Apr. 15, 2011 Eight genes which control levels of the main
steroid produced by the adrenal gland, believed to play a role
in aging and longevity, have been uncovered by an international
consortium of scientists, co-led by King's College London.
Crucially, some of these eight genetic regions are also
associated with important diseases of aging, including type 2
diabetes and lymphoma. Researchers say that these findings,
published in the journal PLoS Genetics on April 14, provide the
first genetic evidence for the aging role of the steroid, and
therefore highlights it as a marker of biological aging. It was
already known that the concentration of the steroid
dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate (DHEAS), declines rapidly with
age -- it diminishes by 95 per cent by the age of 85. This has
led to speculation that a relative DHEAS deficiency may
contribute to common age-related diseases or diminished
longevity. To explore the mechanisms behind declining levels of
the steroid, the researchers carried out an analysis of D