Cardiovascular health is associated with the epigenetic clock in the Berlin Aging Study II (BASE-II). (January 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Lemke, Elisa; Vetter, Valentin Max; Berger, Nora; Banszerus, Verena Laura; König, Maximilian; Demuth, Ilja
• Is Part Of: Mechanisms of ageing and development. Volume 201(2022)
• Publication Date: 2022-01
• Subjects: CpGs cytosine-phosphate-guanine sites -- BASE- II Berlin Aging study II -- DNAm DNA methylation -- LS7 Life's simple 7 score -- FRS Framingham Risk Score -- CVH cardiovascular health -- EEAA extrinsic epigenetic age acceleration -- IEAA intrinsic epigenetic age acceleration -- HbA1c glycosylated hemoglobin, type A1C -- Total-c total cholesterol -- HDL-c high density lipoprotein cholesterol -- BP blood pressure -- BMI body mass index; Epigenetic clock -- DNA methylation (DNAm) age -- DNAm age acceleration -- Berlin Aging Study II (BASE-II) -- Life's simple 7 (LS7) -- Framingham Risk Score; Aging -- Periodicals; Developmental biology -- Periodicals; Aging -- Periodicals; Developmental Biology -- Periodicals; Vieillissement -- Périodiques; Biologie du développement -- Périodiques; Aging; Developmental biology; Periodicals; 612.67
• DOI: 10.1016/j.mad.2021.111616
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0047-6374

Abstract

Highlights: Better cardiovascular health is associated with lower epigenetic age acceleration. Women have better results in two cardiovascular health scores than men. Women have lower DNA methylation age/ -acceleration than men. More physical activity is associated with decelerated epigenetic age acceleration. High HDL-cholesterol levels are associated with lower epigenetic age acceleration. Abstract: The epigenetic clock parameter DNAm age acceleration is a promising biomarker of aging. We have recently described an epigenetic clock based on only seven cytosine-phosphate-guanine sites, which is highly associated with chronological age. The aim of this study was to examine this epigenetic clock with respect to its relationship with cardiovascular health (CVH) in older adults. We used data from the Berlin Aging Study II (BASE-II; 1, 671 participants; 68.8 ± 3.7 years old). CVH was operationalized using two different CVH scores, the Framingham Risk Score (FRS), and the Life's simple 7 (LS7). To adjust for potential confounding, e.g. by sex, we performed regression analyses. The LS7 score was higher, i.e. more favorable, in woman than in men (8.8 ± 2 vs. 8.2 ± 2, p < 0.001). DNAm age acceleration was associated with the FRS (β = 0.122, p = 0.028) and with the LS7 (β = −0.804, p = 0.032). In more detail, physical activity (β = −0.461, p = 0.05), HDL-cholesterol (β = 0.343, p = 0.03) and total cholesterol (β = −0.364, p = 0.002) were associated with epigenetic age acceleration. We present evidence suggesting that better CVH is associated with decelerated biological aging measured by the epigenetic clock.