many diseases. But currently, there are no recognized standard biomarkers to assess SCI levels alone, and SCI is typically measured by combining biomarkers of acute inflammation and infection, e.g., CRP, IL-6, and TNFα. In this review, we highlight 10 properties and characteristics that are shared by the blood protein soluble urokinase plasminogen activator receptor (suPAR) and SCI, supporting the argument that suPAR is a biomarker of SCI: (1) Expression and release of suPAR is upregulated by immune activation; (2) uPAR and suPAR exert pro-inflammatory functions; (3) suPAR is associated with the amount of circulating immune cells; (4) Blood suPAR levels correlate with the levels of established inflammatory biomarkers; (5) suPAR is minimally affected by acute changes and short-term influences, in contrast to many currently used markers of systemic inflammation; (6) Like SCI, suPAR is non-specifically associated with multiple diseases; (7) suPAR and SCI both predict morbidity and mortality; (8) suPAR and SCI share the same risk factors; (9) suPAR is associated with risk factors and outcomes of inflammation above and beyond other inflammatory biomarkers; (10) The suPAR level can be reduced by anti-inflammatory interventions and treatment of disease. Assessing SCI has the potential to inform risk for morbidity and mortality. Blood suPAR is a newer biomarker which may, in fact, be a biomarker of SCI since it is stably associated with inflammation and immune activation; shares the same risk factors as many age-related diseases; is both elevated by and predicts age-related diseases. There is strong evidence that suPAR is a prognostic marker of adverse events, morbidity, and mortality. It is associated with immune activity and prognosis across diverse conditions, including kidney disease, cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes, and inflammatory disorders. Thus, we think it likely represents a common underlying disease-process shared by many diseases; that is, SCI. We review the supporting literature and propose a research agenda that can help test the hypothesis that suPAR indexes SCI, with the potential of becoming the new gold standard for measuring SCI.

Dataset Information

Association Between Elevated suPAR, a New Biomarker of Inflammation, and Accelerated Aging.

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusions

Publications

Association Between Elevated suPAR, a New Biomarker of Inflammation, and Accelerated Aging.

Similar Datasets

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