Science heterogeneity longevity study: multiple candidate genes that affect lifespan

Researchers at the National Institute on Aging (NIA)-funded intervention testing program recently reported the discovery of multiple candidate genes
that affect lifespan.
Three intervention pilot sites: the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio, the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor, and the Jackson Laboratory in Bar Harbor, Maine, conducted the study in collaboration with the lab of Dr.
Robert W.
Williams of the University of Tennessee Memphis Health Science Center and the
laboratory of Johan Auwerx, MD, Ecole Polytechnique de Lausanne, Switzerland.

"Some candidate genes affect the lifespan of women, while others affect the lifespan of men," said
Dr.
Randy Strong of the Sam and Ampathhorpe Longevity and Aging Institute at the University of Texas in San Antonio.
"A group of genes increases the lifespan
of both sexes.
Very rare in such studies, these findings were made in a population of mice with comparable genetic diversity to humans
.
”

The journal Science published the findings
on September 30.
Strong directs the Intervention Testing Program at the Barshop Institute, which first attracted funding from the National Institute on Aging (NIA) in 2003, marking the 19th year of NIA funding
.

Heterogeneous lifespan studies

Dr James Nelson, study co-author of the Barshop Institute, said: "This study simulates the human condition
.
Unlike the mice in many other studies, the mice in this newly reported study are not all the same
.
Each person has different genetic variations, resulting in slightly different proteins and slightly different functions, which together affect aging
.
”

As we age, even small differences can lead to different health outcomes
.
Nelson notes, for example, that slight variations in the hemoglobin gene can lead to a decrease
in the efficiency of hemoglobin in red blood cells that binds to oxygen and transfers oxygen from the lungs to body tissues.
Anemia is an impact
.

Women live longer

Strong says it's interesting and important
to find only the gene loci that affect lifespan in women.
Genetic loci are clusters
of 10 to 100 genes.

Strong said: "Women and men are different
in almost all aspects of aging.
They must all be studied to understand aging in both sexes and to develop effective treatments
.
If we gave women the same medication as men, and women's aging is caused by different genes, our treatment would not be as effective
.
”

Candidate genes

The next step is to scrutinize these candidate genes to find those responsible for longevity
.
In the final section of the Science article, the team reports on this practice
.
The researchers tested candidate genes for nematodes because they have a short lifespan and are often used in aging studies
.
"Many candidate genes do affect the lifespan
of nematodes.
"

The researchers say this does not prove that these genes affect human lifespan
.
But that's another reason
to continue researching the genetic basis of longevity.

Powerful study design

Strong said that as envisioned at the beginning of the intervention pilot project, there were three sites where the study was conducted, ensuring the statistical power, rigor and reproducibility of
the findings.

The authors say the study is unique in that it is based on a large sample of
thousands of animals.
"Of all the studies trying to identify genes that affect lifespan, this is one of
the most numerous mice.
"

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