Raya Khanin. Does this name mean anything to you? Yet, one day it could be a name remembered by all. In fact, this researcher led the team that identified hundreds of potential biomarkers involved in the physical signs of aging. A discovery that could revolutionize the world of cosmetics and help develop products that directly target the cause of wrinkles and age-related sagging skin.
The molecules of time
Researchers have been looking for a long time for epigenetic biomarkers (the signs that indicate how behaviors and environments can modify the functioning of our genes) that allow us to estimate the biological age of various organs, including the skin.
Now Khanin and colleagues have decided to go further. The target? Trying to understand whether these biomarkers could really be the key to deciphering the mysteries ofaging skin and the appearance of wrinkles. Apparently, the answer has come.
The study on the "culprits" of wrinkles
The identification of biomarkers involved in skin aging (found here the complete study) started from the analysis of two large data sets.
The first step of this research involved a sample of half a million people participating at the UK Biobank study. These people were asked to answer a rather curious question: "Do people often tell you that you look younger than you are, older or in line with your age?". The responses collected were then related to the genetic variants of each participant, to understand if these could have any effect on facial aging.
The second step saw the researchers link these genetic variants to epigenetic biomarkers in a sample of nearly 7000 people.
But how can we understand if it is precisely these epigenetic biomarkers that cause the visible signs of aging, and is it not simply a correlation? This is where an analysis called Mendelian randomization comes into play. This technique exploits the genetic variations that occur naturally among people as if they were the result of a randomization typical of some studies. In this way, researchers were able to ensure that they identified the actual causes of facial aging.
A discovery that can change everything
The discovery of these molecules could in fact pave the way for new cosmetics that do not simply mask the signs of aging, but fight them at the root.
Imagine a world where anti-aging creams don't just hydrate the skin and temporarily fill wrinkles, but act directly on the molecules that cause aging. A future in which cosmetics is not just a question of beauty, but also of science.
