title: Molecular remodeling of potassium channels in fibroblasts from centenarians: a marker of longevity?
abstract: Aging is a complex process resulting from, among other, dynamic non-linear interactions between genetics and environment. Centenarians are the best example of successful aging in humans, as they escaped from, or largely postponed, major age-related diseases. Ionic fluxes changes play a key role in several patho-physiological cellular processes, but their relation to human aging is largely unexplored. In the present study we have compared patch-clamp potassium (K(+)) current recordings from dermal fibroblasts (DF) obtained from young, elderly and centenarian donors. We found that in DF from elderly donors, but not from centenarians, K(+) current amplitude is significantly smaller with respect to DF from young donors. Moreover, cell membrane capacitance of DF from elderly donors is smaller with respect to young donors and centenarians. We also observed that the voltage-gated Shaker Kv1.1 channel is expressed in higher percentage of elderly's and centenarian's DF than young's, whereas the large-conductance calcium-activated K(+) (BK(Ca)) channel β1 subunit is expressed in lower percentage of centenarian's DF than in elderly's and young's. The maintenance of "young" K(+) currents and the peculiar age-related remodeling of K(+) channel subtypes in centenarian's DF is likely associated with successful aging and might provide a predictive marker of longevity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, University of Bologna, 40127 Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: Isabella
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Zironi
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gaibani
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Remondini
authors.forename: Stefano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Salvioli
authors.forename: Serena
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Altilia
authors.forename: Michela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pierini
authors.forename: Giorgio
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Aicardi
authors.forename: Ettore
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Verondini
authors.forename: Luciano
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Milanesi
authors.forename: Ferdinando
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bersani
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gravina
authors.forename: Igor B
authors.initials: IB
authors.lastname: Roninson
authors.forename: Claudio
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Franceschi
authors.forename: Gastone
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Castellani
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000378:metabolism*; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000378:metabolism; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D051662:Kv1.1 Potassium Channel / Q000378:metabolism; D051036:Large-Conductance Calcium-Activated Potassium Channels / Q000378:metabolism*; D051637:Shaker Superfamily of Potassium Channels / Q000378:metabolism*; D012867:Skin / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D051036:Large-Conductance Calcium-Activated Potassium Channels; D051637:Shaker Superfamily of Potassium Channels; D051662:Kv1.1 Potassium Channel