Search results for "longevity."

Insulin/IGF-1 Signaling: More than a Metabolic Pathway

2014

Background: Dietary intervention and genetic alterations in gene encoding proteins involved in nutrient-sensing pathways can modulate lifespan, influencing longevity. It depends on under/over-expression of regulatory molecules that lead to different expression of homeostatic genes. Insulin/IGF-1 pathway was associated with longevity and lifespan modulation in model organisms. In humans, a key molecule in this pathway is FOXO3A that acts as a TF on homeostatic genes in response to decreased signaling increasing life span. Interestingly, other genes that increase lifespan interact with FOXO3A such as SIRT1, which modulates the oxidative stress response. Methods: We used meta-analytical and ca…

Longevity hotspot in Sicily. The exploration of a new possible blu zone

We are conducting a survey in some mountainous Sicilian populations, particularly in villages sited in the Palermo province, part of the Madonie Park. To ascertain the true longevity rate, we checked the born and death registers, analyzing about 37,000 newborns between 1881 and 1917 in a sample of five small municipalities located in Madonie. About 1,700 individuals died at the age of 90 years and over, and about one hundred were centenarians. Therefore, the probability to reach 90 and 100 years old was of 4.6% and 0.22% respectively. Accordingly, we observed significant lower mortality rates for all causes of death when compared to those measured in Palermo town. Therefore, the population …

16th IHIW: Immunogenetics of Aging

2013

Ageing is a process characterised by progressive loss of function in multiple different organ systems, such as the nervous, endocrine and immune systems. Current data showing that ageing processes may be associated with alterations in the immune system suggest that some of the genetic determinants of senescence might be polymorphic genes that regulate immune responses. The ‘Immunogenetics of Aging’ programme was a component introduced in the 14th International HLA and Immunogenetics Workshop (IHIWS) and developed further within the 15th and 16th. The aim of this component was to determine the contribution of immune genes to successful ageing and an increased capacity to reach the extreme li…

Regolazione della longevità in Saccharomyces cerevisiae Ruolo di micro e macronutrienti nella modulazione dell'invecchiamento negli eucarioti

2014

In diversi organismi, dal lievito ai mammiferi, è stato osservato che la riduzione dell'introito calorico aumenta la sopravvivenza e protegge dall'insorgenza di numerose patologie associate all'età. Il meccanismo molecolare tramite cui questo effetto si realizza non è ancora chiaro. Questa ricerca mette in evidenza il ruolo di singoli nutrienti nella sensibilizzazione agli stress e nella promozione dell'invecchiamento, identifica in particolare tre specifici aminoacidi che agiscono da segnalatori pro-aging e descrive le vie molecolari attraverso cui tali molecole agiscono. Poiché i pathway di segnalazione coinvolti nell'invecchiamento e nella risposta ai nutrienti sono significativamente co…

Role of TLR Polymorphisms in Aging and Age-Related Diseases

2017

Innate immunity provides the first line of host defense against infection by recognizing and killing microbes, and simultaneously activating an instructive immune response. Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are principal mediators of rapid microbial recognition, and they mainly function by detecting exogenous pathogen-associated molecular patterns. Recognition of their ligands actives signaling ways, which culminate in evocating acute host responses, involved in killing pathogens. Here, we describe the involvement of TLR4 polymorphisms in aging, and particularly in immunosenescence and age-related diseases, suggesting the crucial role of molecules of innate immunity in the pathophysiology of these…

Phenotypic Aspects of Longevity

2019

Centenarians are individuals who live over the average life span characteristic of their population. The growing number of old people worldwide makes it necessary to identify a good strategy to reach healthy ageing and avoid or delay age-related diseases. The longevity phenotype is the result of a positive combination between genetic, epigenetic, stochastic and lifestyle factors. So, the analysis of all the known parameters that can influence these single elements or their interaction can give new possible elements to delineate a sort of longevity signature. Starting from the easiest biomarkers as the haematochemical values and reaching the study of molecular and cellular components, as the…

Insulin pathway and its correlation with ageing and longevity

2014

Ageing is unavoidable and leads to the reduction of the ability to adapt to the environment, involving the organism at all levels. Approximately 25% of the overall variation in human lifespan can be attributed to genetic factors, which become more relevant for extreme longevity. A “favourable” genetic background is essential to live longer. Longevity depends on the survival after reproduction and genes that lead to longevity are “survival genes” rather than “longevity genes”. But human population is very heterogeneous because of the different genetic background and different environmental stimuli thus it has not been yet possible to identify a clear panel of biomarkers of ageing and longevi…

How Important Are Genes to Achieve Longevity?

2022

Several studies on the genetics of longevity have been reviewed in this paper. The results show that, despite efforts and new technologies, only two genes, APOE and FOXO3A, involved in the protection of cardiovascular diseases, have been shown to be associated with longevity in nearly all studies. This happens because the genetic determinants of longevity are dynamic and depend on the environmental history of a given population. In fact, population-specific genes are thought to play a greater role in the attainment of longevity than those shared between different populations. Hence, it is not surprising that GWAS replicated associations of common variants with longevity have been few, if an…

Role of sex and age in fatal outcomes of COVID-19: women and older centenarians are more resilient.

2023

In the present paper, we have analysed the role of age and sex in the fatal outcome of COVID-19, as there are conflicting results in the literature. As such, we have answered three controversial questions regarding this aspect of the COVID-19 pandemic: (1) Have women been more resilient than men? (2) Did centenarians die less than the remaining older people? (3) Were older centenarians more resistant to SARS-CoV-2 than younger centenarians? The literature review demonstrated that: (1) it is women who are more resilient, in agreement with data showing that women live longer than men even during severe famines and epidemics; however, there are conflicting data regarding centenarian men; (2) c…

Antiaging Medicine

2009

• The factors best demonstrated to delay aging are fruit and vegetables, exercise, not smoking, drinking one or two glasses of alcohol daily, and fish consumption. • Vitamin D replacement, in persons with low 25[OH] vitamin D levels, decreases hip fractures, improves muscle strength, enhances function, and decreases mortality. • Antiaging medicine has been hijacked by charlatans who promote unproven or dangerous remedies to a naïve aging public. • Too often animal studies that produce longevity are directly applied to humans before appropriate clinical trials have been carried out. • There is no evidence that hormones or megadoses of vitamins prolong life. • Numerous products of varying qua…