Hormone Discovery could Predict Longevity of Men
Researchers have discovered that a certain hormone, that develops in males during puberty, could be predictive of the risk of developing age-related disease in later life.
The novel insulin-like peptide hormone, called INSL3, was found by researchers to be consistent over long periods of time and is an important early biomarker for prediction of age-linked disease. Their latest findings have been published today in Frontiers in Endocrinology.
INSL3 is produced in the testes by Leydig cells, which also make testosterone, but unlike testosterone which fluctuates over a man’s life, INSL3 remains consistent, with the level at puberty staying about the same throughout life, decreasing only slightly into old age. This makes it the first clear and reliable predictive biomarker of age-related morbidity as compared to any other measurable parameters.
Blood levels of INSL3 were associated with a range of age-related illnesses, such as bone weakness, sexual dysfunction, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease.
Since the hormone is so consistent, a young man with high INSL3 would still have high INSL3 when he is older. But low levels of INSL3 when young will stay low when older, making a man more likely to acquire typical age-related illnesses. This opens up exciting possibilities for predicting age-related illnesses and finding ways to prevent the onset of these diseases with early intervention.
This study from University of Nottingham was led by Professors Ravinder Anand-Ivell and Richard Ivell and is the latest of three recent studies into this hormone. Prof Anand-Ivell explains: “The holy grail of ageing research is to reduce the fitness gap that appears as people age. Understanding why some people are more likely to develop disability and disease as they age is vital so that interventions can be found to ensure people not only live a long life but also a healthy life as they age. Our hormone discovery is an important step in understanding this and will pave the way for not only helping people individually but also helping to ease the care crisis we face as a society.”
The team analysed blood samples from 3000 men, with two samples taken four years apart and found that unlike testosterone, INSL3 remains at consistent.
The study also showed that there is an almost 10-fold variation in INSL3 levels in the normal male population, even among the young and healthy.
Prof Ivell adds: “Now we know the important role this hormone plays in predicting disease and how it varies amongst men we are turning our attention to finding out what factors have the most influence on the level of INSL3 in the blood. Preliminary work suggests early life nutrition may play a role, but many other factors such as genetics or exposure to some environmental endocrine disruptors may play a part.”
Source: University of Nottingham
