The aim of the project is to find metabolic biomarkers for healthy ageing. The ultimate goal is to investigate with metabolomics the cause why certain people age healthier than others.
The Leiden Longevity Study encompasses 420 families genetically enriched for heritable patterns of longevity including low morbidity and mortality (see Figure 1 below). Results from previous studies of this cohort showed that the offspring of nonagenarians sibling pairs (F2) have a lower prevalence of cardio-metabolic diseases, including myocardial infarction, diabetes, and hypertension, already at middle age. Also, this group exhibited a ‘healthier’ metabolic profile, characterized by better glucose tolerance, and larger LDL lipid protein particle sizes. Therefore, this is an advantageous cohort to study the role of lipid metabolism, C1 metabolism and AGE metabolism (or also other parts of metabolism) with regards to healthy ageing by investigating potential differences in metabolism between the offspring of nonagenarians (F2) and controls. In addition, diet interventions will be designed to investigate and compare the variations in metabolism (such as e.g. homocysteine metabolism) between the off-spring of long-lived siblings and their partners.
In this project, metabolomics will be applied to assess possible associations of metabolite profiles with healthy ageing. Ultimately, these potential biomarkers of longevity and healthy ageing would contribute to describe and characterize the healthy ageing phenotype and will serve in the future as a target reference to assess the impact of lifestyle or therapeutic interventions.