Advances in Gerontology · 2026

The role of lipid metabolism disorders in the activation of cellular aging markers in atherosclerosis in elderly and senile individuals

By Pukhalskaya AE, Sopromadze AG, Medvedev DS et al.

Atherosclerosis is considered as one of the leading age-associated diseases, the development of which is closely related to disorders of lipid metabolism, chronic inflammation and activation of cellular aging mechanisms. During aging, the body undergoes a metabolic restructuring of lipid metabolism, which is accompanied by the accumulation of atherogenic lipids. These processes can be considered a molecular-cellular mechanism of vascular aging, contributing to the progression of atherosclerotic changes and age-related dysfunction of the vascular wall. The aim of the study is to investigate the relationship between lipid metabolism indicators (LDL, ApoB, oxLDL) and markers of cellular aging (CD36, p16INK4a, p53) in atherosclerosis in elderly and senile individuals. A comparative study was conducted involving 310 patients aged 60-89 years: 162 with clinically verified atherosclerosis and 148 individuals in the control group. Lipid metabolism was assessed using biochemical and immunoenzyme methods. The expression of CD36, p16INK4a, and p53 was determined using diagnostic immunocytochemistry of the buccal epithelium. In patients with atherosclerosis, there was a statistically significant increase in the levels of LDL, ApoB, and oxLDL (p<0,001), as well as in the expression of CD36, p16INK4a, and p53 (p<0,001). There were direct correlations between oxLDL and p16INK4a (r=0,62), ApoB and p53 (r=0,55). Disorders of lipid metabolism are associated with the activation of molecular markers of cellular aging and the formation of lipid-mediated vascular aging in elderly and senile individuals.

doi.org/10.34922/ae.2026.39.2.014 Open access PubMed 42378479 Mechanisms