title: Population-specific association of genes for telomere-associated proteins with longevity in an Italian population.
abstract: Leukocyte telomere length (LTL) has been observed to be hereditable and correlated with longevity. However, contrasting results have been reported in different populations on the value of LTL heritability and on how biology of telomeres influences longevity. We investigated whether the variability of genes correlated to telomere maintenance is associated with telomere length and affects longevity in a population from Southern Italy (20-106 years). For this purpose we analyzed thirty-one polymorphisms in eight telomerase-associated genes of which twelve in the genes coding for the core enzyme (TERT and TERC) and the remaining in genes coding for components of the telomerase complex (TERF1, TERF2, TERF2IP, TNKS, TNKS2 and TEP1). We did not observe (after correcting for multiple testing) statistically significant associations between SNPs and LTL, possibly suggesting a low genetic influence of the variability of these genes on LTL in the elderly. On the other hand, we found that the variability of genes encoding for TERF1 and TNKS2, not directly involved in LTL, but important for keeping the integrity of the structure, shows a significant association with longevity. This suggests that the maintenance of these chromosomal structures may be critically important for preventing, or delaying, senescence and aging. Such a correlation was not observed in a population from northern Italy that we used as an independent replication set. This discrepancy is in line with previous reports regarding both the population specificity of results on telomere biology and the differences of aging in northern and southern Italy.
authors: Department of Biology, Ecology and Earth Science, University of Calabria, 87036, Rende, Italy.
authors: Paolina
authors: P
authors: Crocco
authors: Roberto
authors: R
authors: Barale
authors: Giuseppina
authors: G
authors: Rose
authors: Cosmeri
authors: C
authors: Rizzato
authors: Aurelia
authors: A
authors: Santoro
authors: Francesco
authors: F
authors: De Rango
authors: Maura
authors: M
authors: Carrai
authors: Paola
authors: P
authors: Fogar
authors: Daniela
authors: D
authors: Monti
authors: Fiammetta
authors: F
authors: Biondi
authors: Laura
authors: L
authors: Bucci
authors: Rita
authors: R
authors: Ostan
authors: Federica
authors: F
authors: Tallaro
authors: Alberto
authors: A
authors: Montesanto
authors: Carlo-Federico
authors: CF
authors: Zambon
authors: Claudio
authors: C
authors: Franceschi
authors: Federico
authors: F
authors: Canzian
authors: Giuseppe
authors: G
authors: Passarino
authors: Daniele
authors: D
authors: Campa
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D014644:Genetic Variation / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D008136:Longevity / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D044382:Population Groups / Q000208:ethnology / Q000235:genetics*; D000089804:Shelterin Complex; D038501:Tankyrases / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D016615:Telomere / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D059505:Telomere Homeostasis / Q000235:genetics; D034501:Telomere-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D000089804:Shelterin Complex; C059329:TERF1 protein, human; D034501:Telomere-Binding Proteins; C437334:TNKS2 protein, human; D038501:Tankyrases