Only a small percentage of Switzerland’s population is over 100 years old, about 0.02%. Its rarity raises a simple question. Do people who reach the age of 100 have measurable biological characteristics that distinguish them from others?
team working on SWISS100 projectThe first major research effort in Switzerland to focus specifically on centenarians suggests the answer may be yes.
Researchers at the University of Geneva (Unige) and the University of Lausanne (unil) compared the blood profiles of centenarians with those of people in their 80s, and also compared the blood profiles of adults aged 30 to 60.
Centenarians looked surprisingly “younger” across a set of 37 proteins, especially when it came to markers related to oxidative stress.
Eliminate abnormal aging
SWISS100 is designed as a broad-based attempt to understand extraordinary longevity from many angles, not just biology. The organization, led by UNIL Professor Daniela Jopp, combines sociology, psychology, medicine and biology.
This biological chain was directed by Karl-Heinz Krauss, professor emeritus at the UNIGE Faculty of Medicine, and focused on the molecular characteristics of blood.
The research team compared three groups: 39 centenarians aged 100 to 105 (approximately 85% female), 59 people in their 80s, and 40 young adults aged 30 to 60.
Kraus points out that including people in their 80s is more than just a bonus comparison. It helped the team distinguish between ‘normal’ aging People who reach 100 look different.
“People in their 80s can provide a more detailed analysis of how certain blood markers evolve over the lifespan, which can help distinguish between normal aging and exceptional aging over 100 years old,” he explained.
Distinctive molecular patterns
The researchers measured 724 different proteins in serum. They focused on inflammatory and cardiovascular markers. Because they are both closely related to disease risk. lifespan. Of these 724 proteins, 37 emerged as particularly notable.
“In our centenarians, the profile of these 37 proteins is closer to that of the youngest group than of the octogenarian group,” said first author Flavien Deles, a researcher at UNIGE.
These 37 proteins represent about 5% of the proteins measured, he notes. This small part suggests something subtle but important. Centenarians don’t completely avoid aging, but certain biological processes appear to slow down in key places.
Centenarians have less cellular stress
The most consistent differences involved proteins associated with oxidative stress, a process widely suspected of accelerating aging.
Free radicals cause oxidative stress. Chronic inflammation causes the production of mitochondria, and as aging mitochondria lose efficiency, they produce more.
Centenarians showed significantly lower levels of five proteins associated with oxidative stress. That’s interesting. But the next discovery is even more surprising. They also had significantly lower levels of antioxidant proteins than typical older adults.
“Do centenarians produce less free radicals, or do they have stronger antioxidant defenses?” asked Kraus.
“The answer is very clear. centenarian They have significantly lower levels of antioxidant proteins than the typical elderly population. ”
“At first glance, this seems counterintuitive, but in reality, oxidative stress levels are significantly lower in centenarians, indicating a lower need to produce antioxidant proteins to protect against oxidative stress.”
In other words, it doesn’t seem “protected” because it’s adding to its antioxidant defenses. They appear to be protected because the underlying stress appears to be low to begin with.
inflammation is suppressed
Oxidative stress wasn’t the only thing that made centenarians look different. The study also pointed to proteins involved in regulating the extracellular matrix (basically the structural scaffolding and “cement” that holds tissues together).
Some of these proteins showed expression levels in centenarians closer to those in younger adults.
The researchers also discovered a signal that may be associated with protection from tumor development, although the paper more cautiously presents this as a possible role rather than a proven mechanism.
inflammation And my metabolism was also noticeable. In typical aging, several proteins involved in fat metabolism increase rapidly with age.
Among centenarians, the increase was even more suppressed. Interleukin-1 alpha, a major inflammatory protein, was also lower in the centenarian group compared to the standard elderly population.
Taken together, these patterns point to an internal environment that is less inflammatory and less metabolically taxing, an internal state that is likely to reduce the risk of many chronic diseases.
insulin, stability, longevity
One marker of particular interest involved DPP-4, a protein that degrades GLP-1. GLP-1 is a hormone that gives you energy insulin It is a secretion that is the basis of several new drugs used to treat diabetes and obesity.
In centenarians, DPP-4 levels were well preserved. And researchers suggest it may actually be beneficial.
“By breaking down GLP-1, DPP-4 can help maintain relatively low insulin levels and protect against hyperinsulinism and hyperinsulinism. metabolic syndrome” said Delaez.
“This is also a counterintuitive mechanism, suggesting that centenarians maintain a good glucose balance without the need to produce large amounts of insulin.”
The idea here is that centenarians may achieve metabolic stability not by pushing their systems harder, but by keeping their systems efficient and stable.
Over 100 lessons for life
The researchers stress that this study is not a “secret to longevity” and that the findings do not suddenly make aging an option. They suggest that people may live longer if key systems (oxidative stress, inflammation, tissue maintenance, and metabolic regulation) deteriorate more slowly.
In the long term, this kind of molecular map could help shape treatments aimed at reducing frailty in older people.
So far, the authors have come up with something more realistic. That said, genetics only partially explain why some people live extraordinarily long lives, so lifestyle remains very important.
They estimate the genetic share of longevity to be about 25 percent, which leaves plenty of room for everyday choices to influence the aging process. Nutrition, physical activity, and social connections all emerge as important levers.
Specific examples are also given. They point out that eating fruit in the morning can reduce oxidative stress in the blood throughout the day.
physical activity It may help keep the extracellular matrix in a more “youthful” state. Avoiding excess weight supports a healthier metabolism and brings us closer to the stable metabolic patterns seen in centenarians.
The important point is that people over 100 years old are not magically immune to the effects of aging. The body appears to relieve some of the most harmful pressures of aging, and researchers aim to exploit this change to limit disease and frailty.
The research will be published in a journal aged cells.
—–
Like what you read? Subscribe to newsletter We bring you fascinating articles, exclusive content, and the latest updates.
Please check it out earth snapThis is a free app provided by. Eric Ralls and Earth.com.
—–