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Review
. 2024 Sep 12;10(19):e37883.
doi: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e37883. eCollection 2024 Oct 15.

Gut aging: A wane from the normal to repercussion and gerotherapeutic strategies

Joseph K Abankwah  1 , Ying Wang  1 , Jida Wang  1 , Susan Enechojo Ogbe  1 , Lisa Dal Pozzo  1 , XiaoQian Chu  1 , YuHong Bian  1
Affiliations
Review

Gut aging: A wane from the normal to repercussion and gerotherapeutic strategies

Joseph K Abankwah et al. Heliyon. .

Abstract

Globally, age-related diseases represent a significant public health concern among the elderly population. In aging, healthy organs and tissues undergo structural and functional changes that put the aged adults at risk of diseases. Some of the age-related diseases include cancer, atherosclerosis, brain disorders, muscle atrophy (sarcopenia), gastrointestinal (GIT) disorders, etc. In organs, a decline in stem cell function is the starting point of many conditions and is extremely important in GIT disorder development. Many studies have established that aging affects stem cells and their surrounding supportive niche components. Although there is a significant advancement in treating intestinal aging, the rising elderly population coupled with a higher occurrence of chronic gut ailments necessitates more effective therapeutic approaches to preserve gut health. Notable therapeutic strategies such as Western medicine, traditional Chinese medicine, and other health-promotion interventions have been reported in several studies to hold promise in mitigating age-related gut disorders. This review highlights findings across various facets of gut aging with a focus on aging-associated changes of intestinal stem cells and their niche components, thus a deviation from the normal to repercussion, as well as essential therapeutic strategies to mitigate intestinal aging.

Keywords: Aging; Intestine; Niche components and gero-therapies; Stem cell.

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Conflict of interest statement

All authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Image 1
Graphical abstract
Fig. 1
Fig. 1
A diagram showing the various ISC niche components supporting crypt-based stem cells in the colon. The figure was adapted with slight modifications from Markandey et al. [15]. (The image was created using Biorender).
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
The homeostatic differentiation and proliferation pattern of ISCs in the presence of niche cues in the small intestine. The figure was adapted with slight modifications from Hohman and Osborne [3]. (The image was created using Biorender).
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
An overview of the intestinal stem niche support to Lgr5 stem cell proliferation to maintain gut health. (The image was created using Biorender).
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
The impaired differentiation pattern of Lgr5+ ISCs skewed toward secretory lineages. The figure was adapted with slight modifications from Hohman and Osborne [3]. (The image was created using Biorender).
Fig. 5
Fig. 5
Impaired tight junction integrity with a high influx of pathogenic microbes. (The image was created using Biorender).
Fig. 6
Fig. 6
Therapeutic intervention against gut aging: Western medicine, Traditional Chinese Medicine and other health interventions. (The image was created using Biorender).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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