TruDiagnostic launches SYMPHONYAge, the first ever, epigenetic aging analysis of individual organ systems.
TruDiagnostic has launched what it describes as ‘the first ever, epigenetic aging analysis of individual organ systems, using validated and system-specific trained clocks’.
Epigenetic aging refers to changes in gene activity and regulation that occur with age, impacting how our cells function and age over time. Aging clocks measure these changes by analyzing epigenetic markers, such as DNA methylation patterns, which can provide insights into biological age and predict health outcomes related to aging.
SYMPHONYAge (System Methylation Proxy of Heterogeneous Organ Years), is a collection of system-specific clocks that aims to provide a new way of looking at aging by examining how different parts of the body decline independently, and synchronously, over time. The platform development was spearheaded by aging clock pioneer Dr Morgan Levine, and has been designed around algorithms developed by scientists at Yale University, and for the use of which TruDiagnostic has an exclusive license; these were previously released in biology journal bioRxiv as a preprint [1], and TruDiagnostic says that peer reviewed publications are expected later this year.
Longevity.Technology: TruDiagnostic’s novel epigenetic aging analysis tool represents a departure from traditional biological age assessments by focusing on individual organ systems. By leveraging a suite of system-specific clocks calibrated to assess the aging trajectories of eleven key organ systems, the company hopes to offer unprecedented insights into how different bodily systems age both independently and in concert. This holistic perspective is crucial as it acknowledges that aging is not a uniform process across the body, but rather a nuanced interplay influenced by diverse factors such as lifestyle choices and genetic predispositions.
Innovations that extend beyond mere diagnostics can reshape how individuals approach their healthspan – by enabling precise predictions of organ-specific aging and associated disease risks, SYMPHONYAge could empower individuals to take proactive steps towards enhancing their health outcomes, and preventive healthcare strategies can mitigate age-related illnesses before they manifest clinically.
SYMPHONYAge measures 11 major systems and their biological effect on one another: metabolic, musculoskeletal, blood, liver, inflammation, kidney, heart, hormone, immune system and brain. The tool incorporates a comprehensive array of biomarkers – 133 molecular, cellular and functional markers, a significant increase on previous methods. This inclusion enhances its precision in predicting biological age and assessing associated disease risks. Furthermore, SYMPHONYAge analyzes 125,000 methylation sites, further enhancing its accuracy across diverse populations.
Validation studies have shown SYMPHONYAge to outperform existing biological age assessments; across several datasets built from over 5,000 samples, TruDiagnostic says it has demonstrated strong predictive capabilities for sixteen different health outcomes, a validation that speaks to the platform’s potential utility in clinical settings.
The new SYMPHONYAge clocks have identified distinct aging subtypes linked to specific health risks, a capability lacking in older, system-specific clocks. Furthermore, validation confirms that SYMPHONYAge clocks correlate closely with health outcomes relevant to their respective physiological systems; for instance, the Lung clock predicts future lung cancer, the Heart clock forecasts coronary heart disease, and the Blood clock anticipates leukemia.
Yale researcher Dr Albert Higgins-Chen, clinical adviser on the SYMPHONYAge project, emphasized its relevance in understanding complex aging patterns and their implications for health outcomes. He stressed that our body’s systems do not age in isolation, and thus age-related disease and functional decline often do not occur in isolation either.
“Many age-related illnesses stem from issues in various biological systems working together,” he explained. “For instance, arthritis is the result of both musculoskeletal wear and inflammation, whereas stroke can happen due to problems in the cardiovascular system, metabolism, inflammation, and brain function [2].”
These interconnections can result in varied aging profiles, increasing susceptibility to specific age-related diseases among individuals. Insight into these patterns aids in predicting future health conditions.
SYMPHONYAge is accessible through the TruAge Complete Kit, and previous testers can purchase a digital data upgrade.
[1] https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.07.13.548904v2
[2] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7jU7LCXTS2o
