When compared to any other measurable indicators, this makes it the first crystal-clear and trustworthy predictive biomarker of age-related morbidity.

Researchers have found the critical role of a hormone that arises in men during puberty in predicting whether they would develop certain diseases later in life.

The University of Nottingham researchers revealed that INSL3, a novel insulin-like peptide hormone, is consistent over long periods of time and is a notable early biomarker for predicting age-related disease. Today, Frontiers in Endocrinology released their latest findings.

INSL3 is produced by the same cells in the testes that produce testosterone, but unlike testosterone, which fluctuates over the course of a man’s life, INSL3 remains stable, with the amount at puberty remaining virtually the same throughout a man’s life and falling just slightly with age. When compared to any other measurable indicators, this makes it the first crystal-clear and trustworthy predictive biomarker of age-related morbidity.

The findings indicate that a number of age-related diseases, including bone thinning, sexual dysfunction, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease, are correlated with blood levels of INSL3.

The fact that this hormone stays the same over time is very important because it means that a man who has a high INSL3 level when he is young will still have a high INSL3 level when he is older. However, someone who has low INSL3 from a young age will continue to have low INSL3 as they age, rendering them more susceptible to developing common age-related disorders. This creates an intriguing potential for anticipating age-related disorders and figuring out how to intervene early to stop these diseases from developing.

The study was led by Professor Ravinder Anand-Ivell and Professor Richard Ivell. It is the most recent of three studies that have been done on this hormone in the past few years. 

“The holy grail of aging research,” according to professor Ravinder Anand-Ivell, “is to reduce the fitness gap that appears as people age. Understanding why some people are more likely to develop disability and disease as they age is vital so that interventions can be found to ensure people not only live a long life but also a healthy life as they age. 

“Our hormone discovery is an important step in understanding this and will pave the way for not only helping people individually but also helping to ease the care crisis we face as a society.”

The team analyzed blood samples from 3,000 men from eight regional centres in the north, south, east, and west of Europe, including the United Kingdom, with two blood samples collected four years apart. The findings demonstrated that, in contrast to testosterone, INSL3 levels in people are constant.

The study also revealed that there is an over 10-fold fluctuation in INSL3 blood concentration in the general male population, even when they are young and in reasonably good condition.

“Now we know the important role this hormone plays in predicting disease and how it varies amongst men we are turning our attention to finding out what factors have the most influence on the level of INSL3 in the blood,” adds Professor Richard Ivell. 

“Preliminary work suggests early life nutrition may play a role, but many other factors such as genetics or exposure to some environmental endocrine disruptors may play a part.”

Source: 10.3389/fendo.2022.1016107

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