Anti-aging protein α-Klotho is potential for reducing comorbidity risk of cardiometabolic diseases in vulnerable populations and enhancing long-term prognosis

Abstract This study investigated the impact of anti-aging protein α-Klotho on cardiometabolic diseases (CMDs) among middle-aged and elderly population. A total of 11,198 participants aged 40–79 years were included in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) spanning 2007–2016. S...

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Main Authors: Kai Wang, Jianing Liu
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-05-01
Series:Scientific Reports
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-01580-4
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author Kai Wang
Jianing Liu
author_facet Kai Wang
Jianing Liu
author_sort Kai Wang
collection DOAJ
description Abstract This study investigated the impact of anti-aging protein α-Klotho on cardiometabolic diseases (CMDs) among middle-aged and elderly population. A total of 11,198 participants aged 40–79 years were included in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) spanning 2007–2016. Serum α-Klotho levels were quantified via enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. CMDs comprised cardiovascular disease (CVD), and four metabolic disorders: type 2 diabetes (T2DM), obesity, chronic kidney disease (CKD), and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Weighted logistic regression analysis, subgroup analysis, mediation analysis, restricted cubic splines (RCS), and Cox proportional hazards regression analysis were used. α-Klotho exhibited negative associations with each single CMD except T2DM, and RCS showed U-shape and L-shape dose-response relationships of α-Klotho with risk of T2DM and CKD, respectively. Ordered logistic regression analysis revealed that higher levels of Klotho markedly reduced the cumulative number of metabolic comorbidities complicating CVD (OR 0.56 (0.35, 0.91)). Simple mediation analysis showed CKD may explain up to 20.42% of the association between Klotho and CVD. Notably, α-Klotho’s association with cardiometabolic comorbidities was particularly evident among individuals who were widowed/divorced/separated, non-Hispanic Black, lower-income, or less educated, with hypertension, current smokers, lower leisure and commuting physical activity, but higher work-related physical activity. Regarding long-term effects, higher α-Klotho levels were associated with lower all-cause mortality among participants with CMDs, but not among those without CMDs. Higher α-Klotho levels were associated with lower CMD prevalence, particularly in high-risk cardiovascular populations with lower socioeconomic status and unfavorable lifestyles and reduced all-cause mortality risk among CMD patients.
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spelling doaj-art-a31d2221b09c4e8aa8826c70006c2f422025-08-20T03:53:58ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222025-05-0115111510.1038/s41598-025-01580-4Anti-aging protein α-Klotho is potential for reducing comorbidity risk of cardiometabolic diseases in vulnerable populations and enhancing long-term prognosisKai Wang0Jianing Liu1Medical School, Southeast UniversityMedical Faculty, Ulm UniversityAbstract This study investigated the impact of anti-aging protein α-Klotho on cardiometabolic diseases (CMDs) among middle-aged and elderly population. A total of 11,198 participants aged 40–79 years were included in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) spanning 2007–2016. Serum α-Klotho levels were quantified via enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. CMDs comprised cardiovascular disease (CVD), and four metabolic disorders: type 2 diabetes (T2DM), obesity, chronic kidney disease (CKD), and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Weighted logistic regression analysis, subgroup analysis, mediation analysis, restricted cubic splines (RCS), and Cox proportional hazards regression analysis were used. α-Klotho exhibited negative associations with each single CMD except T2DM, and RCS showed U-shape and L-shape dose-response relationships of α-Klotho with risk of T2DM and CKD, respectively. Ordered logistic regression analysis revealed that higher levels of Klotho markedly reduced the cumulative number of metabolic comorbidities complicating CVD (OR 0.56 (0.35, 0.91)). Simple mediation analysis showed CKD may explain up to 20.42% of the association between Klotho and CVD. Notably, α-Klotho’s association with cardiometabolic comorbidities was particularly evident among individuals who were widowed/divorced/separated, non-Hispanic Black, lower-income, or less educated, with hypertension, current smokers, lower leisure and commuting physical activity, but higher work-related physical activity. Regarding long-term effects, higher α-Klotho levels were associated with lower all-cause mortality among participants with CMDs, but not among those without CMDs. Higher α-Klotho levels were associated with lower CMD prevalence, particularly in high-risk cardiovascular populations with lower socioeconomic status and unfavorable lifestyles and reduced all-cause mortality risk among CMD patients.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-01580-4α-KlothoCardiometabolic diseasesPrevalenceAll-cause mortalityPopulation-specificity
spellingShingle Kai Wang
Jianing Liu
Anti-aging protein α-Klotho is potential for reducing comorbidity risk of cardiometabolic diseases in vulnerable populations and enhancing long-term prognosis
Scientific Reports
α-Klotho
Cardiometabolic diseases
Prevalence
All-cause mortality
Population-specificity
title Anti-aging protein α-Klotho is potential for reducing comorbidity risk of cardiometabolic diseases in vulnerable populations and enhancing long-term prognosis
title_full Anti-aging protein α-Klotho is potential for reducing comorbidity risk of cardiometabolic diseases in vulnerable populations and enhancing long-term prognosis
title_fullStr Anti-aging protein α-Klotho is potential for reducing comorbidity risk of cardiometabolic diseases in vulnerable populations and enhancing long-term prognosis
title_full_unstemmed Anti-aging protein α-Klotho is potential for reducing comorbidity risk of cardiometabolic diseases in vulnerable populations and enhancing long-term prognosis
title_short Anti-aging protein α-Klotho is potential for reducing comorbidity risk of cardiometabolic diseases in vulnerable populations and enhancing long-term prognosis
title_sort anti aging protein α klotho is potential for reducing comorbidity risk of cardiometabolic diseases in vulnerable populations and enhancing long term prognosis
topic α-Klotho
Cardiometabolic diseases
Prevalence
All-cause mortality
Population-specificity
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-01580-4
work_keys_str_mv AT kaiwang antiagingproteinaklothoispotentialforreducingcomorbidityriskofcardiometabolicdiseasesinvulnerablepopulationsandenhancinglongtermprognosis
AT jianingliu antiagingproteinaklothoispotentialforreducingcomorbidityriskofcardiometabolicdiseasesinvulnerablepopulationsandenhancinglongtermprognosis