Age 50 might be inflexion point after which ageing accelerates, blood vessels vulnerable: Study

Analysing samples of human tissues across five decades, researchers have found that age 50 might be an inflexion point, after which ageing accelerates -- blood vessels age early and are markedly vulnerable, they said.

The findings, published in the journal Cell, add to evidence emerging from analysing proteins from humans to understand ageing processes, researchers from the Chinese Academy of Sciences said.

A study published last year in August in the journal ‘Nature Ageing’ showed that ages 44 and 60 might be when a human body experiences changes in molecules and microbes, significantly impacting heart and immune function.

The 'Cell' study looked at over 500 samples from 13 human tissues taken from organs across the body's systems, including the cardiovascular, immune and digestive. Proteomics, or a large-scale study of proteins, was applied to examine the samples that had aged over a period of 50 years.

Results "revealed an ageing inflexion around age 50, with blood vessels being a tissue that ages early and is markedly susceptible to ageing".

Further, based on changes in the proteins due to ageing, the authors have developed protein-based age clocks and charted the ageing trajectories of varied organs.

The findings also highlighted an early and pronounced ageing of the aorta -- a major artery that carries blood from the heart to branch arteries -- which the authors said was critical to the ageing of blood vessels and in initiating ageing across the body by interacting with other organs and blood.

"We introduce protein-based ageing clocks and dynamic ageing trajectories for human organs, illuminating their biological age and disease risks," the team wrote.

They added, "Our study highlights the early and pronounced ageing of the aorta, underscoring the critical role of vascular senescence in initiating systemic ageing through its extensive interactions with other organs and blood components."