Dataset Information

Genetics of longevity. data from the studies on Sicilian centenarians.

ABSTRACT: The demographic and social changes of the past decades have determined improvements in public health and longevity. So, the number of centenarians is increasing as a worldwide phenomenon. Scientists have focused their attention on centenarians as optimal model to address the biological mechanisms of "successful and unsuccessful ageing". They are equipped to reach the extreme limits of human life span and, most importantly, to show relatively good health, being able to perform their routine daily life and to escape fatal age-related diseases, such as cardiovascular diseases and cancer. Thus, particular attention has been centered on their genetic background and immune system. In this review, we report our data gathered for over 10 years in Sicilian centenarians. Based on results obtained, we suggest longevity as the result of an optimal performance of immune system and an over-expression of anti-inflammatory sequence variants of immune/inflammatory genes. However, as well known, genetic, epigenetic, stochastic and environmental factors seem to have a crucial role in ageing and longevity. Epigenetics is associated with ageing, as demonstrated in many studies. In particular, ageing is associated with a global loss of methylation state. Thus, the aim of future studies will be to analyze the weight of epigenetic changes in ageing and longevity.

SUBMITTER: Balistreri CR

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3402998 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Genetics of longevity. data from the studies on Sicilian centenarians.

Balistreri Carmela R CR Candore Giuseppina G Accardi Giulia G Bova Manuela M Buffa Silvio S Bulati Matteo M Forte Giusi I GI Listì Florinda F Martorana Adriana A Palmeri Marisa M Pellicanò Mariavaleria M Vaccarino Loredana L Scola Letizia L Lio Domenico D Colonna-Romano Giuseppina G

Immunity & ageing : I & A 20120423 1

The demographic and social changes of the past decades have determined improvements in public health and longevity. So, the number of centenarians is increasing as a worldwide phenomenon. Scientists have focused their attention on centenarians as optimal model to address the biological mechanisms of "successful and unsuccessful ageing". They are equipped to reach the extreme limits of human life span and, most importantly, to show relatively good health, being able to perform their routine daily ...[more]

PMID: 22524430

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Project description:BackgroundLarge fluctuations in blood glucose levels greatly impact the health and life span of elderly individuals. This study describes the characteristics of variability in glycemic indices in centenarians with the aim of emphasizing the importance of glycemic variability in elderly people.MethodsWe recruited individuals from Rugao City, Jiangsu Province, China from April 2020 to May 2021. The study cohort included 60 centenarians and 60 first-generation offspring, as well as 20 randomly selected non-cohabitant control individuals aged 60-80 years. A FreeStyle Libre H (hospital version) continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) device (Abbott Ireland UK) was used to measure glycemic variability. The indices measured included the time in target glucose range (TIR), time below target glucose range (TBR), time above target glucose range (TAR), mean amplitude of glycemic excursions (MAGE), mean of daily differences (MODD), coefficient of variation (CV), standard deviation of blood glucose (SDBG), continuous overlapping net glycemic action (CONGA), glucose management indicator (GMI) and estimated glycated hemoglobin (eHbA1c). Logistic regression was used to analyze the association between glycemic variability and longevity.ResultsMean blood glucose (MBG), eHbA1c, GMI, mean fasting plasma glucose (M-FPG) and CONGA were lower in the centenarian group (p all < 0.05). PPGE-2 was higher in the control group than that measured in the centenarian and first-generation offspring groups (p < 0.05). There were no differences between the groups in MAGE, MODD, MAG, or TIR (p > 0.05). The risk of not achieving longevity increased with each one unit increase in MBG by 126% [2.26 (1.05-4.91)], eHbA1c by 67% [1.67 (1.03-2.72)], GMI by 568% [6.68 (1.11-40.30)], M-FPG by 365% [4.65 (1.57-13.75)], M-PPG1h by 98% [1.98 (1.18-3.31)], CONGA1 by 102% [2.02 (1.01-4.06)], Li by 200% [3.00 (1.04-8.61)], and PPGE-2 by 150% [2.50 (1.39-4.50)]. However, the risk of achieving longevity decreased with each unit increase of LBGI by 53% [0.47 (0.28-0.80)], ADRR by 60% [0.40 (0.18-0.86)], and TBR by 11% [0.89 (0.80-0.98)].ConclusionFluctuation in blood glucose levels in centenarians is relatively small. Maintaining an average blood glucose level and keeping blood glucose fluctuations in the normal range is conducive to longevity.

Project description:Longevity and healthy aging are among the most complex phenotypes studied to date. The heritability of age at death in adulthood is approximately 25 %. Studies of exceptionally long-lived individuals show that heritability is greatest at the oldest ages. Linkage studies of exceptionally long-lived families now support a longevity locus on chromosome 3; other putative longevity loci differ between studies. Candidate gene studies have identified variants at APOE and FOXO3A associated with longevity; other genes show inconsistent results. Genome-wide association scans (GWAS) of centenarians vs. younger controls reveal only APOE as achieving genome-wide significance (GWS); however, analyses of combinations of SNPs or genes represented among associations that do not reach GWS have identified pathways and signatures that converge upon genes and biological processes related to aging. The impact of these SNPs, which may exert joint effects, may be obscured by gene-environment interactions or inter-ethnic differences. GWAS and whole genome sequencing data both show that the risk alleles defined by GWAS of common complex diseases are, perhaps surprisingly, found in long-lived individuals, who may tolerate them by means of protective genetic factors. Such protective factors may 'buffer' the effects of specific risk alleles. Rare alleles are also likely to contribute to healthy aging and longevity. Epigenetics is quickly emerging as a critical aspect of aging and longevity. Centenarians delay age-related methylation changes, and they can pass this methylation preservation ability on to their offspring. Non-genetic factors, particularly lifestyle, clearly affect the development of age-related diseases and affect health and lifespan in the general population. To fully understand the desirable phenotypes of healthy aging and longevity, it will be necessary to examine whole genome data from large numbers of healthy long-lived individuals to look simultaneously at both common and rare alleles, with impeccable control for population stratification and consideration of non-genetic factors such as environment.

Dataset Information

Genetics of longevity. data from the studies on Sicilian centenarians.

Publications

Genetics of longevity. data from the studies on Sicilian centenarians.

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