Despite affecting half of the world's population, menopause has historically been understudied. This natural stage in women's lives, typically occurring around 50 years of age, significantly impacts tissue and organ health and is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular, neurodegenerative, metabolic, and bone diseases.
“"This lack of scientific studies is surprising. Our goal is to fill this gap."
The Functional Transcriptomics and Genomics research group at the Barcelona Supercomputing Center - National Supercomputing Center (BSC-CNS) has published in Nature Aging the most significant work to date on female aging during this life stage. They revealed that not all organs of the female reproductive system age simultaneously. For instance, ovaries begin a slow decline about 10 years before the menopausal phase, while the uterus experiences a very abrupt decline in postmenopause.
This research has identified the genes driving these organ changes, paving the way for future prevention strategies. The objective is twofold: to prevent negative health consequences for women and to advance towards a more comprehensive understanding of female aging for more precise and equitable medicine.
“"We have identified the genes that drive all the changes we see in the organs, which opens the door in the future to design prevention strategies to improve women's quality of life."
The BSC team analyzed over 1,000 tissue images from 304 women aged between 20 and 70, using artificial intelligence and the MareNostrum 5 supercomputer. They compared the results with gene activity data in seven organs (uterus, ovary, vagina, cervix, breast, and fallopian tubes) to identify changes in tissues and molecular processes associated with aging.
The results show that menopause acts as a turning point that profoundly reorganizes other reproductive system organs and tissues. Genes associated with conditions like pelvic prolapse, affecting 40% of postmenopausal women, and genes linked to the rapid decline of vaginal tissue, explaining common vaginal dryness after 60 years of age, have been identified.
A key discovery is that these changes in gene expression can be detected in blood. Researchers analyzed plasma samples from 21,000 women to find biomarkers that allow non-invasive monitoring of this process, anticipating risks like pelvic prolapse without the need for biopsies.
This study builds on previous research by the same group, which revealed that women's immune systems change significantly more with age than men's, increasing the number of inflammatory immune cells. This explains the higher tendency for autoimmune diseases or the worsening of certain inflammatory conditions after menopause. The research emphasizes the importance of a gender perspective in science, utilizing inclusive data and powerful computational resources.
