The human body hosts countless viruses in addition to the other forms of microbe such as bacteria and fungi. Most of these viruses are commensal species, most likely harmless throughout much or all of the life span, playing their parts in the microbial ecosystems that exist within and around the body. At the present time there is considerable enthusiasm for the study of the gut microbiome, and this is one avenue of research in which viruses are being cataloged and their activities considered by researchers. Another avenue is the study of persistent infectious viruses, primarily herpesviruses, and their effects of health over the course of aging. Persistent viruses may contribute meaningfully to age-related immune dysfunction and various age-related diseases. Consider what is known of the effects of cytomegalovirus on the immune system, or the evidence for other herpesvirus species to contribute to the onset and progression of Alzheimer's disease.
In today's open access paper, researchers review what is known of the human virome and its impact on health and aging. At the high level, the theme is that much is yet to be mapped and discovered. Despite considerable progress in gathering data, particularly in recent years, the research community's understanding of the role of viruses in human aging still contains large dark areas and many unknowns. We might think that this is in part the case because we lack a good way to clear viral infections. Given tools that can selectively destroy specific viruses, such as the DRACO system still somewhere in the development process, it would become much easier to determine the activities of various species and their effects on health.
The gut and circulating virome: emerging players in aging and longevity
A growing body of evidence indicates that the human virome, comprising both the gut and circulating viral communities, plays a critical role in shaping host physiology across the lifespan. In the context of aging, this complex viral ecosystem is increasingly recognized as a key modulator of immune function, inflammation, and metabolic balance, with direct implications for healthspan and longevity. While much attention has traditionally focused on bacterial components of the microbiota, recent advances in metagenomics have uncovered age-related shifts in the composition and function of the virome, including expansion of specific bacteriophage families, reactivation of latent viruses, and the persistence of commensal viral pathobionts.
These changes are tightly linked to immunosenescence, chronic inflammation, and neurodegeneration, hallmarks of unhealthy aging. Notably, centenarians appear to harbor a unique virome signature marked by increased viral diversity, enhanced lytic activity, and the enrichment of phage-encoded metabolic functions, suggesting a potential protective role in extreme longevity. Despite these insights, significant challenges remain in virome profiling, including technical biases, database limitations, and the vast proportion of taxonomically unassigned sequences known as "viral dark matter". This review highlights emerging data on the aging virome, underscores its relevance within the Geroscience framework, and discusses current barriers and future directions for translating virome research into clinical aging studies.
View the full article at FightAging
