Aging Biomarkers in Assessing the Efficacy of Geroprotective Therapy: Problems and Prospects

Biomarkers are biological indicators that may be used to evaluate the functional status of an organism, monitor the aging process, and predict the transition of it to a pathological state. Age-related changes in gene expression determine the development of specific age-related phenotypes considered as biomarkers of aging, such as changes in chromatin structure, loss of proteostasis, mitochondrial dysfunction, impaired intercellular communication, chronic inflammation, and imbalances in nutrient uptake. Aging biomarkers are considered to be essential in developing techniques to assess the efficacy of geroprotective treatments. In this context, assessment of the possibility, feasibility, and limitations of the practical use of biomarkers requires a thorough understanding of their molecular nature and careful evidence of their objective association with aging and lifespan. The review considers the data on the effectiveness of the influence of several geroprotectors on aging biomarkers and the lifespan of model organisms and discusses the prospects for using biomarkers of aging to evaluate the efficacy of drug therapy for aging.