The Association Of The Sirt6 Rs117385980 Variant With Frailty And Longevity: An Exploratory Study
As we age, many people experience “frailty,” a state where our bodies have less reserve and are more vulnerable to health problems like falls and illness. Scientists are constantly looking for factors that influence how we age, and one area of interest is our genes.
One particular gene, called Sirtuin 6 (SIRT6), is known to play a crucial role in various bodily functions related to aging, including energy use, inflammation, and repairing damaged DNA. Variations in our genes, called “single nucleotide polymorphisms” (SNPs), are like tiny differences in our genetic code. These SNPs can sometimes influence how our genes function. Each person inherits two copies of a gene, and the specific combination of these copies is called a “genotype.” For a given SNP, different versions are called “alleles.”
Researchers recently conducted a study to investigate if a specific genetic variant within the SIRT6 gene, known as rs117385980, is linked to frailty. They looked at a group of older adults and analyzed the different versions of this genetic variant they carried. The findings indicated that a particular version of this variant, the “T allele,” was less common in the oldest individuals but more common in those who were considered more robust, suggesting it might play a role in maintaining health as we age. This aligns with earlier research that has also hinted at a connection between this specific genetic variant and a longer, healthier life. These initial findings highlight the need for further, larger studies to fully understand the complex relationship between our genes and the aging process.
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