The specific gain and loss of co-expression modules in long-lived individuals indicate a role of circRNAs for human longevity
To investigate the expression of circular RNAs, deep RNA sequencing was performed on 164 blood samples from families with long life spans. In contrast to previous studies, the expression of circRNAs in elderly people who lived a long time (98.3+-3.4 years) did not show an age-accumulating trend. We found that, based on a weighted analysis of the circRNA coexpression network, longevous elderly individuals gained eight conserved modules of circRNA-circRNA expression (c-CCMs), but lost seven compared to normal elder controls (spouses or offspring of longevous individuals, aged 59.3+- 5.8 years). These modules were also associated with pathways that promote healthy aging, according to further analysis. The results suggest that circRNAs play a key role in regulating lifespan extension.
Source:
https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4425/13/5/749/htm
