title: [Morphology of neutrophils in centarians].
abstract: Recently, centenarians are involved in many research programs as they are believed to represent so-called successful aging. The aim of the study was to characterize morphological alterations observed in neutrophils from their peripheral blood. The study involved 40 centenarians (group B--34 females and 6 males) as well as 40 young healthy subjects aged 20-30 years (group K--35 females and 5 males). The study is a part of the Polish Centanarians Program coordinated by the International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology in Warsaw. In this study, the morphometry of neutrophils from blood smear was performed in all studied subjects. Additionally, in centenarians, the relationship between observed alteration and serum level of vitamin B12 and folic acid was analyzed. Both the mean size of granulocytes and the mean value of neutrophil lobe counts were higher in group B vs group K (15.5 +/- 0.6 mm and 13.9 +/- 0.7 mm; p<0.0001 and 4.01 +/- 0.7 and 3.2 +/- 0.2; p<0.0001). Chromatin chips and toxic granules in cytoplasm were observed more often in centenarians as well (39/40 vs 20/40--p<0.0001 and 40/40 vs. 23/40--p<0.0001; respectively). In centenarians, there was no relationship between the presence of morphological alterations in granulocytes and the serum level of vitamin B12 and folic acid. In conclusion, morphological alterations were very common in studied centenarians. Detailed analysis of biochemical parameters and clinical status is necessary to answer the question about their pathomechanism.
authors.affiliation: Pracownia Geriatrii i Gerontologii przy Katedrze i Zakładzie Patofizjologii AM im K Marcinkowskiego w Poznaniu. podkowka@amp.edu.pl
authors.forename: Renata
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Podkówka
authors.forename: Krzysztof
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sawiński
authors.forename: Małgorzata
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mossakowska
authors.forename: Alicja
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Klich-Raczka
authors.forename: Jolanta
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zyczkowska
authors.forename: Katarzyna
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Wieczorowska-Tobis
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000369:Aged, 80 and over / Q000502:physiology*; D000375:Aging / Q000097:blood*; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D003593:Cytoplasm / Q000648:ultrastructure; D005260:Female; D005492:Folic Acid / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D011044:Poland; D012016:Reference Values; D014805:Vitamin B 12 / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D005492:Folic Acid; D014805:Vitamin B 12