Anti-Inflammatory Protein May Hold Clue to Long Life in Men

High levels of an anti-inflammatory protein may provide a genetic clue to longevity, at least in men, reveals a study in the Journal of Medical Genetics.

The process of ageing is associated with chronic, low level inflammation throughout the body, leading to long term tissue damage and enhancing the development of degenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, osteoporosis and type 2 diabetes.

Italian researchers examined levels of two proteins (cytokines) involved in the inflammatory process in the body: IL-10, which damps down inflammation; and TNFa, which promotes it.

Genes are responsible for the levels of an interacting network of cytokines, produced in response to injury or infection.

To investigate this further, the research team examined the frequency of genes coding for IL-10 and TNFa in 72 men and 102 women, all of whom had reached the age of 100. Similar DNA testing was also carried out in 115 men and 112 women aged between 22 and 60.

The results showed that significantly more centenarian men expressed genes encoding for high levels of the anti-inflammatory IL-10 than did younger men, although there were no differences in the levels of the pro-inflammatory TNFa among the various age groups.

And significantly more centenarian men expressed genes for the combination of high IL-10 and low TNFa production than did their younger peers. There were no differences in levels of the cytokines, either separately or in combination, among the women.

The authors point out that these genetic variations may be specific to the population tested, and may not be evident elsewhere. But, they say, that high levels of the anti-inflammatory cytokine seem to be associated with long life.

And they describe the finding as "intriguing," given that, paradoxically, persistent inflammation has a role in the development of certain age related diseases.

Click here to view the full paper: http://press.psprings.co.uk/jmg/april/mg024788.pdf