Title: Expression of p16(INK4a) in peripheral blood T-cells is a biomarker of human aging.

Authors: Liu, Yan; Sanoff, Hanna K; Cho, Hyunsoon; Burd, Christin E; Torrice, Chad; Ibrahim, Joseph G; Thomas, Nancy E; Sharpless, Norman E

Published In Aging Cell, (2009 Aug)

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.

PubMed ID: 19485966

MeSH Terms: No MeSH terms associated with this publication