Genetic signatures of exceptional longevity in humans. PLoS One. 2012;7:e29848. [PMID: 22279548 PMCID: PMC3261167 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0029848]

Response to Replication Stress and Maintenance of Genome Stability by WRN, the Werner Syndrome Protein

Werner syndrome (WS) is an autosomal recessive disease caused by loss of function of WRN. WS is a segmental progeroid disease and shows early onset or increased frequency of many characteristics of normal aging. WRN possesses helicase, annealing, strand exchange, and exonuclease activities and acts on a variety of DNA substrates, even complex replication and recombination intermediates. Here, we review the genetics, biochemistry, and probably physiological functions of the WRN protein. Although its precise role is unclear, evidence suggests WRN plays a role in pathways that respond to replication stress and maintain genome stability particularly in telomeric regions.

SuperAgers and centenarians, dynamics of healthy ageing with cognitive resilience

Graceful healthy ageing and extended longevity is the most desired goal for human race. The process of ageing is inevitable and has a profound impact on the gradual deterioration of our physiology and health since it triggers the onset of many chronic conditions like dementia, osteoporosis, diabetes, arthritis, cancer, and cardiovascular disease. However, some people who lived/live more than 100 years called 'Centenarians" and how do they achieve their extended lifespans are not completely understood. Studying these unknown factors of longevity is important not only to establish a longer human lifespan but also to manage and treat people with shortened lifespans suffering from age-related morbidities. Furthermore, older adults who maintain strong cognitive function are referred to as "SuperAgers" and may be resistant to risk factors linked to cognitive decline. Investigating the mechanisms underlying their cognitive resilience may contribute to the development of therapeutic strategies that support the preservation of cognitive function as people age. The key to a long, physically, and cognitively healthy life has been a mystery to scientists for ages. Developments in the medical sciences helps us to a better understanding of human physiological function and greater access to medical care has led us to an increase in life expectancy. Moreover, inheriting favorable genetic traits and adopting a healthy lifestyle play pivotal roles in promoting longer and healthier lives. Engaging in regular physical activity, maintaining a balanced diet, and avoiding harmful habits such as smoking contribute to overall well-being. The synergy between positive lifestyle choices, access to education, socio-economic factors, environmental determinants and genetic supremacy enhances the potential for a longer and healthier life. Our article aims to examine the factors associated with healthy ageing, particularly focusing on cognitive health in centenarians. We will also be discussing different aspects of ageing including genomic instability, metabolic burden, oxidative stress and inflammation, mitochondrial dysfunction, cellular senescence, immunosenescence, and sarcopenia.

Learning Gaussian Graphical Models from Correlated Data

Gaussian Graphical Models (GGM) have been widely used in biomedical research to explore complex relationships between many variables. There are well established procedures to build GGMs from a sample of independent and identical distributed observations. However, many studies include clustered and longitudinal data that result in correlated observations and ignoring this correlation among observations can lead to inflated Type I error. In this paper, we propose a Bootstrap algorithm to infer GGM from correlated data. We use extensive simulations of correlated data from family-based studies to show that the Bootstrap method does not inflate the Type I error while retaining statistical power compared to alternative solutions. We apply our method to learn the GGM that represents complex relations between 47 Polygenic Risk Scores generated using genome-wide genotype data from a family-based study known as the Long Life Family Study. By comparing it to the conventional methods that ignore within-cluster correlation, we show that our method controls the Type I error well in this real example.

Analysis of epigenetic clocks links yoga, sleep, education, reduced meat intake, coffee, and a SOCS2 gene variant to slower epigenetic aging

DNA methylation (DNAm) clocks hold promise for measuring biological age, useful for guiding clinical interventions and forensic identification. This study compared the commonly used DNAm clocks, using DNA methylation and SNP data generated from nearly 1000 human blood or buccal swab samples. We evaluated different preprocessing methods for age estimation, investigated the association of epigenetic age acceleration (EAA) with various lifestyle and sociodemographic factors, and undertook a series of novel genome-wide association analyses for different EAA measures to find associated genetic variants. Our results highlighted the Skin&Blood clock with ssNoob normalization as the most accurate predictor of chronological age. We provided novel evidence for an association between the practice of yoga and a reduction in the pace of aging (DunedinPACE). Increased sleep and physical activity were associated with lower mortality risk score (MRS) in our dataset. University degree, vegetable consumption, and coffee intake were associated with reduced levels of epigenetic aging, whereas smoking, higher BMI, meat consumption, and manual occupation correlated well with faster epigenetic aging, with FitAge, GrimAge, and DunedinPACE clocks showing the most robust associations. In addition, we found a novel association signal for SOCS2 rs73218878 (p = 2.87 × 10-8) and accelerated GrimAge. Our study emphasizes the importance of an optimized DNAm analysis workflow for accurate estimation of epigenetic age, which may influence downstream analyses. The results support the influence of genetic background on EAA. The associated SOCS2 is a member of the suppressor of cytokine signaling family known for its role in human longevity. The reported association between various risk factors and EAA has practical implications for the development of health programs to improve quality of life and reduce premature mortality associated with age-related diseases.

Genetics of human longevity: From variants to genes to pathways

The current increase in lifespan without an equivalent increase in healthspan poses a grave challenge to the healthcare system and a severe burden on society. However, some individuals seem to be able to live a long and healthy life without the occurrence of major debilitating chronic diseases, and part of this trait seems to be hidden in their genome. In this review, we discuss the findings from studies on the genetic component of human longevity and the main challenges accompanying these studies. We subsequently focus on results from genetic studies in model organisms and comparative genomic approaches to highlight the most important conserved longevity-associated pathways. By combining the results from studies using these different approaches, we conclude that only five main pathways have been consistently linked to longevity, namely (1) insulin/insulin-like growth factor 1 signalling, (2) DNA-damage response and repair, (3) immune function, (4) cholesterol metabolism and (5) telomere maintenance. As our current approaches to study the relevance of these pathways in humans are limited, we suggest that future studies on the genetics of human longevity should focus on the identification and functional characterization of rare genetic variants in genes involved in these pathways.

A CRISPR base editing approach for the functional assessment of telomere biology disorder-related genes in human health and aging

Telomere Biology Disorders (TBDs) are a group of rare diseases characterized by the presence of short and/or dysfunctional telomeres. They comprise a group of bone marrow failure syndromes, idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, and liver disease, among other diseases. Genetic alterations (variants) in the genes responsible for telomere homeostasis have been linked to TBDs. Despite the number of variants already identified as pathogenic, an even more significant number must be better understood. The study of TBDs is challenging since identifying these variants is difficult due to their rareness, it is hard to predict their impact on the disease onset, and there are not enough samples to study. Most of our knowledge about pathogenic variants comes from assessing telomerase activity from patients and their relatives affected by a TBD. However, we still lack a cell-based model to identify new variants and to study the long-term impact of such variants on the genes involved in TBDs. Herein, we present a cell-based model using CRISPR base editing to mutagenize the endogenous alleles of 21 genes involved in telomere biology. We identified key residues in the genes encoding 17 different proteins impacting cell growth. We provide functional evidence for variants of uncertain significance in patients with TBDs. We also identified variants resistant to telomerase inhibition that, similar to cells expressing wild-type telomerase, exhibited increased tumorigenic potential using an in vitro tumour growth assay. We believe that such cell-based approaches will significantly advance our understanding of the biology of TBDs and may contribute to the development of new therapies for this group of diseases.

Genetic associations with longevity are on average stronger in females than in males

It is long observed that females tend to live longer than males in nearly every country. However, the underlying mechanism remains elusive. In this study, we discovered that genetic associations with longevity are on average stronger in females than in males through bio-demographic analyses of genome-wide association studies (GWAS) dataset of 2178 centenarians and 2299 middle-age controls of Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Study (CLHLS). This discovery is replicated across North and South regions of China, and is further confirmed by North-South discovery/replication analyses of different and independent datasets of Chinese healthy aging candidate genes with CLHLS participants who are not in CLHLS GWAS, including 2972 centenarians and 1992 middle-age controls. Our polygenic risk score analyses of eight exclusive groups of sex-specific genes, analyses of sex-specific and not-sex-specific individual genes, and Genome-wide Complex Trait Analysis using all SNPs all reconfirm that genetic associations with longevity are on average stronger in females than in males. Our discovery/replication analyses are based on genetic datasets of in total 5150 centenarians and compatible middle-age controls, which comprises the worldwide largest sample of centenarians. The present study's findings may partially explain the well-known male-female health-survival paradox and suggest that genetic variants may be associated with different reactions between males and females to the same vaccine, drug treatment and/or nutritional intervention. Thus, our findings provide evidence to steer away from traditional view that "one-size-fits-all" for clinical interventions, and to consider sex differences for improving healthcare efficiency. We suggest future investigations focusing on effects of interactions between sex-specific genetic variants and environment on longevity as well as biological function.

The Phenotypic Characterization of the Oldest Italian Man from December 28, 2020, to September 23, 2021, A.T., Strengthens the Idea That the Immune System can Play a Key Role in the Attainment of Extreme Longevity

In this paper, we present demographic, clinical, anamnestic, cognitive, and functional data, as well as haematological, haematochemical, immunological, and genetic parameters of an exceptional individual: A.T., a semi-supercentenarian who held the title of the oldest living Italian male centenarian from 28 December 2020, to 23 September 2021. The purpose of this study is to provide fresh insights into extreme phenotypes, with a particular focus on immune-inflammatory parameters. To the best of our knowledge, this study represents the first phenotypic investigation of a semi-supercentenarian, illustrating both INFLA-score, a metric designed to assess the cumulative impact of inflammatory markers and indicators of age-related immune phenotype (ARIP), recognized as significant gauges of biological ageing. The aim of this study was, indeed, to advance our understanding of the role of immune-inflammatory responses in achieving extreme longevity. The results of laboratory tests, as well as clinical history and interview data, when compared to the results of our recent study on Sicilian centenarians, demonstrate an excellent state of health considering his age. Consistent with previous studies, we observed increased IL-6 inflammatory markers and INFLA score in A.T. More interestingly, the semi-supercentenarian showed values of ARIP indicators such as naïve CD4+ cells, CD4+/CD8+ ratio, and CD4+TN/TM ratio in the range of young adult individuals, suggesting that his immune system's biological age was younger than the chronological one. The results support the notion that the immune system can play a role in promoting extreme longevity. However, this does not rule out the involvement of other body systems or organs in achieving extreme longevity.

Evidence of survival bias in the association between APOE-ϵ4 and age of ischemic stroke onset

Large genome-wide association studies (GWAS) employing case-control study designs have now identified tens of loci associated with ischemic stroke (IS). As a complement to these studies, we performed GWAS in a case-only design to identify loci influencing age at onset (AAO) of ischemic stroke. Analyses were conducted in a Discovery cohort of 10,857 ischemic stroke cases using a linear regression framework. We meta-analyzed all SNPs with p-value < 1×10-5 in a sex-combined or sex-stratified analysis using summary data from two additional replication cohorts. In the women-only meta-analysis, we detected significant evidence for association of AAO with rs429358, an exonic variant in APOE that encodes for the APOE-ϵ4 allele. Each copy of the rs429358:T>C allele was associated with a 1.29 years earlier stroke AOO (meta p-value = 2.48×10-11). This APOE variant has previously been associated with increased mortality and ischemic stroke AAO. We hypothesized that the association with AAO may reflect a survival bias attributable to an age-related decline in mortality among APOE-ϵ4 carriers and have no association to stroke AAO per se. Using a simulation study, we found that a variant associated with overall mortality might indeed be detected with an AAO analysis. A variant with a two-fold increase on mortality risk would lead to an observed effect of AAO that is comparable to what we found. In conclusion, we detected a robust association of the APOE locus with stroke AAO and provided simulations to suggest that this association may be unrelated to ischemic stroke per se but related to a general survival bias.

Long life: Aging and the anxieties of longevity from the premodern to the present

The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed concerns around life span and aging, but these tensions and anxieties around longevity are not new. Physicians, scientists, and philosophers have been meditating on the idea and consequences of life extension for many centuries. In this short article, we put into conversation some of the ways that people have understood longevity from the early modern period to the present. We trace the history of texts like Alvise Cornaro's Treatise on the Sober Life through present-day dieting manuals, consider accounts of extreme old age from Old Man Parr in the sixteenth century to Jeanne Calment in the twentieth, and reflect on the role of caretakers for older adults, from Gabriele Zerbi's fifteenth-century gerontocomos to graphic novel representations of aging parents in the present. Our goal is to represent the history of human longevity and aging as integrated, dynamic processes, helping us better explain and address the present treatment of elders and how to improve their care in the future.

Discovering Biological Mechanisms of Exceptional Human Health Span and Life Span

Humans age at different rates and families with exceptional longevity provide an opportunity to understand why some people age slower than others. Unique features exhibited by centenarians include a family history of extended life span, compression of morbidity with resultant extension of health span, and longevity-associated biomarker profiles. These biomarkers, including low-circulating insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) and elevated high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol levels, are associated with functional genotypes that are enriched in centenarians, suggesting that they may be causative for longevity. While not all genetic discoveries from centenarians have been validated, in part due to exceptional life span being a rare phenotype in the general population, the APOE2 and FOXO3a genotypes have been confirmed in a number of populations with exceptional longevity. However, life span is now recognized as a complex trait and genetic research methods to study longevity are rapidly extending beyond classical Mendelian genetics to polygenic inheritance methodologies. Moreover, newer approaches are suggesting that pathways that have been recognized for decades to control life span in animals may also regulate life span in humans. These discoveries led to strategic development of therapeutics that may delay aging and prolong health span.

Current Trends in Anti-Aging Strategies

The process of aging manifests from a highly interconnected network of biological cascades resulting in the degradation and breakdown of every living organism over time. This natural development increases risk for numerous diseases and can be debilitating. Academic and industrial investigators have long sought to impede, or potentially reverse, aging in the hopes of alleviating clinical burden, restoring functionality, and promoting longevity. Despite widespread investigation, identifying impactful therapeutics has been hindered by narrow experimental validation and the lack of rigorous study design. In this review, we explore the current understanding of the biological mechanisms of aging and how this understanding both informs and limits interpreting data from experimental models based on these mechanisms. We also discuss select therapeutic strategies that have yielded promising data in these model systems with potential clinical translation. Lastly, we propose a unifying approach needed to rigorously vet current and future therapeutics and guide evaluation toward efficacious therapies.

Diabetic Neuropathy of the Retina and Inflammation: Perspectives

A clear connection exists between diabetes and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. Consequently, therapeutic approaches that target both diseases are needed. Clinical trials are currently underway to explore the roles of obesity, adipose tissue, gut microbiota, and pancreatic beta cell function in diabetes. Inflammation plays a key role in diabetes pathophysiology and associated metabolic disorders; thus, interest has increased in targeting inflammation to prevent and control diabetes. Diabetic retinopathy is known as a neurodegenerative and vascular disease that occurs after some years of poorly controlled diabetes. However, increasing evidence points to inflammation as a key figure in diabetes-associated retinal complications. Interconnected molecular pathways, such as oxidative stress, and the formation of advanced glycation end-products, are known to contribute to the inflammatory response. This review describes the possible mechanisms of the metabolic changes in diabetes that involve inflammatory pathways.

High-throughput sequencing analysis of nuclear-encoded mitochondrial genes reveals a genetic signature of human longevity

Mitochondrial dysfunction is a well-known contributor to aging and age-related diseases. The precise mechanisms through which mitochondria impact human lifespan, however, remain unclear. We hypothesize that humans with exceptional longevity harbor rare variants in nuclear-encoded mitochondrial genes (mitonuclear genes) that confer resistance against age-related mitochondrial dysfunction. Here we report an integrated functional genomics study to identify rare functional variants in ~ 660 mitonuclear candidate genes discovered by target capture sequencing analysis of 496 centenarians and 572 controls of Ashkenazi Jewish descent. We identify and prioritize longevity-associated variants, genes, and mitochondrial pathways that are enriched with rare variants. We provide functional gene variants such as those in MTOR (Y2396Lfs*29), CPS1 (T1406N), and MFN2 (G548*) as well as LRPPRC (S1378G) that is predicted to affect mitochondrial translation. Taken together, our results suggest a functional role for specific mitonuclear genes and pathways in human longevity.

Convergent genomics of longevity in rockfishes highlights the genetics of human life span variation

Longevity is a defining, heritable trait that varies dramatically between species. To resolve the genetic regulation of this trait, we have mined genomic variation in rockfishes, which range in longevity from 11 to over 205 years. Multiple shifts in rockfish longevity have occurred independently and in a short evolutionary time frame, thus empowering convergence analyses. Our analyses reveal a common network of genes under convergent evolution, encompassing established aging regulators such as insulin signaling, yet also identify flavonoid (aryl-hydrocarbon) metabolism as a pathway modulating longevity. The selective pressures on these pathways indicate the ancestral state of rockfishes was long lived and that the changes in short-lived lineages are adaptive. These pathways were also used to explore genome-wide association studies of human longevity, identifying the aryl-hydrocarbon metabolism pathway to be significantly associated with human survival to the 99th percentile. This evolutionary intersection defines and cross-validates a previously unappreciated genetic architecture that associates with the evolution of longevity across vertebrates.

Associations of Alzheimer Disease-Protective APOE Variants With Age-Related Macular Degeneration

Importance

The association of major lipid genes with and their potential as drug targets for age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is unknown. These associations are important to study because AMD is the leading cause of irreversible late-onset blindness in high-income countries.

Objective

To determine whether the full range of structural genetic variation in apolipoprotein E (APOE), a master gene in peripheral and cerebral lipid metabolism, is associated with risk of AMD.

Design, Setting, and Participants

This cohort study used data from the Copenhagen City Heart Study (CCHS) and the Copenhagen General Population Study (CGPS) cohorts. Participants were followed from study inclusion at the time of blood sampling to occurrence of event, death, emigration, or December 7, 2018, whichever came first. For participants in CCHS, the APOE gene was sequenced, and 9 variants with a heterozygote frequency of at least 0.0002 were genotyped in the CGPS. Observers were masked to patient groupings. Data were analyzed from March to September 2021.

Exposures

The exposure was APOE status, and the direct gene product in plasma, apoE levels, was measured in all participants.

Main Outcomes and Measures

Cox regression was applied to estimate risk of AMD associated with APOE genotype.

Results

A total of 105 546 participants (mean [SD] age, 57.7 [13.4] years; 58 140 [55%] female participants) were included. Compared with participants with the common ɛ33 genotype, risk of AMD was lower in participants with ε44 (multifactorially adjusted hazard ratio [aHR], 0.66; 95% CI, 0.45-0.96) and ε43 (aHR, 0.80; 95% CI, 0.71-0.90) genotypes and higher in the ε32 (aHR, 1.15; 95% CI, 1.00-1.31) genotype. Compared with noncarriers, risk of AMD was higher for participants with Gly145Asp (aHR, 3.53; 95% CI, 1.14-10.96) and Arg154Cys (aHR, 4.52; 95% CI, 1-13-18.13) heterozygotes. Results were similar after further adjustment for lipid traits and after adjustment for the APOE ε2/ε3/ε4 variant. Combining all common and rare structural variants in a weighted allele score, risk of AMD per 1-mg/dL genetically higher plasma apoE was increased in the adjusted model (aHR, 1.12; 95% CI, 1.05-1.19), the adjusted model plus APOE ɛ2/ɛ3/ɛ4 status (aHR, 1.82; 95% CI, 1.20-2.76), and the adjusted model in individuals with the ε33 genotype only (aHR, 1.77; 95% CI, 1.14-2.75).

Conclusions and Relevance

These findings highlight that structural variation in APOE beyond the ε2/ε3/ε4 variants may be important for risk of AMD in a population of European ancestry. Rare functional ɛ2-like variants in APOE have previously been reported to have protective associations for Alzheimer disease but the present findings suggest a simultaneous high risk of AMD. This would limit the drug target potential of mechanisms resembling these variants.

Research priorities for measuring biologic age: summary and future directions from the Research Centers Collaborative Network Workshop

Biologic aging reflects the genetic, molecular, and cellular changes underlying the development of morbidity and mortality with advancing chronological age. As several potential mechanisms have been identified, there is a growing interest in developing robust measures of biologic age that can better reflect the underlying biology of aging and predict age-related outcomes. To support this endeavor, the Research Centers Collaborative Network (RCCN) conducted a workshop in January 2022 to discuss emerging concepts in the field and identify opportunities to move the science forward. This paper presents workshop proceedings and summarizes the identified research needs, priorities, and recommendations for measuring biologic age. The highest priorities identified were the need for more robust measures, longitudinal studies, multidisciplinary collaborations, and translational approaches.

Using Blood Transcriptome Analysis to Determine the Changes in Immunity and Metabolism of Giant Pandas with Age

A low reproductive rate coupled with human activities has endangered the giant panda, a species endemic to southwest China. Although giant pandas feed almost exclusively on bamboo, they retain carnivorous traits and suffer from carnivorous diseases. Additionally, their immune system is susceptible to aging, resulting in a reduced ability to respond to diseases. This study aimed to determine the genes and pathways expressed differentially with age in blood tissues. The differentially expressed genes in different age groups of giant pandas were identified by RNA-seq. The elderly giant pandas had many differentially expressed genes compared with the young group (3 years old), including 548 upregulated genes and 401 downregulated genes. Further, functional enrichment revealed that innate immune upregulation and adaptive immune downregulation were observed in the elderly giant pandas compared with the young giant pandas. Meanwhile, the immune genes in the elderly giant pandas changed considerably, including genes involved in innate immunity and adaptive immunity such as PLSCR1, CLEC7A, CCL5, CCR9, and EPAS1. Time series analysis found that giant pandas store glycogen by prioritizing fat metabolism at age 11, verifying changes in the immune system. The results reported in this study will provide a foundation for further research on disease prevention and the energy metabolism of giant pandas.

Optimizing Translational Research for Exceptional Health and Life Span: A Systematic Narrative of Studies to Identify Translatable Therapeutic Target(s) for Exceptional Health Span in Humans

BACKGROUND

Exceptional longevity as manifested by the lower incidence and delayed onset of age-related disabilities/diseases that include cardiovascular disease, Alzheimer's disease, cancer is believed to be influenced by inherent protective molecular factors in exceptionally long-lived individuals. Unraveling these protective factors could lead to the discovery of therapeutic target(s) and interventions to promote healthy aging.

METHODS

In this context, the National Institute on Aging has established a collection of translational longevity research projects (ie, the Long-Life Family Study, the Longevity Consortium, Longevity Genomics, and the Integrative Longevity Omics) which are generating large omics data sets spanning the human genome to phenome and have embarked on cross-species multiomic data analyses integrating human and nonhuman species that display wide variation in their life spans.

RESULTS

It is expected that these studies will discover key signaling pathways that influence exceptional health span and identify therapeutic targets for translation to enhance health and life span. Other efforts related to translational longevity research include the "Comprehensive Evaluation of Aging-Related Clinical Outcomes and Geroproteins study," which focuses on potential effects in humans of polypeptides/proteins whose circulating levels change with age, and for which experimental evidence indicates reversal or acceleration of aging changes. The "Predictive Human Mechanistic Markers Network" is devoted to the development of predictive markers of aging, for target engagement when testing novel interventions for healthy aging.

CONCLUSION

We describe here the significance, the unique study design, categories of data sets, analytical strategies, and a data portal to facilitate open science and sharing of resources from these longevity studies to identify and validate potential therapeutic targets for healthy aging.

Evaluation of GENESIS, SAIGE, REGENIE and fastGWA-GLMM for genome-wide association studies of binary traits in correlated data

Performing a genome-wide association study (GWAS) with a binary phenotype using family data is a challenging task. Using linear mixed effects models is typically unsuitable for binary traits, and numerical approximations of the likelihood function may not work well with rare genetic variants with small counts. Additionally, imbalance in the case-control ratios poses challenges as traditional statistical methods such as the Score test or Wald test perform poorly in this setting. In the last couple of years, several methods have been proposed to better approximate the likelihood function of a mixed effects logistic regression model that uses Saddle Point Approximation (SPA). SPA adjustment has recently been implemented in multiple software, including GENESIS, SAIGE, REGENIE and fastGWA-GLMM: four increasingly popular tools to perform GWAS of binary traits. We compare Score and SPA tests using real family data to evaluate computational efficiency and the agreement of the results. Additionally, we compare various ways to adjust for family relatedness, such as sparse and full genetic relationship matrices (GRM) and polygenic effect estimates. We use the New England Centenarian Study imputed genotype data and the Long Life Family Study whole-genome sequencing data and the binary phenotype of human extreme longevity to compare the agreement of the results and tools’ computational performance. The evaluation suggests that REGENIE might not be a good choice when analyzing correlated data of a small size. fastGWA-GLMM is the most computationally efficient compared to the other three tools, but it appears to be overly conservative when applied to family-based data. GENESIS, SAIGE and fastGWA-GLMM produced similar, although not identical, results, with SPA adjustment performing better than Score tests. Our evaluation also demonstrates the importance of adjusting by full GRM in highly correlated datasets when using GENESIS or SAIGE.

Long-Lived Individuals Show a Lower Burden of Variants Predisposing to Age-Related Diseases and a Higher Polygenic Longevity Score

Longevity is a complex phenotype influenced by both environmental and genetic factors. The genetic contribution is estimated at about 25%. Despite extensive research efforts, only a few longevity genes have been validated across populations. Long-lived individuals (LLI) reach extreme ages with a relative low prevalence of chronic disability and major age-related diseases (ARDs). We tested whether the protection from ARDs in LLI can partly be attributed to genetic factors by calculating polygenic risk scores (PRSs) for seven common late-life diseases (Alzheimer's disease (AD), atrial fibrillation (AF), coronary artery disease (CAD), colorectal cancer (CRC), ischemic stroke (ISS), Parkinson's disease (PD) and type 2 diabetes (T2D)). The examined sample comprised 1351 German LLI (≥94 years, including 643 centenarians) and 4680 German younger controls. For all ARD-PRSs tested, the LLI had significantly lower scores than the younger control individuals (areas under the curve (AUCs): ISS = 0.59, p = 2.84 × 10-35; AD = 0.59, p = 3.16 × 10-25; AF = 0.57, p = 1.07 × 10-16; CAD = 0.56, p = 1.88 × 10-12; CRC = 0.52, p = 5.85 × 10-3; PD = 0.52, p = 1.91 × 10-3; T2D = 0.51, p = 2.61 × 10-3). We combined the individual ARD-PRSs into a meta-PRS (AUC = 0.64, p = 6.45 × 10-15). We also generated two genome-wide polygenic scores for longevity, one with and one without the TOMM40/APOE/APOC1 gene region (AUC (incl. TOMM40/APOE/APOC1) = 0.56, p = 1.45 × 10-5, seven variants; AUC (excl. TOMM40/APOE/APOC1) = 0.55, p = 9.85 × 10-3, 10,361 variants). Furthermore, the inclusion of nine markers from the excluded region (not in LD with each other) plus the APOE haplotype into the model raised the AUC from 0.55 to 0.61. Thus, our results highlight the importance of TOMM40/APOE/APOC1 as a longevity hub.

TOMM40 genetic variants associated with healthy aging and longevity: a systematic review

Introduction

Healthy aging relies on mitochondrial functioning because this organelle provides energy and diminishes oxidative stress. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in TOMM40, a critical gene that produces the outer membrane protein TOM40 of mitochondria, have been associated with mitochondrial dysfunction and neurodegenerative processes. Yet it is not clear whether or how the mitochondria may impact human longevity. We conducted this review to ascertain which SNPs have been associated with markers of healthy aging.

Methods

Using the PRISMA methodology, we conducted a systematic review on PubMed and Embase databases to identify associations between TOMM40 SNPs and measures of longevity and healthy aging.

Results

Twenty-four articles were selected. The TOMM40 SNPs rs2075650 and rs10524523 were the two most commonly identified and studied SNPs associated with longevity. The outcomes associated with the TOMM40 SNPs were changes in BMI, brain integrity, cognitive functions, altered inflammatory network, vulnerability to vascular risk factors, and longevity.

Discussions

Our systematic review identified multiple TOMM40 SNPs potentially associated with healthy aging. Additional research can help to understand mechanisms in aging, including resilience, prevention of disease, and adaptation to the environment.

The Functional Role of Long Non-Coding RNA in Myogenesis and Skeletal Muscle Atrophy

Skeletal muscle is a pivotal organ in humans that maintains locomotion and homeostasis. Muscle atrophy caused by sarcopenia and cachexia, which results in reduced muscle mass and impaired skeletal muscle function, is a serious health condition that decreases life longevity in humans. Recent studies have revealed the molecular mechanisms by which long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) regulate skeletal muscle mass and function through transcriptional regulation, fiber-type switching, and skeletal muscle cell proliferation. In addition, lncRNAs function as natural inhibitors of microRNAs and induce muscle hypertrophy or atrophy. Intriguingly, muscle atrophy modifies the expression of thousands of lncRNAs. Therefore, although their exact functions have not yet been fully elucidated, various novel lncRNAs associated with muscle atrophy have been identified. Here, we comprehensively review recent knowledge on the regulatory roles of lncRNAs in skeletal muscle atrophy. In addition, we discuss the issues and possibilities of targeting lncRNAs as a treatment for skeletal muscle atrophy and muscle wasting disorders in humans.

How Important Are Genes to Achieve Longevity?

Several studies on the genetics of longevity have been reviewed in this paper. The results show that, despite efforts and new technologies, only two genes, APOE and FOXO3A, involved in the protection of cardiovascular diseases, have been shown to be associated with longevity in nearly all studies. This happens because the genetic determinants of longevity are dynamic and depend on the environmental history of a given population. In fact, population-specific genes are thought to play a greater role in the attainment of longevity than those shared between different populations. Hence, it is not surprising that GWAS replicated associations of common variants with longevity have been few, if any, as these studies pool together different populations. An alternative way might be the study of long-life families. This type of approach is proving to be an ideal resource for uncovering protective alleles and associated biological signatures for healthy aging phenotypes and exceptional longevity.

Targeted protein degradation: from small molecules to complex organelles-a Keystone Symposia report

Targeted protein degradation is critical for proper cellular function and development. Protein degradation pathways, such as the ubiquitin proteasomes system, autophagy, and endosome-lysosome pathway, must be tightly regulated to ensure proper elimination of misfolded and aggregated proteins and regulate changing protein levels during cellular differentiation, while ensuring that normal proteins remain unscathed. Protein degradation pathways have also garnered interest as a means to selectively eliminate target proteins that may be difficult to inhibit via other mechanisms. On June 7 and 8, 2021, several experts in protein degradation pathways met virtually for the Keystone eSymposium "Targeting protein degradation: from small molecules to complex organelles." The event brought together researchers working in different protein degradation pathways in an effort to begin to develop a holistic, integrated vision of protein degradation that incorporates all the major pathways to understand how changes in them can lead to disease pathology and, alternatively, how they can be leveraged for novel therapeutics.

Distribution of 54 polygenic risk scores for common diseases in long lived individuals and their offspring

A surprising and well-replicated result in genetic studies of human longevity is that centenarians appear to carry disease-associated variants in numbers similar to the general population. With the proliferation of large genome-wide association studies (GWAS) in recent years, investigators have turned to polygenic scores to leverage GWAS results into a measure of genetic risk that can better predict the risk of disease than individual significant variants alone. We selected 54 polygenic risk scores (PRSs) developed for a variety of outcomes, and we calculated their values in individuals from the New England Centenarian Study (NECS, N = 4886) and the Long Life Family Study (LLFS, N = 4577). We compared the distribution of these PRSs among exceptionally long-lived individuals (ELLI), their offspring, and controls, and we also examined their predictive values, using t-tests and regression models adjusting for sex and principal components reflecting the ancestral background of the individuals (PCs). In our analyses, we controlled for multiple testing using a Bonferroni-adjusted threshold for 54 traits. We found that only 4 of the 54 PRSs differed between ELLIs and controls in both cohorts. ELLIs had significantly lower mean PRSs for Alzheimer's disease (AD) and coronary artery disease (CAD) than controls, suggesting a genetic predisposition to extreme longevity may be mediated by reduced susceptibility to these traits. ELLIs also had significantly higher mean PRSs for improved cognitive function and parental extreme longevity. In addition, the PRS for AD was associated with a higher risk of dementia among controls but not ELLIs (p = 0.003, 0.3 in NECS, p = 0.03, 0.9 in LLFS, respectively). ELLIs have a similar burden of genetic disease risk as the general population for most traits but have a significantly lower genetic risk of AD and CAD. The lack of association between AD PRS and dementia among ELLIs suggests that the genetic risk for AD that they do have is somehow counteracted by protective genetic or environmental factors.

Protective Effects of Familial Longevity Decrease With Age and Become Negligible for Centenarians

It is known that biological relatives of long-lived individuals demonstrate lower mortality and longer life span compared to relatives of shorter-lived individuals, and at least part of this advantage is likely to be genetic. Less information, however, is available about effects of familial longevity on age-specific mortality trajectories. We compared mortality patterns after age 50 years for 10 045 siblings of US centenarians and 12 308 siblings of shorter-lived individuals (died at age 65 years). Similar comparisons were made for sons and daughters of longer-lived parents (both parents lived 80 years and more) and shorter-lived parents (both parents lived less than 80 years) within each group of siblings. Although relatives of longer-lived individuals have lower mortality at younger ages compared to relatives of shorter-lived individuals, this mortality advantage practically disappears by age 100 years. To validate this observation further, we analyzed the survival of 3 408 US centenarians born in 1890-1897 with known information on maternal and paternal life span. We found using the Cox proportional hazards model that both maternal and paternal longevity (life span 80+ years) is not significantly associated with survival after age 100 years. The results are compatible with the predictions of reliability theory of aging suggesting higher initial levels of system redundancy (reserves) in individuals with protective familial/genetic background and hence lower initial mortality. Heterogeneity hypothesis is another possible explanation for the observed phenomena.

Evolutionarily conserved transcription factors as regulators of longevity and targets for geroprotection

Aging is the single largest risk factor for many debilitating conditions, including heart diseases, stroke, cancer, diabetes, and neurodegenerative disorders. While far from understood in its full complexity, it is scientifically well-established that aging is influenced by genetic and environmental factors, and can be modulated by various interventions. One of aging's early hallmarks are aberrations in transcriptional networks, controlling for example metabolic homeostasis or the response to stress. Evidence in different model organisms abounds that a number of evolutionarily conserved transcription factors, which control such networks, can affect lifespan and healthspan across species. These transcription factors thus potentially represent conserved regulators of longevity and are emerging as important targets in the challenging quest to develop treatments to mitigate age-related diseases, and possibly even to slow aging itself. This review provides an overview of evolutionarily conserved transcription factors that impact longevity or age-related diseases in at least one multicellular model organism (nematodes, flies, or mice), and/or are tentatively linked to human aging. Discussed is the general evidence for transcriptional regulation of aging and disease, followed by a more detailed look at selected transcription factor families, the common metabolic pathways involved, and the targeting of transcription factors as a strategy for geroprotective interventions.

[Longevity of rockfishes]

The existence of a number of highly similar rockfish species with very different life spans has motivated extensive DNA sequencing studies that have uncovered strong selection for genes involved in DNA maintenance and in control of inflammation, highlighting the role these may play in the avoidance of senescence.

The Potential of Metabolomics in Biomedical Applications

The metabolome offers a dynamic, comprehensive, and precise picture of the phenotype. Current high-throughput technologies have allowed the discovery of relevant metabolites that characterize a wide variety of human phenotypes with respect to health, disease, drug monitoring, and even aging. Metabolomics, parallel to genomics, has led to the discovery of biomarkers and has aided in the understanding of a diversity of molecular mechanisms, highlighting its application in precision medicine. This review focuses on the metabolomics that can be applied to improve human health, as well as its trends and impacts in metabolic and neurodegenerative diseases, cancer, longevity, the exposome, liquid biopsy development, and pharmacometabolomics. The identification of distinct metabolomic profiles will help in the discovery and improvement of clinical strategies to treat human disease. In the years to come, metabolomics will become a tool routinely applied to diagnose and monitor health and disease, aging, or drug development. Biomedical applications of metabolomics can already be foreseen to monitor the progression of metabolic diseases, such as obesity and diabetes, using branched-chain amino acids, acylcarnitines, certain phospholipids, and genomics; these can assess disease severity and predict a potential treatment. Future endeavors should focus on determining the applicability and clinical utility of metabolomic-derived markers and their appropriate implementation in large-scale clinical settings.

BMI, Blood Pressure, and Plasma Lipids among Centenarians and Their Offspring

Background

The burden of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) is increasing substantially due to population growth and aging. Determining effective prevention and understanding the underlying mechanisms remain desirable pursuits for increasing the quality of life. As centenarians and their offspring may have genetic advantages, they may present with healthier cardiovascular-related profiles.

Methods

We launched a cross-sectional household-based survey of centenarian families, including 253 centenarians, 217 centenarian offspring, and 116 offspring spouses without centenarian parents from county-level Chinese longevity city Rugao. Among offspring and offspring spouses were the following arrangements: 101 paired offspring and offspring spouses who lived together, 116 unpaired offspring, and 16 unpaired spouses. We investigated their cardiovascular-related health status including waist circumference, body mass index (BMI), blood pressure, and plasma lipids and compared results among centenarians, centenarian offspring, and offspring spouses.

Results

Centenarians ranged from 99 to 109 years with a median age of 100 years. Centenarian offspring, with a median age of 70 years, and offspring spouses, with a median age of 69 years, shared similar age. Results of blood pressure, plasma lipid levels, and BMI displayed no significant difference between centenarian offspring and offspring spouses. However, centenarians appeared to have lower waist circumference, BMI, TC, LDL-C, TG, and diastolic blood pressure but higher levels of systolic blood pressure (p < 0.05). Multivariate analysis showed the prevalence of obesity, hypertension, and dyslipidemia was similar between centenarian offspring and offspring spouses, while centenarians appeared to have a lower prevalence of obesity and a higher prevalence of hypertension (p < 0.05).

Conclusions

Centenarians and centenarian offspring did not present healthier BMI, blood pressure, or plasma lipids than offspring spouses. Further research on longevity and cardiovascular diseases are desirable.

Are Alzheimer's and coronary artery diseases genetically related to longevity?

INTRODUCTION

In the last decade researchers have attempted to investigate the shared genetic architecture of longevity and age-related diseases and assess whether the increased longevity in certain people is due to protective alleles in the risk genes for a particular condition or whether there are specific "longevity" genes increasing the lifespan independently of age-related conditions' risk genes. The aim of this study was to investigate the shared genetic component between longevity and two age-related conditions.

METHODS

We performed a cross-trait meta-analysis of publicly available genome-wide data for Alzheimer's disease, coronary artery disease and longevity using a subset-based approach provided by the R package ASSET.

RESULTS

Despite the lack of strong genetic correlation between longevity and the two diseases, we identified 38 genome-wide significant lead SNPs across 22 independent genomic loci. Of them 6 were found to be potentially shared among the three traits mapping to genes including DAB2IP, DNM2, FCHO1, CLPTM1, and SNRPD2. We also identified 19 novel genome-wide associations for the individual traits in this study. Functional annotations and biological pathway enrichment analyses suggested that pleiotropic variants are involved in clathrin-mediated endocytosis and plasma lipoprotein and neurotransmitter clearance processes.

DISCUSSION

In summary, we have been able to advance in the knowledge of the genetic overlap existing among longevity and the two most common age-related disorders.

The Role of BPIFB4 in Immune System and Cardiovascular Disease: The Lesson from Centenarians

Recent discoveries have shed light on the participation of the immune system in the physio pathology of the cardiovascular system underpinning the importance of keeping the balance of the first to preserve the latter. Aging, along with other risk factors, can challenge such balance triggering the onset of cardiovascular diseases. Among several mediators ensuring the proper cross-talk between the two systems, bactericidal/permeability-increasing fold-containing family B member 4 (BPIFB4) has been shown to have a pivotal role, also by sustaining important signals such as eNOS and PKC-alpha. In addition, the Longevity-associated variant (LAV), which is an haplotype allele in BPIFB4 characterized by 4 missense polymorphisms, enriched in homozygosity in Long Living Individuals (LLIs), has been shown to be efficient, if administered systemically through gene therapy, in improving many aspects of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). This occurs mainly through a fine immune system remodeling across: 1) a M2 macrophage polarizing effect, 2) a favorable redistribution of the circulating monocyte cell subsets and 3) the reduction of T-cell activation. Furthermore, LAV-BPIFB4 treatment induced a desirable recovery of the inflammatory balance by mitigating the pro-inflammatory factor levels and enhancing the anti-inflammatory boost through a mechanism that is partially dependent on SDF-1/CXCR4 axis. Importantly, the remarkable effects of LAV-BPIFB4 treatment, which translates in increased BPIFB4 circulating levels, mirror what occurs in long-living individuals (LLIs) in whom the high circulating levels of BPIFB4 are protective from age-related and CVDs and emphasize the reason why LLIs are considered a model of successful aging. Here, we review the mechanisms by which LAV-BPIFB4 exerts its immunomodulatory activity in improving the cardiovascular-immune system dialogue that might strengthen its role as a key mediator in CVDs.

Taste receptor polymorphisms and longevity: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Bitter taste receptors (TAS2R) are involved in a variety of non-tasting physiological processes, including immune-inflammatory ones. Therefore, their genetic variations might influence various traits. In particular, in different populations of South Italy (Calabria, Cilento, and Sardinia), polymorphisms of TAS2R16 and TAS238 have been analysed in association with longevity with inconsistent results. A meta-analytic approach to quantitatively synthesize the possible effect of the previous variants and, possibly, to reconcile the inconsistencies has been used in the present paper. TAS2R38 variants in the Cilento population were also analysed for their possible association with longevity and the obtained data have been included in the relative meta-analysis. In population from Cilento no association was found between TAS2R38 and longevity, and no association was observed as well, performing the meta-analysis with data of the other studies. Concerning TAS2R16 gene, instead, the genotype associated with longevity in the Calabria population maintained its significance in the meta-analysis with data from Cilento population, that, alone, were not significant in the previously published study. In conclusion, our results suggest that TAS2R16 genotype variant is associated with longevity in South Italy.

Polygenic Risk Score of Longevity Predicts Longer Survival Across an Age Continuum

Studying the genome of centenarians may give insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying extreme human longevity and the escape of age-related diseases. Here, we set out to construct polygenic risk scores (PRSs) for longevity and to investigate the functions of longevity-associated variants. Using a cohort of centenarians with maintained cognitive health (N = 343), a population-matched cohort of older adults from 5 cohorts (N = 2905), and summary statistics data from genome-wide association studies on parental longevity, we constructed a PRS including 330 variants that significantly discriminated between centenarians and older adults. This PRS was also associated with longer survival in an independent sample of younger individuals (p = .02), leading up to a 4-year difference in survival based on common genetic factors only. We show that this PRS was, in part, able to compensate for the deleterious effect of the APOE-ε4 allele. Using an integrative framework, we annotated the 330 variants included in this PRS by the genes they associate with. We find that they are enriched with genes associated with cellular differentiation, developmental processes, and cellular response to stress. Together, our results indicate that an extended human life span is, in part, the result of a constellation of variants each exerting small advantageous effects on aging-related biological mechanisms that maintain overall health and decrease the risk of age-related diseases.

Genetic signature of human longevity in PKC and NF-κB signaling

Gene variants associated with longevity are also associated with protection against cognitive decline, dementia and Alzheimer's disease, suggesting that common physiologic pathways act at the interface of longevity and cognitive function. To test the hypothesis that variants in genes implicated in cognitive function may promote exceptional longevity, we performed a comprehensive 3‐stage study to identify functional longevity‐associated variants in ~700 candidate genes in up to 450 centenarians and 500 controls by target capture sequencing analysis. We found an enrichment of longevity‐associated genes in the nPKC and NF‐κB signaling pathways by gene‐based association analyses. Functional analysis of the top three gene variants (NFKBIA, CLU, PRKCH) suggests that non‐coding variants modulate the expression of cognate genes, thereby reducing signaling through the nPKC and NF‐κB. This matches genetic studies in multiple model organisms, suggesting that the evolutionary conservation of reduced PKC and NF‐κB signaling pathways in exceptional longevity may include humans.

Stratification in health and survival after age 100: evidence from Danish centenarians

BACKGROUND

The existence of a super-select group of centenarians that demonstrates increased survivorship has been hypothesized. However, it is unknown if this super-select group possesses similar characteristics apart from extreme longevity.

METHODS

In this study, we analyse high-quality health and survival data of Danish centenarians born in 1895, 1905 and 1910. We use Latent Class Analysis to identify unobserved health classes and to test whether these super-select lives share similar health characteristics.

RESULTS

We find that, even after age 100, a clear and distinct gradient in health exists and that this gradient is remarkably similar across different birth cohorts of centenarians. Based on the level of health, we identify three clusters of centenarians - robust, frail and intermediate - and show that these groups have different survival prospects. The most distinctive characteristic of the robust centenarians is the outperformance in different health dimensions (physical, functional and cognitive). Finally, we show that our health class categorizations are good predictors of the survival prospects of centenarians.

CONCLUSIONS

There is a clear stratification in health and functioning among those over 100 years of age and these differences are associated with survival beyond age 100.

Nature Versus Nurture: What Can be Learned from the Oldest-Old's Claims About Longevity?

Beneficial genetic or environmental factors that influence the length and quality of life can be evaluated while studying supercentenarians. The oldest-old can withstand serious/fatal illnesses more than their peers and/or their aging rate is decreased. Supercentenarians are an interesting group of individuals whose lifestyle is not particularly healthy according to the common guidelines, namely some of them seem to have similar harmful behaviors, but still manage to stay healthier for longer, and while eventually dying from the same degenerative diseases as the general population, they develop symptoms 20-30 years later. As there are not many supercentenarians by definition, it is worthwhile to diligently collect their data to enable future meta-analyses on larger samples; much can be learned from supercentenarians' habits and lifestyle choices about the aging process. Contributions of genetics, lifestyle choices, and epigenetics to their extended life span are discussed here.

Mutant Single Nucleotide Polymorphism rs189037 in Ataxia-Telangiectasia Mutated Gene Is Significantly Associated With Ventricular Wall Thickness and Human Lifespan

In the current study, we aimed to determine the association of single nucleotide polymorphism rs189037 in ataxia-telangiectasia mutated (ATM) gene with cardiac structure and human longevity. Based on the China Hainan Centenarian Cohort Study performed in 18 cities and counties of Hainan Province, China, the current study enrolled 547 centenarians, 250 young participants aged 20–45 years, and 250 middle-aged and elderly participants aged 46–90 years. The frequency of TT genotype was significantly higher and that of CC genotype was significantly lower in middle-aged and elderly participants than in young (P = 0.012) and centenarian (P = 0.041) participants. There were no significant differences in the genotype and allele frequencies of SNP rs189037 between young and centenarian participants. Compared with CT genotype, TT genotype was positively and significantly associated with interventricular septum thickness (IVST) and left ventricular posterior wall thickness (LVPWT) in centenarian (IVST: P = 0.049; LVPWT: P = 0.047) and middle-aged and elderly (IVST: P = 0.008; LVPWT: P = 0.004) participants. Compared with CC genotype, TT genotype was positively and significantly associated with LVPWT in centenarian (P = 0.030) and middle-aged and elderly (P = 0.013) participants. Compared with CC genotype, CT genotype was negatively and significantly associated with left ventricular end-diastolic diameter (LVEDD) in centenarian (P = 0.011) and middle-aged and elderly (P = 0.040) participants. The current study demonstrated that mutant rs189037 in the ATM gene was more commonly identified in middle-aged and elderly participants than in young and centenarian participants, was significantly associated with increased left ventricular wall thickness and volume, and could induce left ventricular eccentric hypertrophy and shorten human lifespan. Therefore, rs189037 without mutation might be an indicator of youth health and successful aging, whereas mutant rs189037 might hinder human longevity.

Effect of longevity genetic variants on the molecular aging rate

We conducted a genome-wide association study of 1320 centenarians from the New England Centenarian Study (median age = 104 years) and 2899 unrelated controls using >9 M genetic variants imputed to the HRC panel of ~65,000 haplotypes. The genetic variants with the most significant associations were correlated to 4131 proteins that were profiled in the serum of a subset of 224 study participants using a SOMAscan array. The genetic associations were replicated in a genome-wide association study of 480 centenarians and ~800 controls of Ashkenazi Jewish descent. The proteomic associations were replicated in a proteomic scan of approximately 1000 Ashkenazi Jewish participants from a third cohort. The analysis replicated a protein signature associated with APOE genotypes and confirmed strong overexpression of BIRC2 (p < 5E-16) and under-expression of APOB in carriers of the APOE2 allele (p < 0.05). The analysis also discovered and replicated associations between longevity variants and slower changes of protein biomarkers of aging, including a novel protein signature of rs2184061 (CDKN2A/CDKN2B in chromosome 9) that suggests a genetic regulation of GDF15. The analyses showed that longevity variants correlate with proteome signatures that could be manipulated to discover healthy-aging targets.

Exome-Wide Association Study Identifies FN3KRP and PGP as New Candidate Longevity Genes

Despite enormous research efforts, the genetic component of longevity has remained largely elusive. The investigation of common variants, mainly located in intronic or regulatory regions, has yielded only little new information on the heritability of the phenotype. Here, we performed a chip-based exome-wide association study investigating 62 488 common and rare coding variants in 1248 German long-lived individuals, including 599 centenarians and 6941 younger controls (age < 60 years). In a single-variant analysis, we observed an exome-wide significant association between rs1046896 in the gene fructosamine-3-kinase-related-protein (FN3KRP) and longevity. Noteworthy, we found the longevity allele C of rs1046896 to be associated with an increased FN3KRP expression in whole blood; a database look-up confirmed this effect for various other human tissues. A gene-based analysis, in which potential cumulative effects of common and rare variants were considered, yielded the gene phosphoglycolate phosphatase (PGP) as another potential longevity gene, though no single variant in PGP reached the discovery p-value (1 × 10E−04). Furthermore, we validated the previously reported longevity locus cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor 2B antisense RNA 1 (CDKN2B-AS1). Replication of our results in a French longevity cohort was only successful for rs1063192 in CDKN2B-AS1. In conclusion, we identified 2 new potential candidate longevity genes, FN3KRP and PGP which may influence the phenotype through their role in metabolic processes, that is, the reverse glycation of proteins (FN3KRP) and the control of glycerol-3-phosphate levels (PGP).

How should we theorize about justice in the genomic era?

The sequencing of the human genome and advances in gene therapy and genomic editing, coupled with embryo selection techniques and a potential gerontological intervention, are some examples of the rapid technological advances of the "genetic revolution." This article addresses the methodological issue of how we should theorize about justice in the genomic era. Invoking the methodology of non-ideal theory, I argue that theorizing about justice in the genomic era entails theorizing about (1) the new inequalities that the genetic revolution could exacerbate (e.g., genetic discrimination, disability-related injustices, and gender inequality), and (2) those inequalities that the genetic revolution could help us mitigate (e.g., the risks of disease in early and late life). By doing so, normative theorists can ensure that we develop an account of justice that takes seriously not only individual rights, equality of opportunity, the cultural and sociopolitical aspects of disability, and equality between the sexes, but also the potential health benefits (to both individuals and populations) of attending to the evolutionary causes of morbidity and disability.

Centenarians in nursing homes during the COVID-19 pandemic

Background: Centenarians are known to be successful agers compared to other older adults.Objective: The objective of the present study was to compare coronavirus disease (COVID-19) symptoms and outcomes in centenarians and other residents living in nursing homes.

Design-Setting-Subjects-Methods: A retrospective multicenter cohort study was conducted using data from 15 nursing homes in the Marseille area. Older residents with confirmed COVID-19 between March and June 2020 were enrolled. The clinical and biological characteristics, the treatment measures, and the outcomes in residents living in these nursing homes were collected from the medical records.

Results: A total of 321 residents were diagnosed with COVID-19 including 12 centenarians. The median age was 101 years in centenarians and 89 years in other residents. The most common symptoms were asthenia and fever. Three centenarians (25%) experienced a worsening of pre-existing depression (vs. 5.5% of younger residents; p = 0.032). Mortality was significantly higher in centenarians than in younger residents (50% vs. 21.3%, respectively; p = 0.031). A quarter of the younger residents and only one centenarian were hospitalized. However, 33.3% of the centenarians received treatment within the context of home hospitalization.

Conclusion: Worsening of pre-existing depression seems to be more frequent in centenarians with COVID-19 in nursing homes. This population had a higher mortality rate but a lower hospitalization rate than younger residents.

Integrated genetic analyses revealed novel human longevity loci and reduced risks of multiple diseases in a cohort study of 15,651 Chinese individuals

There is growing interest in studying the genetic contributions to longevity, but limited relevant genes have been identified. In this study, we performed a genetic association study of longevity in a total of 15,651 Chinese individuals. Novel longevity loci, BMPER (rs17169634; p = 7.91 × 10^-15 ) and TMEM43/XPC (rs1043943; p = 3.59 × 10^-8 ), were identified in a case-control analysis of 11,045 individuals. BRAF (rs1267601; p = 8.33 × 10^-15 ) and BMPER (rs17169634; p = 1.45 × 10^-10 ) were significantly associated with life expectancy in 12,664 individuals who had survival status records. Additional sex-stratified analyses identified sex-specific longevity genes. Notably, sex-differential associations were identified in two linkage disequilibrium blocks in the TOMM40/APOE region, indicating potential differences during meiosis between males and females. Moreover, polygenic risk scores and Mendelian randomization analyses revealed that longevity was genetically causally correlated with reduced risks of multiple diseases, such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and arthritis. Finally, we incorporated genetic markers, disease status, and lifestyles to classify longevity or not-longevity groups and predict life span. Our predictive models showed good performance (AUC = 0.86 for longevity classification and explained 19.8% variance of life span) and presented a greater predictive efficiency in females than in males. Taken together, our findings not only shed light on the genetic contributions to longevity but also elucidate correlations between diseases and longevity.

Futile cycling by human microsomal cytochrome P450 enzymes within intact fission yeast cells

Human cytochrome P450 enzymes (CYPs or P450s) are known to be reduced by their electron transfer partners in the absence of substrate and in turn to reduce other acceptor molecules such as molecular oxygen, thereby creating superoxide anions (O₂^-•). This process is known as futile cycling. Using our previously established fission yeast expression system we have monitored cells expressing each one of the 50 human microsomal CYPs in the absence of substrate for oxidation of dihydroethidium in living cells by flow cytometry. It was found that 38 of these display a statistically significant increase in O₂^-• production. More specifically, cells expressing some CYPs were found to be intermediate strength O₂^-• producers, which means that their effect was comparable to that of treatment with 3 mM H₂O₂. Cells expressing other CYPs had an even stronger effect, with those expressing CYP2B6, CYP5A1, CYP2A13, CYP51A1, or CYP1A2, respectively, being the strongest producers of O₂^-•.

Protein signatures of centenarians and their offspring suggest centenarians age slower than other humans

Using samples from the New England Centenarian Study (NECS), we sought to characterize the serum proteome of 77 centenarians, 82 centenarians' offspring, and 65 age-matched controls of the offspring (mean ages: 105, 80, and 79 years). We identified 1312 proteins that significantly differ between centenarians and their offspring and controls (FDR < 1%), and two different protein signatures that predict longer survival in centenarians and in younger people. By comparing the centenarian signature with 2 independent proteomic studies of aging, we replicated the association of 484 proteins of aging and we identified two serum protein signatures that are specific of extreme old age. The data suggest that centenarians acquire similar aging signatures as seen in younger cohorts that have short survival periods, suggesting that they do not escape normal aging markers, but rather acquire them much later than usual. For example, centenarian signatures are significantly enriched for senescence-associated secretory phenotypes, consistent with those seen with younger aged individuals, and from this finding, we provide a new list of serum proteins that can be used to measure cellular senescence. Protein co-expression network analysis suggests that a small number of biological drivers may regulate aging and extreme longevity, and that changes in gene regulation may be important to reach extreme old age. This centenarian study thus provides additional signatures that can be used to measure aging and provides specific circulating biomarkers of healthy aging and longevity, suggesting potential mechanisms that could help prolong health and support longevity.

An Aging-Related Single-Nucleotide Polymorphism is Associated With Altered Clinical Outcomes and Distinct Inflammatory Profiles in Aged Blunt Trauma Patients

The contribution of individual genetic determinants of aging to the adverse clinical outcomes and altered inflammation mediator networks characteristic of aged trauma patients is unknown. The AA genotype of the aging-related single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) rs2075650 in TOMM40 has been associated with longevity, while the AG and GG genotypes are associated with an increased risk of Alzheimer disease. Here, we studied the effect of rs2075650 on clinical outcomes and dynamic biomarker patterns after traumatic injury. Genomic DNA was obtained from blunt trauma patients admitted to the ICU and examined for 551,839 SNPs using an Illumina microarray kit. Plasma was sampled from each patient three times within the first 24 h and daily from day 1 to 7 then assayed for 31 biomarkers using Luminex. Aged patients (65-90 years) were segregated into AA (n = 77) and AG/GG (n = 17) genotypes. Additional comparisons were made with matched groups of young patients (18-30 years), controlling for injury severity score (ISS) and sex ratio, and also segregated into AA (n = 56) and AG/GG (n = 19) genotypes. Aged patients with the AA genotype had a significantly lower requirement for ventilation and fewer days on mechanical ventilation, as well as significantly higher levels of one mediator and lower levels of two mediators. Dynamic Bayesian Network inference revealed IL-23 as a central node in each network regardless of age or genotype, with MIG and IP-10 also as key mediators in the networks of the aged patients. These findings suggest that an aging-related SNP, rs2075650, may influence clinical outcomes and inflammation networks in aged patients following blunt trauma, and thus may serve as a predictive outcome biomarker in the setting of polytrauma.

Cancer and Alzheimer's disease inverse relationship: an age-associated diverging derailment of shared pathways

Several epidemiological studies show an inverse association between cancer and Alzheimer's disease (AD). It is debated whether this association is the consequence of biological mechanisms shared by both these conditions or may be related to the pharmacological treatments carried out on the patients. The latter hypothesis, however, is not sustained by the available evidence. Hence, the focus of this review is to analyze common biological mechanisms for both cancer and AD and to build up a biological theory useful to explain the inverse correlation between AD and cancer. The review proposes a hypothesis, according to which several molecular players, prominently PIN1 and p53, have been investigated and considered involved in complex molecular interactions putatively associated with the inverse correlation. On the other hand, p53 involvement in both diseases seems to be a consequence of the aberrant activation of other proteins. Instead, PIN1 may be identified as a novel key regulator at the crossroad between cancer and AD. PIN1 is a peptidyl-prolyl cis-trans isomerase that catalyzes the cis-trans isomerization, thus regulating the conformation of different protein substrates after phosphorylation and modulating protein function. In particular, trans-conformations of Amyloid Precursor Protein (APP) and tau are functional and "healthy", while cis-conformations, triggered after phosphorylation, are pathogenic. As an example, PIN1 accelerates APP cis-to-trans isomerization thus favoring the non-amyloidogenic pathway, while, in the absence of PIN1, APP is processed through the amyloidogenic pathway, thus predisposing to neurodegeneration. Furthermore, a link between PIN1 and tau regulation has been found, since when PIN1 function is inhibited, tau is hyperphosphorylated. Data from brain specimens of subjects affected by mild cognitive impairment and AD have revealed a very low PIN1 expression. Moreover, polymorphisms in PIN1 promoter correlated with an increased PIN1 expression are associated with a delay of sporadic AD age of onset, while a polymorphism related to a reduced PIN1 expression is associated with a decreased risk of multiple cancers. In the case of dementias, in particular of Alzheimer's disease, new biological markers and targets based on the discussed players can be developed based on a theoretical approach relying on different grounds compared to the past. An unbiased expansion of the rationale and of the targets may help to achieve in the field of neurodegenerative dementias similar advances to those attained in the case of cancer treatment.