A gender--dependent genetic predisposition to produce high levels of IL-6 is detrimental for longevity.
Current literature indicates that elevated IL-6 serum levels are associated with diseases, disability and mortality in the elderly. In this paper, we studied the IL-6 promoter genetic variability at -174 C/G locus and its effect on IL-6 serum levels in a total of 700 people from 60 to 110 years of age, including 323 centenarians. We found that the proportion of homozygotes for the G allele at -174 locus decreases in centenarian males, but not in centenarian females. Moreover, we found that, only among males, homozygotes for the G allele at -174 locus have higher IL-6 serum levels in comparison with carriers of the C allele. On the whole, our data suggest that those individuals who are genetically predisposed to produce high levels of IL-6 during aging, i.e. -174 locus GG homozygous men, are disadvantaged for longevity.
Bonafè
M
M
Department of Experimental Pathology, Bologna University, Bologna, Italy.
Olivieri
F
F
Cavallone
L
L
Giovagnetti
S
S
Mayegiani
F
F
Cardelli
M
M
Pieri
C
C
Marra
M
M
Antonicelli
R
R
Lisa
R
R
Rizzo
M R
MR
Paolisso
G
G
Monti
D
D
Franceschi
C
C
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000483:Alleles; D004252:DNA Mutational Analysis; D005260:Female; D005787:Gene Frequency; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D006720:Homozygote; D006801:Humans; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics*; D008017:Life Expectancy; D008136:Longevity / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic / Q000235:genetics; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic / Q000235:genetics; D012727:Sex Characteristics
D015850:Interleukin-6