Identifying ovarian secreted proteins that drive systemic aging in females
Although women tend to live longer than men, they often spend more years in poor health. One reason is that the ovary, which influences multiple physiological systems, is the first organ to age. Many of the effects of the ovary on women’s healthspan are mediated by ovarian hormones. However, the Amargant i Riera Lab proposes that the ovary secretes additional proteins into the blood that change with age and contribute to age-related health decline. To test this idea, they will identify proteins secreted by ovarian follicles, the functional unit of the ovary, during aging. They will then integrate the identified proteins with established markers of ovarian aging to create the first ovarian functional aging clock. This work will, in the future, lead to development of an assay to predict ovarian functional decline. Such an assay could be used to direct treatments to delay or prevent age-related diseases in women.
