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Rea JNM, Broczek KM, Cevenini E, Celani L, Rea SAJ, Sikora E, Franceschi C, Fortunati V, Rea IM. Insights Into Sibling Relationships and Longevity From Genetics of Healthy Ageing Nonagenarians: The Importance of Optimisation, Resilience and Social Networks. Front Psychol 2022; 13:722286. [PMID: 35602748 PMCID: PMC9121911 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.722286] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2021] [Accepted: 02/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Understanding how to “Age Longer and Age Well” is a priority for people personally, for populations and for government policy. Approximately ten percent of nonagenarians reach 90 years and beyond in good condition and seem to have a combination of both age-span and health-span. However, the factors which contribute to human longevity remain challenging. Culture is a shared system of learning ideas, feelings, and survival strategies. It has a strong influence on each person’s psychological development, behavior, values and beliefs. Nonagenarians have rich life experiences that can teach us much about aging well; they are rich reservoirs of genetic, lifestyle and psychological information which can help understanding about how to live longer and better. Sibling or trio nonagenarians are important sources of family beliefs and behaviors upon which individual personalities may have been built. Their personal family histories and narratives are powerful tools that help to determine familial traits, beliefs and social behaviors which may help establish factors important in the siblings’ longevity. Using purposefully selected subjects, recruited to the Genetics of Healthy Ageing (GeHA) project in four European countries, this research used the simple life story and qualitative research methods to analyze contrasting and distinctive questions about the interface between the psychological and social worlds as presented in the nonagenarian siblings’ insights about their longevity. Their stories aimed to give better understanding about which psychological aspects of their common life journey and the degree of emotional support in their sibling relationships may have supported their paths to longevity. The most universal finding in each of the four European countries was that nonagenarians demonstrated high positivity, resilience and coping skills and were supported in social networks. Around this theme, nonagenarians reported “being happy,” “always cheerful,” “never melancholy” and having a contentment with a “rich life” and family relationships which fits with accumulating evidence that life satisfaction comes from a perceived self-efficacy and optimism. Most sibling relationships in this study, when analyzed according to the Gold classification, fit the “congenial” or “loyal” relationship type – demonstrating a healthy respect for the others’ opinion without overt dependence, which may help individual coping and survival mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer Nicola M. Rea
- Department of Primary Care and Population Health, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | | | - Elisa Cevenini
- CIG-Interdepartmental Centre ‘L. Galvani’, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Laura Celani
- CIG-Interdepartmental Centre ‘L. Galvani’, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | | | - Ewa Sikora
- Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Claudio Franceschi
- CIG-Interdepartmental Centre ‘L. Galvani’, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Vita Fortunati
- CIG-Interdepartmental Centre ‘L. Galvani’, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Irene Maeve Rea
- School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences, Queen’s University Belfast, Belfast, United Kingdom
- School of Biomedical Science, Ulster University, Coleraine, United Kingdom
- Belfast Health and Social Care Trust, Belfast, United Kingdom
- *Correspondence: Irene Maeve Rea,
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Bucci L, Ostan R, Cevenini E, Pini E, Scurti M, Vitale G, Mari D, Caruso C, Sansoni P, Fanelli F, Pasquali R, Gueresi P, Franceschi C, Monti D. Centenarians' offspring as a model of healthy aging: a reappraisal of the data on Italian subjects and a comprehensive overview. Aging (Albany NY) 2017; 8:510-9. [PMID: 26979133 PMCID: PMC4833142 DOI: 10.18632/aging.100912] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Within the scenario of an increasing life expectancy worldwide it is mandatory to identify determinants of healthy aging. Centenarian offspring (CO) is one of the most informative model to identify trajectories of healthy aging and their determinants (genetic and environmental), being representative of elderly in their 70th whose lifestyle can be still modified to attain a better health. This study is the first comprehensive investigation of the health status of 267 CO (mean age: 70.2 years) and adopts the innovative approach of comparing CO with 107 age-matched offspring of non-long-lived parents (hereafter indicated as NCO controls), recruited according to strict inclusion demographic criteria of Italian population. We adopted a multidimensional approach which integrates functional and cognitive assessment together with epidemiological and clinical data, including pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines and adipokines, lipid profile, and insulin resistance. CO have a lower prevalence of stroke, cerebral thrombosis-hemorrhage, hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, and other minor diseases, lower BMI and waist circumference, a better functional and cognitive status and lower plasma level of FT4 compared to NCO controls. We conclude that a multidimensional approach is a reliable strategy to identify the health status of elderly at an age when interventions to modify their health trajectory are feasible.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Bucci
- Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine (DIMES) and Interdepartmental Centre "L. Galvani" (CIG), University of Bologna, 40126 Bologna, Italy
| | - Rita Ostan
- Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine (DIMES) and Interdepartmental Centre "L. Galvani" (CIG), University of Bologna, 40126 Bologna, Italy
| | - Elisa Cevenini
- Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine (DIMES) and Interdepartmental Centre "L. Galvani" (CIG), University of Bologna, 40126 Bologna, Italy
| | - Elisa Pini
- Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine (DIMES) and Interdepartmental Centre "L. Galvani" (CIG), University of Bologna, 40126 Bologna, Italy
| | - Maria Scurti
- Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine (DIMES) and Interdepartmental Centre "L. Galvani" (CIG), University of Bologna, 40126 Bologna, Italy
| | - Giovanni Vitale
- Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health (DISCCO), University of Milan, 20122 Milan, Italy.,Laboratory of Endocrine and Metabolic Research, IRCCS Istituto Auxologico Italiano, Cusano Milanino (MI) 20095, Italy
| | - Daniela Mari
- Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health (DISCCO), University of Milan, 20122 Milan, Italy.,Laboratory of Endocrine and Metabolic Research, IRCCS Istituto Auxologico Italiano, Cusano Milanino (MI) 20095, Italy.,Geriatric Unit, Fondazione Ca' Granda, IRCCS Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, 20122 Milan, Italy
| | - Calogero Caruso
- Department of Pathobiology and Medical and Forensic Biotechnologies, University of Palermo, 90134 Palermo, Italy
| | - Paolo Sansoni
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Parma, 43126 Parma, Italy
| | - Flaminia Fanelli
- Endocrinology Unit, and Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences and Center for Applied Biomedical Sciences, St Orsola-Malpighi Hospital, University of Bologna, 40138 Bologna, Italy
| | - Renato Pasquali
- Endocrinology Unit, and Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences and Center for Applied Biomedical Sciences, St Orsola-Malpighi Hospital, University of Bologna, 40138 Bologna, Italy
| | - Paola Gueresi
- Department of Statistical Sciences "Paolo Fortunati", University of Bologna, 40126 Bologna, Italy
| | - Claudio Franceschi
- Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine (DIMES) and Interdepartmental Centre "L. Galvani" (CIG), University of Bologna, 40126 Bologna, Italy
| | - Daniela Monti
- Department of Clinical, Experimental and Biomedical Sciences, University of Florence, 50134 Florence, Italy
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Bucci L, Ostan R, Giampieri E, Cevenini E, Pini E, Scurti M, Vescovini R, Sansoni P, Caruso C, Mari D, Ronchetti F, Borghi M, Ogliari G, Grossi C, Capri M, Salvioli S, Castellani G, Franceschi C, Monti D. Corrigendum to “Immune parameters identify Italian centenarians with a longer five-year survival independent of their health and functional status” [Exp. Gerontol. 54C (2014) 14–20]. Exp Gerontol 2016. [DOI: 10.1016/j.exger.2015.04.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
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Napolitano M, Santoro F, Puopolo M, Donfancesco C, Galluzzo L, De Grandi A, Cevenini E, De Curtis A, Sevini F, Palmieri L, Mascalzon D, Roazzi P, Scafato E, Pramstaller P, Iacoviello L, Donati MB, Giampaoli S, Franceschi C, Belardelli F, Bravo E. Development of a pilot project on data sharing among partners of the Italian Hub of Population Biobanks (HIBP): association between lipid profile and socio-demographic variables. Biopreserv Biobank 2014; 12:225-33. [PMID: 25075723 DOI: 10.1089/bio.2014.0001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The Italian Hub of Population Biobanks (HIBP) includes both ongoing and completed studies that are heterogeneous in both their purpose and in the specimens collected. The heterogeneity in starting conditions makes sharing study data very difficult because of technical, ethical, and collection rights issues that hamper collaboration and synergy. With the aim of overcoming these difficulties and establishing the "proof-of-concept" that sharing studies is achievable among Italian collections, a data-sharing pilot project has been agreed to by HIBP members. Participants agreed to the general methodology and signed a shared Data Transfer Agreement. The biobanks involved were: EURAC (Micros study), CIG (GEHA project), CNESPS (FINE, MATISS, MONICA, OEC1998, ITR (Italian Twin Register), and IPREA studies, and MOLIBANK (Moli-Sani project). Biobank data were uploaded into a common database using a dedicated informatics infrastructure. Demographic data, and anthropometric and hematochemical parameters were shared for each record. Each biobank uploaded into the common database a dataset with a minimum of 1000 subjects, for a total of 5071 records. After a harmonization process, the final dataset included 3882 records. Subjects were grouped into three main geographic areas of Italy (North, Center, and South) and separate analyses were performed for men and women. The 3882 records were analyzed through multivariate logistic regression analysis. Results were expressed as odds ratios with 95% confidence interval. Results show several geographical differences in the lipidemic pattern, mostly regarding cholesterol-HDL, which represents a strong basis for further, deeper sample-based studies. This HIBP pilot study aimed to prove the feasibility of such collaborations and it provides a methodological prototype for future studies based on the participation in the partnership of well-established quality collections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariarosaria Napolitano
- 1 Department of Haematology, Oncology and Molecular Medicine, Istituto Superiore di Sanità , Rome, Italy
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Cevenini E, Cotichini R, Stazi MA, Toccaceli V, Palmas MG, Capri M, De Rango F, Dato S, Passarino G, Jeune B, Franceschi C. Health status and 6 years survival of 552 90+ Italian sib-ships recruited within the EU Project GEHA (GEnetics of Healthy Ageing). Age (Dordr) 2014; 36:949-66. [PMID: 24323371 PMCID: PMC4039258 DOI: 10.1007/s11357-013-9604-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2013] [Accepted: 11/26/2013] [Indexed: 05/02/2023]
Abstract
In a scenario of increasing life expectancy worldwide, it is mandatory to identify the characteristics of a healthy aging phenotype, including survival predictors, and to disentangle those related to environment/lifestyle versus those related to familiarity/genetics. To this aim we comprehensively characterised a cohort of 1,160 Italian subjects of 90 years and over (90+, mean age 93 years; age range 90-106 years) followed for 6 years survival, belonging to 552 sib-ships (familiar longevity) recruited (2005-2008) within the EU-funded GEHA project in three Italian geographic areas (Northern, Central and Southern Italy) different for urban/rural and socio-economical characteristics. On the whole, the following factors emerged as significant predictors of survival after 90 years of age: absence of cognitive impairment and physical disability, high hand grip strength scores and body mass index (BMI) values, "excellent/good" self-reported health, high haemoglobin and total cholesterol levels and low creatinine levels. These parameters, excluding BMI values, were also significantly associated within sib-ships, suggesting a strong familial/genetic component. Geographical micro-heterogeneity of survival predictors emerged, such as functional and physical status being more important in Southern than in Central and Northern Italy. In conclusion, we identified modifiable survival predictors related to specific domains, whose role and importance vary according to the geographic area considered and which can help in interpreting the genetic results obtained by the GEHA project, whose major aim is the comprehensive evaluation of phenotypic and genetic data.
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Affiliation(s)
- E. Cevenini
- />C.I.G.—Interdepartmental Centre “L. Galvani”, University of Bologna, Piazza di Porta San Donato 1, 40126 Bologna, Italy
- />DIMES—Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine, University of Bologna, Via San Giacomo 12, 40138 Bologna, Italy
| | - R. Cotichini
- />National Centre for Epidemiology, Surveillance and Health Promotion, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161 Rome, Italy
- />IFC—Institute of Clinical Physiology, CNR, Via G. Moruzzi 1, 56124 Pisa, Italy
| | - M. A. Stazi
- />National Centre for Epidemiology, Surveillance and Health Promotion, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - V. Toccaceli
- />National Centre for Epidemiology, Surveillance and Health Promotion, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - M. G. Palmas
- />C.I.G.—Interdepartmental Centre “L. Galvani”, University of Bologna, Piazza di Porta San Donato 1, 40126 Bologna, Italy
- />DIMES—Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine, University of Bologna, Via San Giacomo 12, 40138 Bologna, Italy
| | - M. Capri
- />C.I.G.—Interdepartmental Centre “L. Galvani”, University of Bologna, Piazza di Porta San Donato 1, 40126 Bologna, Italy
- />DIMES—Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine, University of Bologna, Via San Giacomo 12, 40138 Bologna, Italy
| | - F. De Rango
- />Department of Biology, Ecology and Earth Science, University of Calabria, 87036 Rende, Italy
| | - S. Dato
- />Department of Biology, Ecology and Earth Science, University of Calabria, 87036 Rende, Italy
| | - G. Passarino
- />Department of Biology, Ecology and Earth Science, University of Calabria, 87036 Rende, Italy
| | - B. Jeune
- />Epidemiology, Danish Ageing Research Center, Institute of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
| | - C. Franceschi
- />C.I.G.—Interdepartmental Centre “L. Galvani”, University of Bologna, Piazza di Porta San Donato 1, 40126 Bologna, Italy
- />DIMES—Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine, University of Bologna, Via San Giacomo 12, 40138 Bologna, Italy
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6
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Deelen J, Beekman M, Uh HW, Broer L, Ayers KL, Tan Q, Kamatani Y, Bennet AM, Tamm R, Trompet S, Guðbjartsson DF, Flachsbart F, Rose G, Viktorin A, Fischer K, Nygaard M, Cordell HJ, Crocco P, van den Akker EB, Böhringer S, Helmer Q, Nelson CP, Saunders GI, Alver M, Andersen-Ranberg K, Breen ME, van der Breggen R, Caliebe A, Capri M, Cevenini E, Collerton JC, Dato S, Davies K, Ford I, Gampe J, Garagnani P, de Geus EJC, Harrow J, van Heemst D, Heijmans BT, Heinsen FA, Hottenga JJ, Hofman A, Jeune B, Jonsson PV, Lathrop M, Lechner D, Martin-Ruiz C, Mcnerlan SE, Mihailov E, Montesanto A, Mooijaart SP, Murphy A, Nohr EA, Paternoster L, Postmus I, Rivadeneira F, Ross OA, Salvioli S, Sattar N, Schreiber S, Stefánsson H, Stott DJ, Tiemeier H, Uitterlinden AG, Westendorp RGJ, Willemsen G, Samani NJ, Galan P, Sørensen TIA, Boomsma DI, Jukema JW, Rea IM, Passarino G, de Craen AJM, Christensen K, Nebel A, Stefánsson K, Metspalu A, Magnusson P, Blanché H, Christiansen L, Kirkwood TBL, van Duijn CM, Franceschi C, Houwing-Duistermaat JJ, Slagboom PE. Genome-wide association meta-analysis of human longevity identifies a novel locus conferring survival beyond 90 years of age. Hum Mol Genet 2014; 23:4420-32. [PMID: 24688116 PMCID: PMC4103672 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddu139] [Citation(s) in RCA: 173] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The genetic contribution to the variation in human lifespan is ∼25%. Despite the large number of identified disease-susceptibility loci, it is not known which loci influence population mortality. We performed a genome-wide association meta-analysis of 7729 long-lived individuals of European descent (≥85 years) and 16 121 younger controls (<65 years) followed by replication in an additional set of 13 060 long-lived individuals and 61 156 controls. In addition, we performed a subset analysis in cases aged ≥90 years. We observed genome-wide significant association with longevity, as reflected by survival to ages beyond 90 years, at a novel locus, rs2149954, on chromosome 5q33.3 (OR = 1.10, P = 1.74 × 10−8). We also confirmed association of rs4420638 on chromosome 19q13.32 (OR = 0.72, P = 3.40 × 10−36), representing the TOMM40/APOE/APOC1 locus. In a prospective meta-analysis (n = 34 103), the minor allele of rs2149954 (T) on chromosome 5q33.3 associates with increased survival (HR = 0.95, P = 0.003). This allele has previously been reported to associate with low blood pressure in middle age. Interestingly, the minor allele (T) associates with decreased cardiovascular mortality risk, independent of blood pressure. We report on the first GWAS-identified longevity locus on chromosome 5q33.3 influencing survival in the general European population. The minor allele of this locus associates with low blood pressure in middle age, although the contribution of this allele to survival may be less dependent on blood pressure. Hence, the pleiotropic mechanisms by which this intragenic variation contributes to lifespan regulation have to be elucidated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joris Deelen
- Department of Molecular Epidemiology, Netherlands Consortium for Healthy Ageing
| | - Marian Beekman
- Department of Molecular Epidemiology, Netherlands Consortium for Healthy Ageing
| | - Hae-Won Uh
- Department of Medical Statistics and Bioinformatics
| | - Linda Broer
- Netherlands Consortium for Healthy Ageing, Department of Epidemiology and
| | - Kristin L Ayers
- Institute of Genetic Medicine, International Centre for Life, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 3BZ, UK
| | - Qihua Tan
- Epidemiology, Institute of Public Health and Department of Clinical Genetics and
| | | | - Anna M Bennet
- Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm SE-171 77, Sweden
| | - Riin Tamm
- Estonian Genome Center and Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Tartu, Tartu 51010, Estonia
| | - Stella Trompet
- Department of Cardiology and Department of Gerontology and Geriatrics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden 2300 RC, The Netherlands
| | | | | | - Giuseppina Rose
- Department of Biology, Ecology and Earth Science, University of Calabria, Rende 87036, Italy
| | - Alexander Viktorin
- Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm SE-171 77, Sweden
| | | | - Marianne Nygaard
- Epidemiology, Institute of Public Health and Department of Clinical Genetics and
| | - Heather J Cordell
- Institute of Genetic Medicine, International Centre for Life, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 3BZ, UK
| | - Paolina Crocco
- Department of Biology, Ecology and Earth Science, University of Calabria, Rende 87036, Italy
| | - Erik B van den Akker
- Department of Molecular Epidemiology, Delft Bioinformatics Lab, Delft University of Technology, Delft 2600 GA, The Netherlands
| | | | | | - Christopher P Nelson
- Department of Cardiovascular Sciences, University of Leicester, Leicester LE3 9QP, UK National Institute for Health Research Leicester Cardiovascular Biomedical Research Unit, Glenfield Hospital, Leicester LE3 9QP, UK
| | - Gary I Saunders
- Human and Vertebrate Analysis and Annotation, The Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, The Wellcome Trust Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge CB10 1SA, UK
| | - Maris Alver
- Estonian Genome Center and Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Tartu, Tartu 51010, Estonia
| | | | - Marie E Breen
- School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Science, Queens University Belfast, Belfast BT9 7BL, UK Department of Psychiatry, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
| | | | - Amke Caliebe
- Institute of Medical Informatics and Statistics, Christian-Albrechts-University, Kiel 24105, Germany
| | - Miriam Capri
- Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine and
| | - Elisa Cevenini
- Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine and
| | - Joanna C Collerton
- Institute for Ageing and Health, Newcastle University, Campus for Ageing and Vitality, Newcastle upon Tyne NE4 5PL, UK
| | - Serena Dato
- Department of Biology, Ecology and Earth Science, University of Calabria, Rende 87036, Italy
| | - Karen Davies
- Institute for Ageing and Health, Newcastle University, Campus for Ageing and Vitality, Newcastle upon Tyne NE4 5PL, UK
| | - Ian Ford
- Robertson Center for Biostatistics and
| | - Jutta Gampe
- Laboratory of Statistical Demography, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock 18057, Germany
| | - Paolo Garagnani
- Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine and
| | - Eco J C de Geus
- Department of Biological Psychology, VU University Amsterdam, Amsterdam 1081 BT, The Netherlands EMGO Institute for Health and Care Research, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam 1081 BT, The Netherlands
| | - Jennifer Harrow
- Human and Vertebrate Analysis and Annotation, The Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, The Wellcome Trust Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge CB10 1SA, UK
| | - Diana van Heemst
- Department of Gerontology and Geriatrics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden 2300 RC, The Netherlands
| | - Bastiaan T Heijmans
- Department of Molecular Epidemiology, Netherlands Consortium for Healthy Ageing
| | | | - Jouke-Jan Hottenga
- Department of Biological Psychology, VU University Amsterdam, Amsterdam 1081 BT, The Netherlands
| | - Albert Hofman
- Netherlands Consortium for Healthy Ageing, Department of Epidemiology and
| | | | - Palmi V Jonsson
- Geriatrics, Landspitali University Hospital, Reykjavik 101, Iceland Faculty of Medicine, University of Iceland, Reykjavik 101, Iceland
| | - Mark Lathrop
- Fondation Jean Dausset-CEPH, Paris 75010, France EMGO Institute for Health and Care Research, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam 1081 BT, The Netherlands McGill University and Génome Québec Innovation Centre, Montréal, Québec, Canada H3A 1A4
| | | | - Carmen Martin-Ruiz
- Institute for Ageing and Health, Newcastle University, Campus for Ageing and Vitality, Newcastle upon Tyne NE4 5PL, UK
| | - Susan E Mcnerlan
- School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Science, Queens University Belfast, Belfast BT9 7BL, UK Cytogenetics Laboratory, Belfast Health and Social Care Trust, Belfast BT8 8BH, UK
| | - Evelin Mihailov
- Estonian Genome Center and Estonian Biocentre, Tartu 51010, Estonia
| | - Alberto Montesanto
- Department of Biology, Ecology and Earth Science, University of Calabria, Rende 87036, Italy
| | - Simon P Mooijaart
- Netherlands Consortium for Healthy Ageing, Department of Gerontology and Geriatrics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden 2300 RC, The Netherlands
| | - Anne Murphy
- School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Science, Queens University Belfast, Belfast BT9 7BL, UK
| | - Ellen A Nohr
- Section for Epidemiology, Department of Public Health, Aarhus University, Aarhus C DK-8000, Denmark Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Institute of Clinical Research, University of Southern Denmark, Odense C DK-5000, Denmark
| | - Lavinia Paternoster
- MRC Centre for Causal Analyses in Translational Epidemiology, School of Social and Community Medicine, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 2BN, UK
| | - Iris Postmus
- Netherlands Consortium for Healthy Ageing, Department of Gerontology and Geriatrics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden 2300 RC, The Netherlands
| | - Fernando Rivadeneira
- Netherlands Consortium for Healthy Ageing, Department of Epidemiology and Department of Internal Medicine, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam 3000 CA, The Netherlands
| | - Owen A Ross
- School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Science, Queens University Belfast, Belfast BT9 7BL, UK Department of Neuroscience, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL 32224, USA
| | - Stefano Salvioli
- Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine and
| | - Naveed Sattar
- BHF Glasgow Cardiovascular Research Centre, Faculty of Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8TA, UK
| | - Stefan Schreiber
- Institute of Clinical Molecular Biology and PopGen Biobank, Christian-Albrechts-University and University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein, Kiel 24105, Germany
| | | | - David J Stott
- Institute of Cardiovascular and Medical Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, UK
| | - Henning Tiemeier
- Netherlands Consortium for Healthy Ageing, Department of Epidemiology and Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Erasmus Medical Center-Sophia Children's Hospital, Rotterdam 3000 CA, The Netherlands
| | - André G Uitterlinden
- Netherlands Consortium for Healthy Ageing, Department of Epidemiology and Department of Internal Medicine, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam 3000 CA, The Netherlands
| | - Rudi G J Westendorp
- Netherlands Consortium for Healthy Ageing, Department of Gerontology and Geriatrics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden 2300 RC, The Netherlands
| | - Gonneke Willemsen
- Department of Biological Psychology, VU University Amsterdam, Amsterdam 1081 BT, The Netherlands
| | - Nilesh J Samani
- Department of Cardiovascular Sciences, University of Leicester, Leicester LE3 9QP, UK National Institute for Health Research Leicester Cardiovascular Biomedical Research Unit, Glenfield Hospital, Leicester LE3 9QP, UK
| | - Pilar Galan
- Université Sorbonne Paris Cité-UREN (Unité de Recherche en Epidémiologie Nutritionnelle), U557 Inserm; U1125 Inra; Cnam; Université Paris 13, CRNH IdF, Bobigny 93017, France
| | - Thorkild I A Sørensen
- Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Basic Metabolic Research, Section on Metabolic Genetics, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen N DK-2200, Denmark Institute of Preventive Medicine, Bispebjerg and Frederiksberg University Hospitals, Frederiksberg DK-2000, Denmark
| | - Dorret I Boomsma
- Department of Biological Psychology, VU University Amsterdam, Amsterdam 1081 BT, The Netherlands
| | - J Wouter Jukema
- Department of Cardiology and Interuniversity Cardiology Institute of the Netherlands, Utrecht 3501 DG, The Netherlands
| | - Irene Maeve Rea
- School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Science, Queens University Belfast, Belfast BT9 7BL, UK
| | - Giuseppe Passarino
- Department of Biology, Ecology and Earth Science, University of Calabria, Rende 87036, Italy
| | - Anton J M de Craen
- Department of Gerontology and Geriatrics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden 2300 RC, The Netherlands
| | - Kaare Christensen
- Epidemiology, Institute of Public Health and Department of Clinical Genetics and Clinical Biochemistry and Pharmacology, Odense University Hospital, Odense C DK-5000, Denmark
| | | | - Kári Stefánsson
- Population Genomics, deCODE Genetics, Reykjavík 101, Iceland
| | - Andres Metspalu
- Estonian Genome Center and Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Tartu, Tartu 51010, Estonia Estonian Biocentre, Tartu 51010, Estonia
| | - Patrik Magnusson
- Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm SE-171 77, Sweden
| | | | - Lene Christiansen
- Epidemiology, Institute of Public Health and Department of Clinical Genetics and
| | - Thomas B L Kirkwood
- Institute for Ageing and Health, Newcastle University, Campus for Ageing and Vitality, Newcastle upon Tyne NE4 5PL, UK
| | | | - Claudio Franceschi
- Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine and Interdepartmental Centre 'L. Galvani', University of Bologna, Bologna 40126, Italy IRCCS Institute of Neurological Science, Bellaria Hospital, Bologna 40139, Italy CNR-ISOF, Bologna 40129, Italy
| | | | - P Eline Slagboom
- Department of Molecular Epidemiology, Netherlands Consortium for Healthy Ageing,
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7
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Pinti M, Cevenini E, Nasi M, De Biasi S, Salvioli S, Monti D, Benatti S, Gibellini L, Cotichini R, Stazi MA, Trenti T, Franceschi C, Cossarizza A. Circulating mitochondrial DNA increases with age and is a familiar trait: Implications for "inflamm-aging". Eur J Immunol 2014; 44:1552-62. [PMID: 24470107 DOI: 10.1002/eji.201343921] [Citation(s) in RCA: 264] [Impact Index Per Article: 26.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2013] [Revised: 12/17/2013] [Accepted: 01/21/2014] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Mitochondrial components, including mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA), when released extracellularly, can act as "damage-associated molecular pattern" (DAMP) agents and cause inflammation. As many elderly people are characterized by a low-grade, chronic inflammatory status defined "inflamm-aging," we evaluated if circulating mtDNA can contribute to this phenomenon. Eight hundred and thirty-one Caucasian subjects were enrolled in the study, including 429 siblings aged 90-104 (90+ siblings). mtDNA plasma levels increased gradually after the fifth decade of life. In 90+ subjects, mtDNA values of two members of the same sibling relationship were directly correlated, suggesting a role for familiar/genetic background in controlling the levels of circulating mtDNA. The subjects with the highest mtDNA plasma levels had the highest amounts of TNF-α, IL-6, RANTES, and IL-1ra; the subjects with the lowest mtDNA levels had the lowest levels of the same cytokines. In vitro stimulation of monocytes with mtDNA concentrations similar to the highest levels observed in vivo resulted in an increased production of TNF-α, suggesting that mtDNA can modulate the production of proinflammatory cytokines. Our findings therefore show that circulating mtDNA increases with age, and can significantly contribute to the maintenance of the low-grade, chronic inflammation observed in elderly people.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcello Pinti
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
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8
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Bucci L, Ostan R, Giampieri E, Cevenini E, Pini E, Scurti M, Vescovini R, Sansoni P, Caruso C, Mari D, Ronchetti F, Borghi MO, Ogliari G, Grossi C, Capri M, Salvioli S, Castellani G, Franceschi C, Monti D. Immune parameters identify Italian centenarians with a longer five-year survival independent of their health and functional status. Exp Gerontol 2014; 54:14-20. [PMID: 24487345 DOI: 10.1016/j.exger.2014.01.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2013] [Revised: 01/22/2014] [Accepted: 01/24/2014] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
Centenarians are rare and exceptional individuals characterized by a peculiar phenotype. They are the best example of healthy aging in humans as most of them have escaped or substantially delayed the onset of major age-related diseases. Within this scenario, the purpose of the present work was to understand if immune status is associated with survival and health status in centenarians. To this aim, 116 centenarians were concomitantly characterized for their immunological, health and functional status, and followed-up for five-year survival. On the basis of previous knowledge we focused on a core of fundamental and basic immune parameters (number of leukocytes, monocytes, total lymphocytes, CD3(+) T lymphocytes, CD4(+) helper T lymphocytes, CD8(+) cytotoxic T lymphocytes, CD19(+) B lymphocytes and plasma levels of IgM), and the most important findings can be summarized as follows: i. a hierarchical cluster analysis was able to define Cluster1 (88 centenarians) and Cluster2 (28 centenarians) characterized by low and high values of all these immune parameters, respectively; ii. centenarians of Cluster2 showed a statistically longer five-year survival and more favorable values of other important immune (naïve, activated/memory and effector/memory T cells) and metabolic (glycemia, insulin and HOMA-IR) parameters, in accord with previous observations that centenarians have a peculiar immune profile, a preserved insulin pathway and a lower incidence of type 2 diabetes; and iii. unexpectedly, parameters related to frailty, as well as functional and cognitive status, did not show any significant correlation with the immune clustering, despite being capable per se of predicting survival. In conclusion, high values of basic immunological parameters and important T cell subsets correlate with five-year survival in centenarians, independent of other phenotypic characteristics. This unexpected biological scenario is compatible with the general hypothesis that in centenarians a progressive disconnection and loss of biological coherence among the different functions of the body occur, where survival/mortality result from the failure of any of these domains which apparently follow an independent age-related trajectory.
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Affiliation(s)
- L Bucci
- Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - R Ostan
- Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - E Giampieri
- Physics and Astronomy Department, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - E Cevenini
- Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - E Pini
- Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - M Scurti
- Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - R Vescovini
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - P Sansoni
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - C Caruso
- Immunosenescence Unit, Department of Pathobiology and Biomedical Methodologies, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - D Mari
- Geriatric Unit IRCCS Ca' Granda Foundation Maggiore Policlinico Hospital, University of Milan, Italy; Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, University of Milan, Italy
| | - F Ronchetti
- Geriatric Unit IRCCS Ca' Granda Foundation Maggiore Policlinico Hospital, University of Milan, Italy; Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, University of Milan, Italy
| | - M O Borghi
- Geriatric Unit IRCCS Ca' Granda Foundation Maggiore Policlinico Hospital, University of Milan, Italy; Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, University of Milan, Italy
| | - G Ogliari
- Geriatric Unit IRCCS Ca' Granda Foundation Maggiore Policlinico Hospital, University of Milan, Italy; Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, University of Milan, Italy
| | - C Grossi
- Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, University of Milan, Italy; Experimental Laboratory of Immuno-rheumatology, IRCCS Istituto Auxologico Italiano, Milan, Italy
| | - M Capri
- Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy; CIG-Interdepartmental Centre L. Galvani, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - S Salvioli
- Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy; CIG-Interdepartmental Centre L. Galvani, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - G Castellani
- Physics and Astronomy Department, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy; Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - C Franceschi
- Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy; CIG-Interdepartmental Centre L. Galvani, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy.
| | - D Monti
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Biomedical Sciences, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
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9
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Mocchegiani E, Costarelli L, Giacconi R, Malavolta M, Basso A, Piacenza F, Ostan R, Cevenini E, Gonos ES, Monti D. Micronutrient-gene interactions related to inflammatory/immune response and antioxidant activity in ageing and inflammation. A systematic review. Mech Ageing Dev 2014; 136-137:29-49. [PMID: 24388876 DOI: 10.1016/j.mad.2013.12.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2013] [Revised: 12/06/2013] [Accepted: 12/20/2013] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Recent longitudinal studies in dietary daily intake in human centenarians have shown that a satisfactory content of some micronutrients within the cells maintain several immune functions, a low grade of inflammation and preserve antioxidant activity. Micronutrients (zinc, copper, selenium) play a pivotal role in maintaining and reinforcing the performances of the immune and antioxidant systems as well as in affecting the complex network of the genes (nutrigenomic) with anti- and pro-inflammatory tasks. Genes of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines and some key regulators of trace elements homeostasis, such as Metallothioneins (MT), are involved in the susceptibility to major geriatric disease/disorders. Moreover, the genetic inter-individual variability may affect the nutrients' absorption (nutrigenetic) with altered effects on inflammatory/immune response and antioxidant activity. The interaction between genetic factors and micronutrients (nutrigenomic and nutrigenetic approaches) may influence ageing and longevity because the micronutrients may become also toxic. This review reports the micronutrient-gene interactions in ageing and their impact on the healthy state with a focus on the method of protein-metal speciation analysis. The association between micronutrient-gene interactions and the protein-metal speciation analysis can give a complete picture for a personalized nutrient supplementation or chelation in order to reach healthy ageing and longevity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eugenio Mocchegiani
- Translation Center of Research in Nutrition and Ageing, Scientific and Technological Pole, Italian National Research Centres on Ageing (INRCA), Via Birarelli 8, 60121 Ancona, Italy.
| | - Laura Costarelli
- Translation Center of Research in Nutrition and Ageing, Scientific and Technological Pole, Italian National Research Centres on Ageing (INRCA), Via Birarelli 8, 60121 Ancona, Italy
| | - Robertina Giacconi
- Translation Center of Research in Nutrition and Ageing, Scientific and Technological Pole, Italian National Research Centres on Ageing (INRCA), Via Birarelli 8, 60121 Ancona, Italy
| | - Marco Malavolta
- Translation Center of Research in Nutrition and Ageing, Scientific and Technological Pole, Italian National Research Centres on Ageing (INRCA), Via Birarelli 8, 60121 Ancona, Italy
| | - Andrea Basso
- Translation Center of Research in Nutrition and Ageing, Scientific and Technological Pole, Italian National Research Centres on Ageing (INRCA), Via Birarelli 8, 60121 Ancona, Italy
| | - Francesco Piacenza
- Translation Center of Research in Nutrition and Ageing, Scientific and Technological Pole, Italian National Research Centres on Ageing (INRCA), Via Birarelli 8, 60121 Ancona, Italy
| | - Rita Ostan
- Department of Experimental Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine (DIMES) and Interdepartmental Centre "L. Galvani" (CIG), University of Bologna, Via San Giacomo, 12, 40126 Bologna, Italy
| | - Elisa Cevenini
- Department of Experimental Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine (DIMES) and Interdepartmental Centre "L. Galvani" (CIG), University of Bologna, Via San Giacomo, 12, 40126 Bologna, Italy
| | - Efstathios S Gonos
- National Hellenic Research Foundation, Institute of Biology, Medicinal Chemistry and Biotechnology, 48 Vas. Constantinou Ave., Athens 11635, Greece
| | - Daniela Monti
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Biomedical Sciences, University of Florence, Viale Morgagni, 50, 50134 Florence, Italy
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10
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Cevenini E, Cotichini R, Stazi MA, Toccaceli V, Scurti M, Mari V, Berardelli M, Passarino G, Jeune B, Franceschi C. How to classify the oldest old according to their health status: a study on 1160 subjects belonging to 552 90+ Italian sib-ships characterized by familial longevity recruited within the GEHA EU Project. Mech Ageing Dev 2013; 134:560-9. [PMID: 24269880 DOI: 10.1016/j.mad.2013.11.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2013] [Revised: 09/26/2013] [Accepted: 11/11/2013] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
The health status of the oldest old, the fastest increasing population segment worldwide, progressively becomes more heterogeneous, and this peculiarity represents a major obstacle to their classification. We compared the effectiveness of four previously proposed criteria (Franceschi et al., 2000; Evert et al., 2003; Gondo et al., 2006; Andersen-Ranberg et al., 2001) in 1160 phenotypically fully characterized Italian siblings of 90 years of age and older (90+, mean age: 93 years; age range: 90-106 years) belonging to 552 sib-ships, recruited in Northern, Central and Southern Italy within the EU-funded project GEHA, followed for a six-year-survival. Main findings were: (i) "healthy" subjects varied within a large range, i.e. 5.2% (Gondo), 8.7% (Evert), 17.7% (Franceschi), and 28.5% (Andersen-Ranberg); (ii) Central Italy subjects showed better health than those from Northern and Southern Italy; (iii) mortality risk was correlated with health status independently of geographical areas; and (iv) 90+ males, although fewer in number, were healthier than females, but with no survival advantage. In conclusion, we identified a modified version of Andersen-Ranberg criteria, based on the concomitant assessment of two basic domains (cognitive, SMMSE; physical, ADL), called "Simple Model of Functional Status" (SMFS), as the most effective proxy to distinguish healthy from not-healthy subjects. This model showed that health status was correlated within sib-ships, suggesting a familial/genetic component.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisa Cevenini
- DIMES - Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine, University of Bologna, Via San Giacomo 12, 40126 Bologna, Italy; C.I.G. - Interdepartmental Centre "L. Galvani", University of Bologna, Piazza di Porta San Donato 1, 40126 Bologna, Italy.
| | - Rodolfo Cotichini
- National Centre for Epidemiology, Surveillance and Health Promotion, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161 Rome, Italy; IFC - Institute of Clinical Physiology, CNR, Via G. Moruzzi 1, 56124 Pisa, Italy.
| | - Maria Antonietta Stazi
- National Centre for Epidemiology, Surveillance and Health Promotion, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161 Rome, Italy.
| | - Virgilia Toccaceli
- National Centre for Epidemiology, Surveillance and Health Promotion, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161 Rome, Italy.
| | - Maria Scurti
- DIMES - Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine, University of Bologna, Via San Giacomo 12, 40126 Bologna, Italy; C.I.G. - Interdepartmental Centre "L. Galvani", University of Bologna, Piazza di Porta San Donato 1, 40126 Bologna, Italy.
| | - Vincenzo Mari
- Italian National Institute of Aging, INRCA, Contrada Muoio Piccolo, 87100 Cosenza, Italy.
| | - Maurizio Berardelli
- Department of Biology, Ecology and Earth Science, University of Calabria, 87036 Rende, Italy.
| | - Giuseppe Passarino
- Department of Biology, Ecology and Earth Science, University of Calabria, 87036 Rende, Italy.
| | - Bernard Jeune
- Epidemiology, Danish Ageing Research Center, Institute of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, Campusvej 55, DK-5230 Odense, Denmark.
| | - Claudio Franceschi
- DIMES - Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine, University of Bologna, Via San Giacomo 12, 40126 Bologna, Italy; C.I.G. - Interdepartmental Centre "L. Galvani", University of Bologna, Piazza di Porta San Donato 1, 40126 Bologna, Italy.
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11
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Ostan R, Bucci L, Cevenini E, Palmas MG, Pini E, Scurti M, Vescovini R, Caruso C, Mari D, Vitale G, Franceschi C, Monti D. Metabolic syndrome in the offspring of centenarians: focus on prevalence, components, and adipokines. Age (Dordr) 2013; 35:1995-2007. [PMID: 23138631 PMCID: PMC3776117 DOI: 10.1007/s11357-012-9483-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2012] [Accepted: 10/17/2012] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
With aging, an increased prevalence of a clustering of metabolic abnormalities has been observed. These abnormalities include obesity, dyslipidemia, hypertension, and insulin resistance and are collectively known as metabolic syndrome (MetS), a low-grade, systemic, inflammatory condition associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and other adverse health outcomes. A number of studies have demonstrated that centenarians' offspring have a significant survival advantage and a lower risk of developing the most important age-related diseases. They therefore represent one of the best models with which to study the familiar component of human longevity. The aim of this study was to determine if the offspring of centenarians (n = 265 subjects) showed a different prevalence of MetS in comparison to the offspring of non-long-lived parents (controls, n = 101 subjects). In addition, we assessed whether centenarians' offspring showed particular features of MetS and a distinct regulation of circulating adipokines, cytokines, and metabolic mediators. Although the prevalence of MetS was quite similar both in the offspring of centenarians and the controls, MetS-affected centenarians' offspring seemed healthier, more functionally fit, and had lower resistin levels. MetS prevalence did not change in centenarians' offspring across resistin, IGF-1, and resistin/IGF-1 ratio tertiles. On the other hand, in controls, MetS prevalence strongly increased across resistin tertiles and in the third resistin/IGF-1 ratio tertile, indicating a dramatic increase in MetS prevalence when the ratio between these two factors is unbalanced, with high levels of resistin and low levels of IGF-1.
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Affiliation(s)
- R. Ostan
- />Department of Experimental Pathology, University of Bologna, Via San Giacomo, 12, 40126 Bologna, Italy
| | - L. Bucci
- />Department of Experimental Pathology, University of Bologna, Via San Giacomo, 12, 40126 Bologna, Italy
| | - E. Cevenini
- />Department of Experimental Pathology, University of Bologna, Via San Giacomo, 12, 40126 Bologna, Italy
| | - M. G. Palmas
- />Department of Experimental Pathology, University of Bologna, Via San Giacomo, 12, 40126 Bologna, Italy
| | - E. Pini
- />Department of Experimental Pathology, University of Bologna, Via San Giacomo, 12, 40126 Bologna, Italy
| | - M. Scurti
- />Department of Experimental Pathology, University of Bologna, Via San Giacomo, 12, 40126 Bologna, Italy
| | - R. Vescovini
- />Department of Internal Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of Parma, Via Gramsci, 14, 43126 Parma, Italy
| | - C. Caruso
- />Immunosenescence Unit, Department of Pathobiology and Biomedical Methodologies, University of Palermo, Corso Tukory, 211, 90100 Palermo, Italy
| | - D. Mari
- />Department of Medical Sciences, University of Milan, Via F. Sforza, 35, 20122 Milano, Italy
- />Geriatric Unit IRCCS Ca’ Granda Foundation Maggiore Policlinico Hospital, 20122 Milan, Italy
| | - G. Vitale
- />Department of Medical Sciences, University of Milan, Via F. Sforza, 35, 20122 Milano, Italy
- />IRCCS Istituto Auxologico Italiano, Milan, Italy
| | - C. Franceschi
- />Department of Experimental Pathology, University of Bologna, Via San Giacomo, 12, 40126 Bologna, Italy
| | - D. Monti
- />Department of Experimental Pathology and Oncology, University of Florence, Viale Morgagni, 50, 50134 Florence, Italy
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12
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Salvioli S, Monti D, Lanzarini C, Conte M, Pirazzini C, Giulia Bacalini M, Garagnani P, Giuliani C, Fontanesi E, Ostan R, Bucci L, Sevini F, Lukas Yani S, Barbieri A, Lomartire L, Borelli V, Vianello D, Bellavista E, Martucci M, Cevenini E, Pini E, Scurti M, Biondi F, Santoro A, Capri M, Franceschi C. Immune System, Cell Senescence, Aging and Longevity - Inflamm-Aging Reappraised. Curr Pharm Des 2013. [DOI: 10.2174/138161213805219531] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
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13
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Gueresi P, Miglio R, Monti D, Mari D, Sansoni P, Caruso C, Bonafede E, Bucci L, Cevenini E, Ostan R, Palmas MG, Pini E, Scurti M, Franceschi C. Does the longevity of one or both parents influence the health status of their offspring? Exp Gerontol 2013; 48:395-400. [PMID: 23403041 DOI: 10.1016/j.exger.2013.02.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2012] [Revised: 01/05/2013] [Accepted: 02/03/2013] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
According to the findings of some recent studies, the centenarians' offspring appear to represent a promising model for research on longevity and healthy aging. This study compares the health status and the functional status of three groups of subjects: 1. individuals with two long-lived parents (one of whom centenarian), 2. individuals with only one long-lived (centenarian) parent, and 3. individuals with no long-lived parents. The goal is to verify whether the centenarians' offspring display any advantage over the offspring of both non-long-lived parents and to evaluate whether the longevity of the non-centenarian parent provides a further advantage. A total of 374 subjects (mean age approximately 70 years) was examined. A threshold for longevity was established for non-centenarian parents through demographic data available for Italy (males surviving to at least 81 years of age and females to 87 years). The participants were assessed for their health and functional status by means of a standardized questionnaire and tests of physical performance. Data were analyzed using multivariate regression models adjusted for socio-demographic characteristics and risk factors for age-related pathologies. The results of the study show that centenarians' offspring have a better functional status, a reduced risk for several age-related pathologies and reduced drug consumption than the offspring of non-long-lived parents. In addition, the health status of centenarians' offspring does not appear to be influenced by the longevity of the second parent. It therefore seems possible to conclude that at ages around 70 years the genetic contribution to health status deriving from having one centenarian parent is not substantially improved if the other parent is also long-lived.
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Affiliation(s)
- P Gueresi
- Department of Statistical Sciences, University of Bologna, Via Belle Arti, 41, 40126 Bologna, Italy.
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14
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Salvioli S, Monti D, Lanzarini C, Conte M, Pirazzini C, Giulia Bacalini M, Garagnani P, Giuliani C, Fontanesi E, Ostan R, Bucci L, Sevini F, Lukas Yani S, Barbieri A, Lomartire L, Borelli V, Vianello D, Bellavista E, Martucci M, Cevenini E, Pini E, Scurti M, Biondi F, Santoro A, Capri M, Franceschi C. Immune System, Cell Senescence, Aging and Longevity - Inflamm-Aging Reappraised. Curr Pharm Des 2013. [DOI: 10.2174/1381612811319090015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
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Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW Inflamm-ageing, defined as the chronic low-grade inflammation typical of ageing, seems to be the common biological factor responsible for the decline and the onset of disease in the elderly. The major age-related diseases share a common inflammatory pathogenesis, giving rise to the so-called 'diseasome of inflamm-ageing'. Main objective of this review is to provide a comprehensive view of the complex interactions responsible for inflamm-ageing, underlining its relationship with metaflammation and the role of senescent cells, gut microbiota and nutrition in determining when, where and how much this phenomenon impacts on the health status during human lifespan. RECENT FINDINGS The ageing process and the health status of elderly people may be improved by facing and slowing down inflamm-ageing. Among the inflammation modulators, gut microbiota and nutrition should be exploited as potential powerful tools to promote healthy ageing and to extend the lifespan in humans. SUMMARY The possibility to control inflamm-ageing represents a powerful tool to modulate and counteract the major age-related pathologies and it is urgent to clarify the shady areas of the complex mechanisms underpinning inflamm-ageing in order to carry out targeted therapeutic interventions towards an improvement of the health status in the elderly population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisa Cevenini
- Department of Experimental Pathology, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
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16
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Salvioli S, Monti D, Lanzarini C, Conte M, Pirazzini C, Bacalini MG, Garagnani P, Giuliani C, Fontanesi E, Ostan R, Bucci L, Sevini F, Yani SL, Barbieri A, Lomartire L, Borelli V, Vianello D, Bellavista E, Martucci M, Cevenini E, Pini E, Scurti M, Biondi F, Santoro A, Capri M, Franceschi C. Immune system, cell senescence, aging and longevity--inflamm-aging reappraised. Curr Pharm Des 2013; 19:1675-1679. [PMID: 23589904] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
Inflamm-aging, that is the age-associated inflammatory status, is considered one of the most striking consequences of immunosenescence, as it is believed to be linked to the majority of age-associated diseases sharing an inflammatory basis. Nevertheless, evidence is emerging that inflamm-aging is at least in part independent from immunological stimuli. Moreover, centenarians who avoided or delayed major inflammatory diseases display markers of inflammation. In this paper we proposed a reappraisal of the concept of inflamm-aging, suggesting that its pathological effects can be independent from the total amount of pro-inflammatory mediators, but they would be rather associated with the anatomical district and type of cells where they are produced and where they primarily act.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefano Salvioli
- Department of Experimental Pathology, University of Bologna, via S. Giacomo 12, 40126 Bologna Italy
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17
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Olivieri F, Spazzafumo L, Santini G, Lazzarini R, Albertini MC, Rippo MR, Galeazzi R, Abbatecola AM, Marcheselli F, Monti D, Ostan R, Cevenini E, Antonicelli R, Franceschi C, Procopio AD. Age-related differences in the expression of circulating microRNAs: miR-21 as a new circulating marker of inflammaging. Mech Ageing Dev 2012; 133:675-85. [PMID: 23041385 DOI: 10.1016/j.mad.2012.09.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 178] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2012] [Revised: 09/13/2012] [Accepted: 09/24/2012] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Circulating microRNAs (miRs) have been investigated as diagnostic/prognostic biomarkers in human diseases. However, little is known about their expression throughout the aging process. Eleven healthy individuals aged 20, 80 and 100 years underwent miR plasma profiling. The validation cohort consisted of 111 healthy adults (CTR) aged 20-105 years and included 30 centenarians. In addition, 34 patients with cardiovascular disease (CVD) and 15 healthy centenarian offspring (CO) were enrolled. An exploratory factorial analysis grouped the miRs into three main factors: factor 1 primarily higher in 20-year-old subjects, but these differences did not reach statistical significance, factor 2 primarily higher in octogenarians and factor 3 primarily higher in centenarians. MiR-21, the most highly expressed miR of factors 2 and 3, was further validated, confirming the differences in the age groups. MiR-21 expression was higher in the CVD patients and lower in the CO compared to the age-matched CTR. MiR-21 was correlated with C-reactive protein and fibrinogen levels. TGF-β signaling was the predicted common pathway targeted by miRs of factors 2 and 3. TGF-βR2 mRNA, a validated miR-21 target, showed the highest expression in the leukocytes from a subset of the octogenarians. Our findings suggest that miR-21 may be a new biomarker of inflammation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabiola Olivieri
- Department of Clinical and Molecular Sciences, Università Politecnica delle Marche, Ancona, Italy.
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18
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Cevenini E, Caruso C, Candore G, Capri M, Nuzzo D, Duro G, Rizzo C, Colonna-Romano G, Lio D, Di Carlo D, Palmas MG, Scurti M, Pini E, Franceschi C, Vasto S. Age-related inflammation: the contribution of different organs, tissues and systems. How to face it for therapeutic approaches. Curr Pharm Des 2010; 16:609-18. [PMID: 20388071 DOI: 10.2174/138161210790883840] [Citation(s) in RCA: 127] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2009] [Accepted: 10/29/2009] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
A typical feature of ageing is a chronic, low-grade inflammation characterized by a general increase in the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines and inflammatory markers ("inflamm-ageing"). This status may slowly damage one or several organs, especially when unfavorable genetic polymorphisms and epigenetic alterations are concomitant, leading to an increased risk of frailty together with the onset of age-related chronic diseases. The contribution of different tissues (adipose tissue, muscle), organs (brain, liver), immune system and ecosystems (gut microbiota) to age-related inflammation ("inflamm-ageing") will be discussed in this review in the context of its onset/progression leading to site-restricted and systemic effects. Moreover, some of the possible strategies and therapies to counteract the different sources of molecular mediators which lead to the age-related inflammatory phenotype will be presented.
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Affiliation(s)
- E Cevenini
- Department of Experimental Pathology, University of Bologna, Italy
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19
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Cevenini E, Bellavista E, Tieri P, Castellani G, Lescai F, Francesconi M, Mishto M, Santoro A, Valensin S, Salvioli S, Capri M, Zaikin A, Monti D, de Magalhães JP, Franceschi C. Systems biology and longevity: an emerging approach to identify innovative anti-aging targets and strategies. Curr Pharm Des 2010; 16:802-13. [PMID: 20388091 DOI: 10.2174/138161210790883660] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2009] [Accepted: 10/16/2009] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Human aging and longevity are complex and multi-factorial traits that result from a combination of environmental, genetic, epigenetic and stochastic factors, each contributing to the overall phenotype. The multi-factorial process of aging acts at different levels of complexity, from molecule to cell, from organ to organ systems and finally to organism, giving rise to the dynamic "aging mosaic". At present, an increasing amount of experimental data on genetics, genomics, proteomics and other -omics are available thanks to new high-throughput technologies but a comprehensive model for the study of human aging and longevity is still lacking. Systems biology represents a strategy to integrate and quantify the existing knowledge from different sources into predictive models, to be later tested and then implemented with new experimental data for validation and refinement in a recursive process. The ultimate goal is to compact the new acquired knowledge into a single picture, ideally able to characterize the phenotype at systemic/organism level. In this review we will briefly discuss the aging phenotype in a systems biology perspective, showing four specific examples at different levels of complexity, from a systemic process (inflammation) to a cascade-process pathways (coagulation) and from cellular organelle (proteasome) to single gene-network (PON-1), which could also represent targets for anti-aging strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- E Cevenini
- CIG - Interdepartmental Centre L Galvani, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
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20
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Abstract
BACKGROUND The aging phenotype in humans is very heterogeneous and can be described as a complex mosaic resulting from the interaction of a variety of environmental, stochastic and genetic-epigenetic variables. Therefore, each old person must be considered as a singleton, and consequently the definition of 'aging phenotype' is very difficult. OBJECTIVE We discuss the phenotype of centenarians, the best example of successful aging, as well as other models exploited to study human aging and longevity, such as families enriched in long-living subjects, twins and cohorts of unrelated subjects. METHODS A critical review of literature available until March 2008. CONCLUSIONS No single model can be considered the gold standard for the study of aging and longevity, instead the combination of results obtained from different models must be considered in order to better understand these complex phenomena. We propose that a systems biology concept such as that of 'bow-tie' architecture, useful for managing information flow, could help in this demanding task.
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Affiliation(s)
- E Cevenini
- University of Bologna, Department of Experimental Pathology, Via S. Giacomo 12, 40126 Bologna, Italy
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21
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Genedani S, Filaferro M, Carone C, Ostan R, Bucci L, Cevenini E, Franceschi C, Monti D. Influence of f-MLP, ACTH(1-24) and CRH on in vitro chemotaxis of monocytes from centenarians. Neuroimmunomodulation 2008; 15:285-9. [PMID: 19047806 DOI: 10.1159/000156472] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The lifelong exposure to a variety of stressors activates a plethora of defense mechanisms, including the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis which releases neuropeptides affecting the immune responses. Here, we report data on the capability of monocytes from young subjects and centenarians to migrate towards chemotactic stimuli (formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine, f-MLP; adrenocorticotropic hormone, ACTH, and corticotrophin-releasing hormone, CRH). Plasma levels of ACTH, CRH and cortisol were measured as an index of ongoing stress response. METHODS Monocyte chemotaxis towards f-MLP (10(-8)M), ACTH(1-24) (10(-14) and 10(-8)M) and CRH (10(-14) and 10(-8)M) was evaluated in vitro in young subjects (n = 8, age range 25-35 years) and centenarians (n = 9, age >100 years) and expressed as chemotactic index. In 9 young subjects and 6 centenarians, plasma levels of cortisol, ACTH and CRH were measured. RESULTS Monocyte chemotaxis towards f-MLP, ACTH(1-24) and CRH (10(-8)M) was well preserved in centenarians, except when the lowest concentration of CRH was used. CRH, ACTH and cortisol plasma levels were significantly higher in centenarians than in young subjects. CONCLUSIONS The capability of monocytes from centenarians to respond to chemotactic neuropeptides is well preserved. The decreased responsiveness to the lowest concentration of CRH might be due to downregulation of CRH receptors or to defects in the intracellular signal transduction pathway. The high plasma levels of cortisol, CRH and ACTH in centenarians indicate an activation of the entire stress axis, likely counteracting the systemic inflammatory process occurring with age. This activation fits with the hypothesis that lifelong low-intensity stressors activate ancient, hormetic defense mechanisms, favoring healthy aging and longevity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susanna Genedani
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Section of Pharmacology, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
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22
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Ostan R, Alberti S, Bucci L, Salvioli S, Pasi S, Cevenini E, Capri M, Di Iorio A, Ginaldi L, De Martinis M, Franceschi C, Monti D. Effect of zinc ions on apoptosis in PBMCs from healthy aged subjects. Biogerontology 2007; 7:437-47. [PMID: 17028933 DOI: 10.1007/s10522-006-9059-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
Immunosenescence features, such as thymic involution, alteration of T-cell repertoire, autoimmunity and accumulation of memory/effector T cells, may be the result, at least in part, of a zinc deficiency, which is often observed during ageing. Zinc, as essential trace element, affects the immune system function and it is an important regulator of apoptosis of immune cells. In this study we addressed the question whether zinc supplementation in vitro at physiological doses can affect spontaneous and oxidative stress-induced apoptosis in peripheral blood mononuclear cells from subjects of three different age groups: young (mean age 28 years), old (mean age 72 years) and nonagenarians. We studied different parameters related to apoptosis (phosphatydilserine exposure, mitochondrial membrane potential, caspase 3 cleavage) and we found that zinc, while decreasing spontaneous apoptosis, can increase oxidative stress-induced apoptosis in an age-related fashion, being this effect more evident in nonagenarians than in old or young subjects. In particular, zinc can increase late apoptosis/necrosis, a phenomenon that could trigger unnecessary inflammation in vivo. We surmise that these age-associated alterations in susceptibility to apoptosis may be due to a different effect of zinc on T cell subsets, that are altered in very old people, and finally that the zinc deficiency, which is often observed in aged subjects, could be a compensatory mechanism to counteract the inflammatory status of the elderly.
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Affiliation(s)
- R Ostan
- Department of Experimental Pathology, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
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23
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Salvioli S, Olivieri F, Marchegiani F, Cardelli M, Santoro A, Bellavista E, Mishto M, Invidia L, Capri M, Valensin S, Sevini F, Cevenini E, Celani L, Lescai F, Gonos E, Caruso C, Paolisso G, De Benedictis G, Monti D, Franceschi C. Genes, ageing and longevity in humans: problems, advantages and perspectives. Free Radic Res 2007; 40:1303-23. [PMID: 17090420 DOI: 10.1080/10715760600917136] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Many epidemiological data indicate the presence of a strong familial component of longevity that is largely determined by genetics, and a number of possible associations between longevity and allelic variants of genes have been described. A breakthrough strategy to get insight into the genetics of longevity is the study of centenarians, the best example of successful ageing. We review the main results regarding nuclear genes as well as the mitochondrial genome, focusing on the investigations performed on Italian centenarians, compared to those from other countries. These studies produced interesting results on many putative "longevity genes". Nevertheless, many discrepancies are reported, likely due to the population-specific interactions between gene pools and environment. New approaches, including large-scale studies using high-throughput techniques, are urgently needed to overcome the limits of traditional association studies performed on a limited number of polymorphisms in order to make substantial progress to disentangle the genetics of a trait as complex as human longevity.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Salvioli
- Department of Experimental Pathology, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
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24
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Franceschi C, Capri M, Monti D, Giunta S, Olivieri F, Sevini F, Panourgia MP, Invidia L, Celani L, Scurti M, Cevenini E, Castellani GC, Salvioli S. Inflammaging and anti-inflammaging: a systemic perspective on aging and longevity emerged from studies in humans. Mech Ageing Dev 2006; 128:92-105. [PMID: 17116321 DOI: 10.1016/j.mad.2006.11.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1362] [Impact Index Per Article: 75.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
A large part of the aging phenotype, including immunosenescence, is explained by an imbalance between inflammatory and anti-inflammatory networks, which results in the low grade chronic pro-inflammatory status we proposed to call inflammaging. Within this perspective, healthy aging and longevity are likely the result not only of a lower propensity to mount inflammatory responses but also of efficient anti-inflammatory networks, which in normal aging fail to fully neutralize the inflammatory processes consequent to the lifelong antigenic burden and exposure to damaging agents. Such a global imbalance can be a major driving force for frailty and common age-related pathologies, and should be addressed and studied within an evolutionary-based systems biology perspective. Evidence in favor of this conceptualization largely derives from studies in humans. We thus propose that inflammaging can be flanked by anti-inflammaging as major determinants not only of immunosenescence but eventually of global aging and longevity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudio Franceschi
- Department of Experimental Pathology, University of Bologna, via S. Giacomo 12, 40126 Bologna, Italy.
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25
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Alberti S, Cevenini E, Ostan R, Capri M, Salvioli S, Bucci L, Ginaldi L, De Martinis M, Franceschi C, Monti D. Age-dependent modifications of Type 1 and Type 2 cytokines within virgin and memory CD4+ T cells in humans. Mech Ageing Dev 2006; 127:560-6. [PMID: 16516272 DOI: 10.1016/j.mad.2006.01.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 98] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2005] [Revised: 08/23/2005] [Accepted: 01/16/2006] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Several alterations in immune function and a concomitant progressive increase in pro-inflammatory status are the major characteristics of ageing process. Cytokines play a key role during ageing acting both in regulatory communication among cells and in effector activity during an immune response. The impact of age on intracellular Type 1 (IFN-gamma and TNF-alpha) and Type 2 (IL-4) cytokines, after stimulation with PMA/ionomycin, was determined in three CD4+ T subsets, i.e. CD95- CD28+ (virgin), CD95+ CD28+ (activated/memory), and CD95+ CD28- (effector/memory) from 47 subjects aged between 21 and 99 years. The percentage of IFN-gamma positive cells significantly decreased in virgin CD4+ subset both in old and nonagenarian subjects, as well as in activated/memory T cells from old in comparison with young subjects. The percentage of TNF-alpha positive cells significantly decreased in activated/memory CD4+ subset from old people. Regarding Type 2 cytokines, IL-4 positive cells significantly increased in activated/memory CD4+ subset from nonagenarians. On the whole our data indicate that: (1) different Type 1 and Type 2 cytokine-positive CD4+ T subsets are differently affected by ageing process; (2) activated/memory T cells appear to be the most affected subset; (3) a shift towards an increased role of Type 2 cytokines and a diminished role of Type 1 cytokines emerges with ageing.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Alberti
- Department of Experimental Pathology and Oncology, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
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