Heat shock response by EBV-immortalized B-lymphocytes from centenarians and control subjects: a model to study the relevance of stress response in longevity.
'Successful aging', i.e. the ability to attain old age in relatively good health, is believed to be related to the capability to cope with different environmental stresses. Independently of their specific differentiation, all body cells respond to hyperthermia and other stresses with the production of Heat Shock Proteins (HSPs) that play an important role in cell survival. We investigated the heat shock response in B-lymphoid cell lines from 44 centenarians and 23 younger subjects, by studying both HSP70 synthesis and cell survival after hyperthermic treatment. Interestingly, no significant difference could be found between the two age groups as far as HSP70 synthesis was concerned; moreover, cell lines from centenarians appeared to be less prone to heat-induced apoptosis than lines from younger controls. These results, which are in contrast with previous findings showing an age-related decrease of the HSP70 synthesis and of hyperthermic response, corroborate the above mentioned hypothesis that the biological success of centenarians is due to the preservation of the capability to cope with stresses. An A/C polymorphism identified in the promoter region of HSP70-1 gene had been previously shown to affect the probability to attain longevity in females. To investigate if this effect was related to any influence of this polymorphism on HSP70 protein synthesis the correlation between A/C polymorphism and protein synthesis was investigated. We found that cells from AA centenarian females displayed a lower synthesis of HSP70.
Marini
Marina
M
Institute of Histology and General Embryology, University of Bologna, Via Belmerloro 8, Bologna 40126, Italy. marina.marini@unibo.it
Lapalombella
Rosa
R
Canaider
Silvia
S
Farina
Antonio
A
Monti
Daniela
D
De Vescovi
Valentina
V
Morellini
Marina
M
Bellizzi
Dina
D
Dato
Serena
S
De Benedictis
Giovanna
G
Passarino
Giuseppe
G
Moresi
Raffaella
R
Tesei
Silvia
S
Franceschi
Claudio
C
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D017209:Apoptosis; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000378:metabolism*; D015153:Blotting, Western / Q000379:methods; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002461:Cell Line, Transformed; D005260:Female; D018840:HSP70 Heat-Shock Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human; D006358:Hot Temperature; D006801:Humans; D008136:Longevity / Q000235:genetics*; D008297:Male; D008954:Models, Biological; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D013312:Stress, Physiological / Q000276:immunology*
D018840:HSP70 Heat-Shock Proteins