Growth, the FOXO3 gene and longevity
Short men had a better chance of longevity
Copper news based on the materials of the University of Hawai 'i at Manoa:
Short men may live longer, according to UH-Kuakini Medical Center studyThe smaller the man's height, the longer his life.
This dependence was revealed by the authors of the study, who analyzed data on more than eight thousand residents of Hawaii of Japanese origin, whose health has been monitored for almost 50 years. The work, which also confirmed the key role of a point mutation in the FOXO3 gene for life expectancy, was published in the journal PLOS ONE (Qimei He et al., Shorter Men Live Longer: Association of Height with Longevity and FOXO3 Genotype in American Men of Japanese Ancestry).
The observational study, which began in 1965, involved 8003 Japanese living in Honolulu, born from 1900 to 1919. Observations of their lifestyle and health status have been conducted for almost half a century. Approximately 1,200 participants lived to be 90 and 100 years old, and about 250 of them are still alive.
Scientists led by University of Hawaii Professor Bradley Willcox analyzed an array of data obtained during this long-term large-scale study in order to verify the relationship between growth, life expectancy and a specific variation of the FOXO3 gene. Previously, it was found that the presence of a single nucleotide polymorphism – a difference in the DNA sequence of one nucleotide in size resulting from a point mutation – in this gene regulating insulin metabolism and suppressing the growth of malignant tumors is associated with longevity.
As a result, a positive relationship was found between growth and the level of overall mortality among the participants. As Wilcox explained, all participants were divided into two large groups: the first included men whose height in mid–life was equal to or below about 1 meter 60 centimeters, and the second - those whose height exceeded this indicator. The first group accounted for the largest number of centenarians. In addition, members of this group were more likely to have a mutated version of the FOXO3 gene, oncological diseases were less common and there was a lower level of insulin in the blood on an empty stomach.
As Wilcox emphasized, for the first time it was possible to trace the relationship between human body size, the "long-lived" allele of the FOXO3 gene and life expectancy. Previously, such a dependence could be detected only on an animal model. Nevertheless, Wilcox noted, it is worth bearing in mind that the primary importance for a long life is still not growth and the presence of the "correct" FOXO3 genotype, but the lifestyle that the individual leads.
Portal "Eternal youth" http://vechnayamolodost.ru13.005.2014