Researchers Uncover Biological Clues to Extreme Longevity in 117-Year-Old Woman
Barcelona, Spain – A groundbreaking study โฃanalyzing the biological data of a woman who livedโ to be 117 โyears and 168 days โฃold isโ offering new โinsights into the mechanisms of healthy aging. The woman, briefly the world’sโ oldest living person, exhibited a remarkably โฃyouthful physiological state for her age, prompting researchersโฃ to investigate the secrets behind โฃher remarkable lifespan.
The study, โled by Eloyโ Santos-Pujol from the Josep โฃCarreras Leukaemia Research Instituteโ and published in Cell Reports Medicine, details a comprehensive analysis of samples collected from the woman – knownโ in the research as M116 – throughout her life, with a focusโค on data gathered at age 116.โ Born inโ San Francisco in โ1907 to Spanish parents, โคM116 moved to โคCatalonia at age eight and surpassed the average life expectancy for women by over 30 years.
Researchers examined M116’s genome, transcriptom, metabolom, proteome,โ microbiome, and epigenome – essentially, every measurable aspect of her โฃbiology. The results revealedโ a complex interplay of aging hallmarks and indicators of youthful vitality. While M116 displayed typical signs of aging, such as shortened telomeres (protective capsโ on โคchromosomes that diminish with cell division) and โคage-related โchanges in her immune system – including an increase in certain white blood cells andโ blood stem cells known as clonal hematopoiesis – she also โขpossessed several characteristics associated with longevityโข and good health.
Notably,M116 carried โrare โgeneticโข variants linked to โa long lifespan,healthy heart and brain function,a robust immuneโ system,efficient mitochondrial performance,and maintained โcognitive โability.โข Her epigenome, which regulatesโ gene expression,โ appeared younger than expected โfor her age. furthermore, herโข blood showed exceptionallyโค lowโ levels of chronic inflammation, a key driver of age-related diseases.Analysisโข of herโฃ gut microbiome โrevealed the presence of beneficialโค bacteria often lost in older individuals, including those with anti-inflammatory properties and metabolic stabilizing effects.
The study’sโ findings suggest that extreme longevityโ isn’t simply the absence of aging,but rather โขa unique combination of genetic factors,aโ resilient immune โsystem,and a healthy internal environment. Further researchโ is needed โto determine how these factors interact and whether they can be harnessed to promote healthier agingโ in โthe broader population.
