title: Mitochondrial DNA content contributes to healthy aging in Chinese: a study from nonagenarians and centenarians.
abstract: Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) content plays an important role in energy production and sustaining normal physiological function. A decline in the mtDNA content and subsequent dysfunction cause various senile diseases, with decreasing mtDNA content observed in the elderly individuals with age-related diseases. In contrast, the oldest old individuals, for example, centenarians, have a delayed or reduced prevalence of these diseases, suggesting centenarians may have a different pattern of the mtDNA content, enabling them to keep normal mitochondrial functions to help delay or escape senile diseases. To test this hypothesis, a total of 961 subjects, consisting of 424 longevity subjects and 537 younger control subjects from Hainan and Sichuan provinces of China, were recruited for this study. The mtDNA content was found to be inversely associated with age among the age of group 40-70 years. Surprisingly, no reduction of mtDNA content was observed in nonagenarians and centenarians; instead, these oldest old showed a significant increase than the elderly people aged between 50 and 70 years. The results suggest the higher mtDNA content may convey a beneficial effect to the longevity of people through assuring sufficient energy supply.
authors: State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution, Kunming Institute of Zoology, The Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China; KIZ/CUHK Joint Laboratory of Bioresources and Molecular Research in Common Diseases, Kunming, China.
authors: Yong-Han
authors: YH
authors: He
authors: State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution, Kunming Institute of Zoology, The Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China; KIZ/CUHK Joint Laboratory of Bioresources and Molecular Research in Common Diseases, Kunming, China.
authors: Xiang
authors: X
authors: Lu
authors: State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution, Kunming Institute of Zoology, The Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China; KIZ/CUHK Joint Laboratory of Bioresources and Molecular Research in Common Diseases, Kunming, China.
authors: Huan
authors: H
authors: Wu
authors: Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Hainan Medical College, Haikou, China. Electronic address: caiww591020@163.com.
authors: Wang-Wei
authors: WW
authors: Cai
authors: State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution, Kunming Institute of Zoology, The Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China; KIZ/CUHK Joint Laboratory of Bioresources and Molecular Research in Common Diseases, Kunming, China.
authors: Li-Qin
authors: LQ
authors: Yang
authors: Dujiangyan Longevity Research Centre, Dujiangyan, China.
authors: Liang-You
authors: LY
authors: Xu
authors: Department of Social Medicine, School of Public Health, Soochow University, Suzhou, China.
authors: Hong-Peng
authors: HP
authors: Sun
authors: State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution, Kunming Institute of Zoology, The Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China; KIZ/CUHK Joint Laboratory of Bioresources and Molecular Research in Common Diseases, Kunming, China. Electronic address: kongqp@mail.kiz.ac.cn.
authors: Qing-Peng
authors: QP
authors: Kong
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000235:genetics*; D044466:Asian People / Q000235:genetics; D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology*; D004734:Energy Metabolism; D005260:Female; D056726:Genetic Association Studies; D006801:Humans; D008136:Longevity / Q000235:genetics*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
chemical_list: D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial
keywords: Age-related diseases; Aging; Copy number; Longevity; Mitochondrial DNA