New Possibilities for Evaluating the Development of Age-Related Pathologies Using the Dynamical Network Biomarkers Theory.

Abstract

Aging is the slowest process in a living organism. During this process, mortality rate increases exponentially due to the accumulation of damage at the cellular level. Cellular senescence is a well-established hallmark of aging, as well as a promising target for preventing aging and age-related diseases. However, mapping the senescent cells in tissues is extremely challenging, as their low abundance, lack of specific markers, and variability arise from heterogeneity. Hence, methodologies for identifying or predicting the development of senescent cells are necessary for achieving healthy aging. A new wave of bioinformatic methodologies based on mathematics/physics theories have been proposed to be applied to aging biology, which is altering the way we approach our understand of aging. Here, we discuss the dynamical network biomarkers (DNB) theory, which allows for the prediction of state transition in complex systems such as living organisms, as well as usage of Raman spectroscopy that offers a non-invasive and label-free imaging, and provide a perspective on potential applications for the study of aging.