Aging and the Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor in the Regulation of Drug Metabolism [online video]

Authors

Sara Abudahab, Virginia Commonwealth University

Original Publication Date

2022

Document Type

Presentation

Comments

First place winner of the 8th Annual VCU 3MT® Competition, held on October 7, 2022.

Abstract

The research is in the field of pharmacogenetics, investigating epigenetic marks in a liver protein called the Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor (AHR).

Transcription

Did you know that in 2050 there will be around two billion people aged 60 or older? In fact, it is estimated that there will be more older adults than youth aged 10-24. As a society, we are living longer, and this is all good news, right? Yes, but, aging comes with some difficulties. For example, one study found that around 40% of older adults use between four and nine medications. While 18% use 10 or more on a regular basis. To make matters worse, the elderly were found to be seven times more likely, not only to experience a drug reaction but to experience one that needs hospital care.

As a pharmacist I have always been interested in finding ways to increase the safety of medications and in our lab, we focus on pharmacogenetics, which is the study of how our genes affect the way we respond to medications. Think of pharmacogenetics as your drug passport, where we would test certain genes in your body, and depending on the results we would give you a specific drug or a specific dose that is tailored to you! But what if I told you that on top of your genes there are certain tags or marks that we call “epigenetic marks”?

They are basically “switches” telling your body among other things, which genes to turn ON and which genes to turn OFF. And very interestingly, we lose and gain some of these epigenetic marks with age in a very systematic pattern. To the point where we can actually use them to predict very accurately the age of a person and scientists call them “epigenetic clocks”.

Applying this amazing concept to my own research, we are investigating these epigenetic marks in a liver protein called AHR. AHR regulates the production of liver enzymes that break down the medications that we consume. And we found using mice livers, that one epigenetic mark actually decreases with age at the AHR gene, and now we want to find to which extent does that affect drug metabolism with age.

So in a nutshell, think of this as an additional page that can be added to your pharmacogenetic passport, a page that will be updated as you age. So not only will you be treated differently than others, even your 60-year-old self could be treated differently than you would now!

Rights

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