1,721,249 research outputs found
Autoimmune diseases and 8.1 ancestral haplotype: an update
No full textThe aim of the present review is to provide an update of the current research into the pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases associated with 8.1 ancestral haplotype. This is a common Caucasoid haplotype carried by most people who type for HLA-B8, DR3. Numerous genetic studies reported that individuals with certain HLA alleles have a higher risk of specific autoimmune disorders than those without these alleles. However, much remains to be learned about the heritability of autoimmune conditions. Recently, progress and advances in the field of genome-wide-association studies have revolutionized the capacity to perform large, economically feasible, and statistically robust analyses of HLA within 8.1 ancestral haplotype, and understand its contribute to autoimmune events. In this paper, the characteristic features of this haplotype that might give rise to diverse autoimmune phenotypes are reviewed, focusing on the contribution of the HLA-DRB1 gene, the most polymorphic sequence within the HLA II region
Sex and gender affect immune aging
Full text linkThe proposed review aims to elucidate the intricate interplay between biological factors (sex differences) and socially constructed factors (gender differences) in the context of immune aging. While the influence of biological differences between men and women on various aspects of immune responses has long been recognized, it is crucial to acknowledge that gender, encompassing the social and cultural roles and expectations associated with being male or female, also significantly shapes these processes. Gender can either accelerate immune aging or promote longevity. By recognizing the impact of both biological and social factors, this work seeks to offer a comprehensive understanding of why men and women may experience divergent trajectories in immune aging and varying outcomes in terms of longevity. Discrepancies in perceived roles of the sexes, both within families and at work, contribute to differing patterns of antigen exposure. Additionally, variations in micronutrient intake and access to preventive healthcare facilities may exist. Health promotion knowledge often correlates with educational attainment, which is unequally represented between males and females in many cultures and across generations in the Western world. In countries without a universal healthcare system, access to healthcare relies on family prioritization strategies to cope with economic constraints, potentially limiting access to specific treatments and affecting immune responses negatively. As a result, both biological factors and social and behavioral factors associated with gender contribute to disparities in immune responses, susceptibility to infections, autoimmune diseases, and vaccine responses among older individuals. However, as demonstrated by the COVID-19 pandemic, older females exhibit greater resilience to infections than older males. Given the crucial role of the immune system in achieving longevity, it is not surprising that women live longer than men, and the number of female centenarians surpasses that of male centenarians
Lessons from Sicilian Centenarians for Anti-Ageing Medicine. The Oxi-Inflammatory Status
Full text linkPopulation ageing is a great achievement of humanity, but it also represents a challenge that the Western world is currently facing, as ageing is associated with increased susceptibility to age-related inflammatory diseases. Therefore, it is necessary to fully understand the mechanisms of healthy ageing to prevent the harmful aspects of ageing. The study of long living individuals (LLIs) is a great model for trying to achieve this goal. Accordingly, the oxy-inflammatory status of Sicilian LLIs was reviewed in the present paper. Based on the reported data, anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative stress strategies have been discussed, useful for delaying or avoiding the onset of age-related diseases, thus favouring a healthy ageing process
Association between platelet endothelial cellular adhesion molecule-1 polymorphisms and atherosclerosis: results of a study on patients from northern Italy
No full textAssociation between genetic variations in the insulin/insulin-like growth factor (Igf-1) signaling pathway and longevity: a systematic review and meta-analysis
No full textSome studies have shown that polymorphisms in the insulin growth factor-1 (IGF-1) signaling pathway genes could influence human longevity. However, the results of different studies are often inconsistent. Our aim was to investigate by systematic review and meta-analysis the association of the common polymorphisms defining the genetic variability of the IGF-1 signaling pathway associated with human longevity. Eleven studies investigating the association between the polymorphisms in the IGF-1 signaling pathway genes (IGF-1, IGF-1 receptor (IGF-1R), Forkhead box O3A (FOXO3A) and Silent mating type Information Regulation 1 (SIRT1) and longevity were found and analyzed. The modelfree approach was applied to meta-analyze these studies. No association was reported between the single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of IGF-1 and longevity in the only available study. The meta-analysis of available data from four studies, showed a significant association with the IGF-1R polymorphism rs2229765, suggesting that subjects with the Abearing genotype have a greater chance of longevity. Concerning the five studies on FOXO3A SNPs, for the rs2764264 a significant association with longevity was observed for C allele when only males were included in the analysis. Statistically significant results were obtained for other SNPs as well, i.e. rs2802292 (G allele), rs9400239 and rs479744 (T and A alleles, respectively). For rs9400239 the association was observed in long lived males with a lower odds ratio than in centenarians, while in rs479744 a significant association was highlighted in centenarians. Concerning SIRT1, no association between the SNPs under study and longevity was observed in the only available report. Current findings suggest that both IGF-1R and FOXO3A polymorphisms could be associated with longevity. The high degree of between-study heterogeneity and the low number of available studies underline the need for further methodologically adequate analyses to confirm this evidence
Centenarians born before 1919 are resistant to COVID-19
No full textAlthough mortality from COVID-19 progressively increases with age, there are controversial data in the literature on the probability of centenarians dying from COVID-19. Moreover, it has been claimed that men in their 90s and 100s are more resilient than women. To gain insight into this matter, we analysed, according to gender, mortality data during the first year of pandemic of Sicilian nonagenarians and centenarians. We used mortality data from the 2019 as a control. The crude excess mortality between the two years was calculated. Data on deaths of Sicilian 90 + years show that, in line with what is known about the different response to infections between the two genders, oldest females are more resilient to COVID-19 than males. Moreover, centenarians born before 1919, but not "younger centenarians", are resilient to COVID-19. This latter datum should be related to the 1918 Spanish flu epidemic, although the mechanisms involved are not clear
Geroprotective applications of oleuropein and hydroxytyrosol through the hallmarks of ageing
No full textAbstract Geroprotectors are compounds that target
the underlying mechanisms of ageing to delay
the onset of age-related diseases and extend both
lifespan and health span. As ageing is driven by the
accumulation of cellular damage, DNA instability,
epigenetic changes, mitochondrial dysfunction, and
chronic inflammation, the concept of geroprotection
focuses on compounds that can mitigate these processes.
Oleuropein (OLE) and its derivative hydroxytyrosol
(HT), both phenolic molecules derived from
Olea europaea (olive tree), have gained significant
attention as potential geroprotectors due to their
potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.
These phytochemicals, central to the Mediterranean
diet, activate key molecular pathways such as nuclear
factor erythroid 2-related factor 2, reducing oxidative
stress and modulating inflammatory responses.
Through these mechanisms, OLE and HT help counteract
inflammageing, a critical factor in age-related
dysfunction. This review highlights the role of OLE
and HT as geroprotective agents, emphasising their
ability to target the hallmarks of ageing and their
potential to improve health span by slowing the progression
of age-related conditions. With proven efficacy
in various biological models, these compounds
represent promising tools in the ongoing search for
strategies to enhance the quality of life in ageing
population
Refining Nutritional Assessment Methods for Older Adults: A Pilot Study on Sicilian Long-Living Individuals
Full text linkBackground: Assessing nutrition-related health risks in older individuals is often
overlooked in clinical practice due to the lack of appropriate methods of evaluation. While
anthropometric measurements and body composition analyses are mainly used, these
tools are not standardized for the oldest old and fail to account for age-related changes.
This underscores the need for improved assessment techniques that accurately capture
the progressive and non-linear shifts in nutritional status throughout the aging process.
Accordingly, the primary aim of our paper is to identify the most effective tools to use for
evaluating nutritional status in the oldest population. Methods: To address this gap, we
conducted a cross-sectional study, investigating the nutritional status of a cohort of Sicilian
individuals aged between 65 and 111, using methods commonly applied to adult and
older adult populations. These included the BIoimpedance Analysis (BIA), the Mini Nutritional
Assessment (MNA) evaluation, and nutritional risk indices such as the COntrolling
NUTritional Status (CONUT) score and Geriatric Nutritional Risk Index (GNRI). Results:
Despite the oldest population being classified as “at risk” of malnutrition by the MNA or
“cachetic” by BIA, our results indicated a “normal” or “low risk” of malnutrition when
assessments were performed using tools (GNRI and CONUT) that were not reliant on body
composition parameters. These findings align with clinical history assessments conducted
during their recruitment. Conclusions: This pilot study highlights the need for future
research aimed at developing standardized, multidimensional assessment models tailored
to the heterogeneity of each age group, to improve risk stratification, clinical outcomes, and
personalized nutritional care
Association of Klotho polymorphisms with healthy aging: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
No full textToday it is clearly evident that genetic background constitutes an integral part
of aging and longevity. Many studies on long-lived people have been conducted
emphasizing the role of certain genes in long life. Classic case-control studies,
genome-wide association studies, and high-throughput sequencing have permitted
identification of a variety of genetic variants seemingly associated with
longevity. Over the years, aging research has focused on the insulin/insulin-like
growth factor-1 (IGF-1) signaling pathway because of its evolutionarily conserved
correlation with life-span extension in model animals. Indeed, many
single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with longevity were identified
in genes encoding proteins that take part in this metabolic pathway. Closely
related to this pathway is the Klotho gene. It encodes a type-I membrane protein
expressed in two forms, membrane and secreted. The latter form suppresses
oxidative stress and growth factor signaling and regulates ion channels and
transporters. In particular, its over-expression seems to be able to suppress
insulin/IGF-1 signaling extending life span. Thus, our aim was to assemble the
results in the literature concerning the association between the functional
variant of the Klotho "KL-VS" stretch, which contains six polymorphisms in
linkage disequilibrium, and successful aging to quantify the possible effect of
the variants. The results of our systematic review indicate that the Klotho KL-VS
variant is associated with healthy aging
Association Between Genetic Variations In The Insulin/Insulin-Like Growth Factor (Igf-1) Signaling Pathway And Longevity: A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis.
No full textSome studies have shown that polymorphisms in the insulin growth factor-1 (IGF-1)
signaling pathway genes could influence human longevity. However, the results of
different studies are often inconsistent. Our aim was to investigate by
systematic review and meta-analysis the association of the common polymorphisms
defining the genetic variability of the IGF-1 signaling pathway associated with
human longevity. Eleven studies investigating the association between the
polymorphisms in the IGF-1 signaling pathway genes (IGF-1, IGF-1 receptor
(IGF-1R), Forkhead box O3A (FOXO3A) and Silent mating type information regulation
1 (SIRT1)) and longevity were found and analyzed. The model-free approach was
applied to meta-analyze these studies. No association was reported between the
single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of IGF-1 and longevity in the available
study. The meta-analysis of available data from four studies, showed a
significant association with the IGF-1R polymorphism rs2229765, suggesting that
subjects with the A-bearing genotype have greater chance of longevity. Concerning
the five studies on FOXO3A SNPs, for the rs2764264 significant association with
longevity was observed for C allele when only males were included in the
analysis. Statistically significant results were obtained for other SNPs as well,
i.e. rs2802292 ( G allele), rs9400239 and rs479744 (T and A alleles,
respectively). For rs9400239 the association was observed in male long lived with
a lower odds ratio than in centenarians while in rs479744 it was highlighted a
significant association in centenarians. Concerning SIRT1, no association between
the SNPs under study and longevity was observed in the only available report.
Current findings suggest that both IGF-1R and FOXO3A polymorphisms could be
associated with longevity. The high degree of between-study heterogeneity and the
low number of available studies underline the need for further methodologically
adequate analyses to confirm these evidences
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