The finding could give scientists a useful new way to investigate how aging works in both species. In a study recently published in The Journals of Gerontology, researchers examined metabolites, small chemicals and molecules created during normal processes in the body. They found that certain combinations of these metabolites were associated with earlier or later death in dogs in ways that closely resembled patterns previously identified in humans.
"The molecules that are risky for dogs or protective against a sooner death are very similar to those in people, showing that we share important features of aging biology, which is really interesting and rewarding," said Dr. Kate Creevy, chief veterinary officer for the Dog Aging Project and a professor in the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, where the work of the Dog Aging Project is generously supported by the WoodNext Foundation. "Our findings also highlight the value of pet dogs as a model for studying long-term health and lifespan." Searching for Biological Signs of Lifespan Metabolites can provide a snapshot of what is happening inside cells, making them useful for detecting biological patterns that may be connected to health and aging.
For the study, researchers analyzed blood samples from dogs participating in the Dog Aging Project. This community science effort follows dogs throughout their lives, with owners contributing detailed survey information and, in some cases, physical samples. The research team examined the blood for metabolic patterns associated with lifespan, focusing specifically on whether individual dogs died earlier or later.
"Death is an easy outcome to understand," Creevy said. "It is very easy to tell when a person or a dog has died, whereas other features of aging health are a bit more nuanced." Using mortality as a clear endpoint allows scientists to work backward and investigate which biological processes may have contributed to the outcome. These processes can include metabolism, inflammation and the ways cells react to stress.
"If we understand why something happened, we have a greater chance of identifying ways to change it," Creevy said. Rather than focusing on individual molecules, the researchers analyzed thousands of metabolites together to look for larger patterns associated with risk. Creevy said these broader groups can reveal more about what may be taking place inside cells than any single molecule alone.
"Some of my colleagues refer to it as a fingerprint," Creevy said. "We often look at a pattern or grouping that has a relationship with better or worse outcomes rather than just looking at a single molecule." These measurable biological indicators, known as biomarkers, can help researchers estimate the likelihood of certain health outcomes by revealing changes occurring inside the body. "Importantly, those biomarkers do not necessarily cause an outcome; when we find a biomarker associated with sooner or later mortality, we don't know that it's causing it," Creevy said.
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