14 DAY TRIAL // How long you will live depends not only on your life style but also on whether you were lucky enough to inherit a set of genes that lowers the probability of certain diseases such as heart diseases or diabetes. But scientists want to know more precisely which are the exact genes involved in longevity. In case of simpler animals, such as worms and fruit flies, researchers have discovered that a mutation of one single gene could increase their life spans considerably. It is believed that in case of humans there are several such genes and the challenge of course is to find them. Now, another such longevity gene has been found.
Barzilai and Atzmon, who study aging at Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York, examined the genetic makeup of 213 centenarians. What makes them so special? Because longevity is known to run in families, researchers also compared the centenarians' children with a control group comprised of individuals whose parents died before reaching 85.
They found that 25% of the centenarians had a specific genetic variation that was associated with cardiovascular health, lower incidence of hypertension, greater insulin sensitivity, and, consequently, longevity. The gene is called APOC3 and has a role in determining cholesterol levels. The same genetic variation was found in 20% of their children but only 10% of the control group.
In 2003, Barzilai and Atzmon had discovered that a variation in another cholesterol-influencing gene, called CETP, was also associated with longer life spans. A drug mimicking the function of the CETP gene is already in development and now the same will be attempted with APCO3.
According to Atzmon, eventually multiple gene functions could be simulated by a single pill. "You'd take it once a day like a vitamin," he says. In mid-1990s a few other longevity related genes were found.
Photo credit: Photos from 1910 and 1999, showing one of the families that participated in the study (Keane family).