A polymorphic variant of the insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) receptor correlates with male longevity in the Italian population: a genetic study and evaluation of circulating IGF-1 from the "Treviso Longeva (TRELONG)" study

Diego Albani, Sara Batelli, Letizia Polito, Angelica Vittori, Marzia Pesaresi, Giovanni Battista Gajo, Sergio De Angeli, Andrea Zanardo, Maurizio Gallucci, Gianluigi Forloni
2009 BMC Geriatrics  
Background. An attenuation of the insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) signaling has been associated with elongation of the lifespan in simple metazoan organisms and in rodents. In humans, IGF-1 level has an age-related modulation with a lower concentration in the elderly, depending on hormonal and genetic factors affecting the IGF-1 receptor gene (IGF-1R). Methods. In an elderly population from Northeastern Italy (n=668 subjects, age range 70-106 years) we investigated the IGF-1R polymorphism
more » ... 3174A (rs2229765) and the plasma concentration of free IGF-1. Frequency distributions were compared using χ 2 -test "Goodness of Fit" test, and means were compared by one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA); multiple regression analysis was performed using JMP7 for SAS software (SAS Institute, USA). The limit of significance for genetic and biochemical comparison was set at α=0.05. Results. Males showed an age-related increase in the A-allele of rs2229765 and a change in the plasma level of IGF-1, which dropped significantly after 85 years of age (85+ group). In the male 85+ group, A/A homozygous subjects had the lowest plasma IGF-1 level. We found no correlation between rs2229765 genotype and IGF-1 in the females. Conclusions. These findings confirm the importance of the rs2229765 minor allele as a genetic predisposing factor for longevity in Italy where a sexspecific pattern for IGF-1 attenuation with ageing was found.
doi:10.1186/1471-2318-9-19 pmid:19460140 pmcid:PMC2692840 fatcat:m64aim6m5ne7jocpopgtf5szdu