OBJECTIVE: Piwi-interacting RNAs (piRNAs) represent a molecular feature shared by all nonaging biological systems, including the germline and somatic cancer stem cells, which display an indefinite renewal capacity and lifespan-stable genomic integrity and are potentially immortal. Here, we tested the hypothesis that piRNA is a critical genetic determinant of aging in humans. METHODS: Expression of transcriptome-wide piRNAs (n=24k) was profiled in the human prefrontal cortex of 12 subjects (84.9±9.5, range 68-100, years of age) using microarray technology. We examined the correlation between these piRNAs' expression levels and age, adjusting for covariates including disease status. RESULTS: A total of 9,453 piRNAs were detected in brain. Including seven intergenic and three intronic piRNAs, ten piRNAs were significantly associated with age after correction for multiple testing (|r|=0.9; 1.9×10≤p≤9.9×10). CONCLUSION: We conclude that piRNAs might play a potential role in determining the years of survival of humans. The underlying mechanisms might involve the suppression of transposable elements (TEs) and expression regulation of aging-associated genes.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:ETSU/oai:dc.etsu.edu:etsu-works-2-1058 |
| Date | 01 January 2019 |
| Creators | Mao, Qiao, Fan, Longhua, Wang, Xiaoping, Lin, Xiandong, Cao, Yuping, Zheng, Chengchou, Zhang, Yong, Zhang, Huihao, Garcia-Milian, Rolando, Kang, Longli, Shi, Jing, Yu, Ting, Wang, Kesheng, Zuo, Lingjun, Li, Chiang-Shan R., Guo, Xiaoyun, Luo, Xingguang |
| Publisher | Digital Commons @ East Tennessee State University |
| Source Sets | East Tennessee State University |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | text |
| Source | ETSU Faculty Works |
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