title: Association between longevity and allelic forms of human leukocyte antigens (HLA): population study of aged Italian human subjects.
abstract: Several arguments support the idea of a link between longevity and heredity, both in humans and in experimental animals. We have therefore investigated the possibility of an association between the human leukocyte antigens (HLA) and longevity in two groups of Italian subjects: 108 healthy subjects over 85 years old, and 749 healthy blood donors (controls). Only four antigens showed a higher frequency in the elder group: HLA-A31(19), B7, Cw7 and DQ1. These findings suggest an involvement of HLA antigens in human longevity, but the real biological meaning of these results is still unclear.
authors.affiliation: 2nd Geriatric Division, Azienda Ospedale San Gerardo, Monza, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ricci
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Colombo
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ghiazza
authors.forename: M T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Illeni
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000483:Alleles; D005260:Female; D005787:Gene Frequency; D006680:HLA Antigens / Q000235:genetics*; D015234:HLA-A Antigens; D015793:HLA-B7 Antigen; D015236:HLA-C Antigens; D006683:HLA-DQ Antigens; D006650:Histocompatibility Testing; D006801:Humans; D008136:Longevity / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D010641:Phenotype
chemical_list: D006680:HLA Antigens; D015234:HLA-A Antigens; C069527:HLA-A31 antigen; D015793:HLA-B7 Antigen; D015236:HLA-C Antigens; C040178:HLA-C*70 antigen; D006683:HLA-DQ Antigens; C051568:HLA-DQ1 antigen