Donor age
Donor age has been studied in 19 papers since 2016: 8 observational studies in people, 2 in animals, 8 in cells, 1 review; 2 in the past year. The newest paper, May 7, 2026: “Impact of older donor age in kidney transplants in a biopsy-based observational study”.
19 papers study it43 findingsUpdated
Research on it is growing about as fast as aging research as a whole: 16 papers in the latest year counted
“the hazard ratio for grafts from ≥70-year-old donors during 2007-2016 was 1.92”
4 of its findings point the other way.
- 13 independent labs in 10 countries
- 4 findings against
- Funders: National Natural Science Foundation of China and others
- 4 of 40 findings with company ties
- Humans8
- Animals2
- Cells8
What did studies of Donor age find?
30Studies of Donor age measured 30 outcomes; the most studied are cellular senescence (4 studies), 5-year death-censored graft survival (1) and osteogenic differentiation (1).
Cellular senescence
upin humans2upin human cells1downin humans1upin mouse cells1
4 studies
Cellular senescence
upin humans2upin human cells1downin humans1upin mouse cells1
Donor age is linked with higher cellular senescence in humans (baseline lipofuscin deposition in donor livers).
“Elderly donor livers displayed higher baseline lipofuscin accumulation (p < 0.05), consistent with age-associated cellular senescence”
Humansbaseline lipofuscin deposition in donor liverslivern = 267
Age and liver transplantation: a key factor in clinical outcomes? single center study in Argentina
Frontiers in aging
Donor age is linked with lower cellular senescence in humans (older recipients receiving younger donor kidneys).
“older patients who receive younger organs showed a slow but consistent improvement in their initial senescent phenotype.”
Humansolder recipients receiving younger donor kidneys
Does Donor Age Have Effects on Senescence Biomarkers in Kidney-Transplanted Patients?
Antioxidants & redox signaling
Donor age is linked with higher cellular senescence in humans (young recipients receiving older donor kidneys).
“Young patients who receive older organs showed increased mRNA and protein expression of the senescence makers.”
Humansyoung recipients receiving older donor kidneys
Does Donor Age Have Effects on Senescence Biomarkers in Kidney-Transplanted Patients?
Antioxidants & redox signaling
Donor age increases cellular senescence in mouse cells (ADSCs from 20-month versus 1-month donor mice).
“ADSCs from old donors had some senescence-associated changes”
CellsADSCs from 20-month versus 1-month donor miceadipose tissue
The CCL7-CCL2-CCR2 Axis Regulates Age-Related Alterations in ADSCs
Research SquarePreprint
Donor age increases cellular senescence in human cells (older donors (middle-aged and elder groups) compared with children group).
“The hUSCs from the children group showed higher proliferation and lower tendency to senescence than those from the middle-aged and elder groups.”
Cellsolder donors (middle-aged and elder groups) compared with children group
Cytotechnology
5-year death-censored graft survival
no changein humans1downin humans1HR 1.92
1 study
5-year death-censored graft survival
no changein humans1downin humans1HR 1.92
Donor age was not clearly linked with 5-year death-censored graft survival in humans (donors aged ≥70 in 2007-2016 compared with donors aged 60-69 in 1997-2006).
“During 2007-2016, the 5-year death censored graft survival of kidneys from ≥70-year-old donors was comparable to that of kidneys from 60 to 69-year-old donors during 1997-2006.”
Humansdonors aged ≥70 in 2007-2016 compared with donors aged 60-69 in 1997-2006kidney5-year
Kidneys From Elderly Deceased Donors-Is 70 the New 60?
Frontiers in immunology
Donor age is linked with worse 5-year death-censored graft survival in humans (HR 1.92).
“the hazard ratio for grafts from ≥70-year-old donors during 2007-2016 was 1.92”
Humanscompared with grafts from 18-49-year-old donors, country-stratified Cox regression, 2007-2016 donors aged ≥70kidney5-year
Kidneys From Elderly Deceased Donors-Is 70 the New 60?
Frontiers in immunology
osteogenic differentiation
no changein human cells1downin human cells1
1 study
osteogenic differentiation
no changein human cells1downin human cells1
Donor age showed no clear effect on osteogenic differentiation in human cells (middle-aged group (30–40 years) compared with children or elder groups).
“While no significant differences were observed when comparing the middle-aged group with the children group or the elder group.”
Cellsmiddle-aged group (30–40 years) compared with children or elder groups
Cytotechnology
Donor age decreases osteogenic differentiation in human cells (elder donors compared with children group, after osteogenic induction).
“After osteogenic induction, the ALP activity and RUNX2 and OCN expression of hUSCs from the children group were higher than those from the elder group.”
Cellselder donors compared with children group, after osteogenic induction
Cytotechnology
Kidney discard rate
no changein humans1upin humans1OR 5.1
1 study
Kidney discard rate
no changein humans1upin humans1OR 5.1
Donor age was not clearly linked with kidney discard rate in humans (donors aged 50-79 years (groups A-C)) (15.4%, 17.7% and 20.1% in groups A, B and C).
“Kidney discard rate was similar in groups A, B, and C (15.4%, 17.7%, and 20.1%, respectively)”
Humansdonors aged 50-79 years (groups A-C)kidney
Long-Term Outcomes and Discard Rate of Kidneys by Decade of Extended Criteria Donor Age
Clinical journal of the American Society of Nephrology : CJASN
Donor age is linked with higher kidney discard rate in humans (donors aged 80 years and older (group D) compared with donors aged 50-59 years (group A)) (48.2% vs 15.4% in group A; OR 5.1 (95% CI 2.96 to 8.79)).
“and increased in group D (48.2%; odds ratio, 5.1 with A as the reference group; 95% confidence interval, 2.96 to 8.79)”
Humansdonors aged 80 years and older (group D) compared with donors aged 50-59 years (group A)kidney
Long-Term Outcomes and Discard Rate of Kidneys by Decade of Extended Criteria Donor Age
Clinical journal of the American Society of Nephrology : CJASN
Graft rejection
no changein humans1
1 study
Graft rejection
no changein humans1
Donor age was not clearly linked with graft rejection in humans (rejection scores, anticorrelated with recipient age).
“Older donor age correlated with lower glomerular filtration rate (GFR) and increased acute and chronic injury transcripts but had no effect on rejection”
Humansrejection scores, anticorrelated with recipient agekidney
Impact of older donor age in kidney transplants in a biopsy-based observational study
JCI insight
Molecular injury score
upin humans1
1 study
Molecular injury score
upin humans1
Donor age is linked with higher molecular injury score in humans.
“Older donor age had little effect on acute molecular injury immediately after transplant but strongly increased molecular injury scores at later times, peaking about 1-year after transplant”
Humansat later times after transplant, peaking about 1 year; little effect immediately after transplantkidney
Impact of older donor age in kidney transplants in a biopsy-based observational study
JCI insight
Early allograft dysfunction
no changein humans1
1 study
Early allograft dysfunction
no changein humans1
Donor age was not clearly linked with early allograft dysfunction in humans (recipients of elderly versus young donor grafts).
“neither the incidence of EAD nor early RRT differed between recipients of elderly versus young donor grafts”
Humansrecipients of elderly versus young donor graftsn = 267
Age and liver transplantation: a key factor in clinical outcomes? single center study in Argentina
Frontiers in aging
Inflammation
upin humans1
1 study
Inflammation
upin humans1
Donor age is linked with higher inflammation in humans (donor liver expression of IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α, p21 and CCND1).
“elderly donor livers exhibited significantly higher expressions of IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α, p21 and CCND1”
Humansdonor liver expression of IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α, p21 and CCND1livern = 267
Age and liver transplantation: a key factor in clinical outcomes? single center study in Argentina
Frontiers in aging
Overall survival
downin humans1
1 study
Overall survival
downin humans1
Donor age is linked with lower overall survival in humans (recipients of elderly donor grafts compared with younger donor grafts).
“Recipients of elderly donor grafts showed significantly lower OS and GS (p < 0.05).”
Humansrecipients of elderly donor grafts compared with younger donor graftsn = 267
Age and liver transplantation: a key factor in clinical outcomes? single center study in Argentina
Frontiers in aging
Proliferation rate
downin E. caballus cells1
1 study
Proliferation rate
downin E. caballus cells1
Donor age decreases proliferation rate in E. caballus cells (ASCs from juvenile, middle-aged and geriatric horses).
“An age-associated decline in proliferation rates was established, as evidenced by declining alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity.”
CellsASCs from juvenile, middle-aged and geriatric horses
Animals : an open access journal from MDPI
All 30Fewer
What is Donor age linked with?
6Studies link Donor age with 6 measures, most often chronic injury transcripts (1 study), glomerular filtration rate (1) and Bax/Bcl2 ratio (1).
Chronic injury transcripts
upin humans1
1 study
Chronic injury transcripts
upin humans1
Donor age is associated with chronic injury transcripts in humans (evident from the earliest time after transplant).
“older donor age correlated with increased chronic injury and lower GFR, evident from the earliest time after transplant, pretransplant aging”
Humansevident from the earliest time after transplantkidney
Impact of older donor age in kidney transplants in a biopsy-based observational study
JCI insight
Glomerular filtration rate
downin humans1
1 study
Glomerular filtration rate
downin humans1
Donor age is associated with glomerular filtration rate in humans (deceased and living donors, adjusted by multivariable analysis).
“Older donor age correlated with lower glomerular filtration rate (GFR) and increased acute and chronic injury transcripts but had no effect on rejection”
Humansdeceased and living donors, adjusted by multivariable analysiskidney
Impact of older donor age in kidney transplants in a biopsy-based observational study
JCI insight
Bax/Bcl2 ratio
mixedin E. caballus cells1
1 study
Bax/Bcl2 ratio
mixedin E. caballus cells1
Donor age is associated with Bax/Bcl2 ratio in E. caballus cells (ASCs from horses of different ages).
“Apoptotic regulation displayed a shift with aging, as evidenced by alterations in the Bax/Bcl2 ratio, suggesting compromised cell survival in older ASCs.”
CellsASCs from horses of different ages
Animals : an open access journal from MDPI
Intrarenal telomere length
downin humans1
1 study
Intrarenal telomere length
downin humans1
Donor age is associated with intrarenal telomere length in humans (at 5 years after transplantation).
“shorter intrarenal telomere length was associated with male donor gender, older donor age, donor history of hypertension and donor cardiovascular risk”
Humansat 5 years after transplantationkidney
Replicative senescence and arteriosclerosis after kidney transplantation
Nephrology, dialysis, transplantation : official publication of the European Dialysis and Transplant Association - European Renal Association
Lung transplantation outcomes
downin humans1
1 study
Lung transplantation outcomes
downin humans1
Donor age is associated with lung transplantation outcomes in humans (donors over 65 years).
“In lung transplantation, a clear effect was only seen for donors over 65”
Reviewdonors over 65 yearslung
The effects of donor age on organ transplants: A review and implications for aging research
Experimental gerontology
Graft and patient survival
downin humans1
1 study
Graft and patient survival
downin humans1
Donor age is associated with graft and patient survival in humans across liver, kidney, pancreas, heart, lung and cornea transplantation.
“Overall, older donor age is associated with worse outcomes for all the organs studied.”
Reviewacross liver, kidney, pancreas, heart, lung and cornea transplantation
The effects of donor age on organ transplants: A review and implications for aging research
Experimental gerontology