Epigenetic Age Modulation via Vitamin C Gene Expression

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Current methods fail to effectively address the variation in aging rates and their correlation with environmental factors, lifestyle choices, and physical fitness, particularly in determining or reversing biological age through epigenetic markers like ELOVL2, KLF14, and PENK.

Innovation Solution

Administration of vitamin C or its derivatives to increase the expression level of ELOVL2, KLF14, or PENK genes, thereby decreasing methylation status, which correlates with reduced cell senescence, increased cell proliferation, and a biological age mimicking that of a younger individual.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If current methods are used to determine biological age, then measurement can be performed, but the methods fail to effectively address variation in aging rates and their correlation with environmental factors and lifestyle choices

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebiological age determination accuracyVSAvoidability to address variation in aging rates

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the parameters being measured from general epigenetic markers to specific genes (ELOVL2, KLF14, PENK) whose expression levels and methylation statuses are directly correlated with aging rates and environmental factors. This allows the measurement to adapt to individual variations in aging by monitoring genes that respond to lifestyle choices and environmental exposures.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent segments the biological age determination into multiple independent components: expression levels of ELOVL2, KLF14, and PENK genes, and their respective methylation statuses. This segmentation allows each gene to be evaluated separately, capturing the nuanced effects of environmental factors and lifestyle choices on different aspects of aging.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Measurement precision

If DNA methylation is used to determine age, then age correlation can be established, but the methods cannot effectively reverse or modulate the aging process

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveage correlation accuracyVSAvoidability to modulate or reverse aging

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent establishes a feedback loop where DNA methylation status and gene expression levels are continuously monitored, and this information is used to adjust therapeutic interventions. By measuring the methylation status of ELOVL2, KLF14, and PENK genes and their expression levels, the system provides feedback on the effectiveness of aging-modulating treatments, allowing for optimization of therapeutic strategies to reverse or slow aging.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

3Adaptability or versatility

If therapeutic agents are administered to increase gene expression, then biological age can be modulated, but the effectiveness varies based on individual aging rates and environmental factors

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveability to modulate biological ageVSAvoidconsistency of therapeutic effect

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses feedback from measured expression levels and methylation statuses of ELOVL2, KLF14, and PENK genes to adjust therapeutic agent administration. By continuously monitoring these biomarkers, the system adapts the dosage and type of therapeutic agents to maintain reliable and consistent effects on biological age modulation despite individual variations in aging rates and environmental factors.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The patent monitors multiple parameters (expression levels and methylation statuses of three specific genes) to guide therapeutic intervention. This multi-parameter approach allows for more reliable and consistent modulation of biological age by accounting for individual variations in how different genes respond to environmental factors and lifestyle choices.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The method effectively increases gene expression of ELOVL2, KLF14, or PENK, leading to decreased DNA methylation, reduced cell senescence, and increased cell survival, effectively mimicking a younger biological age.

Implementation Method 1

DNA methylation are utilized, for example, for determining age or changes in the rate of aging based on environmental factors, lifestyle choices, and/or physical fitness

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectDNA methylation:

Implementation Method 2

determining whether the expression level of ELOVL2, KLF14, PENK, or a combination thereof has increased in the first subject relative to a control by contacting the sample with a probe that recognizes ELOVL2, KLF14, or PENK and detecting binding between ELOVL2, KLF14, or PENK and the probe

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectHybridization:

Data Source

PatentUS11279978B2Methods for evaluating, monitoring, and modulating aging process

Publication Date: 2022.03.22 YOUHEALTH ONCOTECH LTD

AI summary

Disclosed herein are methods of increasing the expression rate of epigenetic markers such as ELOVL2, KLF14, and PENK with administration of a therapeutic agent (e.g., vitamin C or its derivatives, analogs, metabolites, prodrugs, or pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof). Also described herein are methods of modulating the methylation pattern of epigenetic markers such as ELOVL2, KLF14, and PENK with administration of a therapeutic agent (e.g., vitamin C or its derivatives, analogs, metabolites, prodrugs, or pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof).