title: Longevity network: construction and implications.
abstract: The vast majority of studies on longevity have focused on individual genes/proteins, without adequately addressing the possible role of interactions between them. This study is the first attempt towards constructing a "longevity network" via analysis of human protein-protein interactions (PPIs). For this purpose, we (i) compiled a complete list of established longevity genes from different species, including those that most probably affect the longevity in humans, (ii) defined the human orthologs of the longevity genes, and (iii) determined whether the encoded proteins could be organized as a network. The longevity gene-encoded proteins together with their interacting proteins form a continuous network, which fits the criteria for a scale-free network with an extremely high contribution of hubs to the network connectivity. Most of them have never been annotated before in connection with longevity. Remarkably, almost all of the hubs of the "longevity network" were reported to be involved in at least one age-related disease (ARD), with many being involved in several ARDs. This may be one of the ways by which the proteins with multiple interactions affect the longevity. The hubs offer the potential of being primary targets for longevity-promoting interventions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Center for Multidisciplinary Research in Aging, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, P.O. Box 653, Beer-Sheva 84105, Israel.
authors.forename: Arie
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Budovsky
authors.forename: Amir
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Abramovich
authors.forename: Raphael
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Cohen
authors.forename: Vered
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Chalifa-Caspi
authors.forename: Vadim
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Fraifeld
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D000818:Animals; D006801:Humans; D008136:Longevity / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D025941:Protein Interaction Mapping