Elixir Pharmaceuticals' Centenarian Studies Identify Cholesterol Related Gene Associated with Extreme Longevity - Results Published in PNAS.Business Editors/Health/Medical Writers CAMBRIDGE, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 10, 2003 Elixir Pharmaceuticals today announced the identification of a single gene, microsomal microsomal pertaining to or emanating from microsome. transfer protein (MTP), that is a marker of lifespan in a group of centenarians Here is a list of well-known centenarians (people who lived to be or are living at 100 years or more of age), with the still living ones bolded and italicized. This list is divided into sub-lists, according to how the centenarian (mostly) became well-known. from the United States. The study was conducted in collaboration with researchers from Children's Hospital of Boston and Harvard Medical School Harvard Medical School (HMS) is one of the graduate schools of Harvard University. It is a prestigious American medical school located in the Longwood Medical Area of the Mission Hill neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts. , Foundation Jean Dausset in Paris, Boston Medical Center Boston Medical Center (BMC) is a non-profit 581-bed medical center in Boston, Massachusetts. It was created by the formal merger of Boston City Hospital (BCH) and Boston University Medical Center Hospital (BUMCH). and Boston University School of Medicine Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM) is one of the graduate schools of Boston University. It is an American medical school located in the South End neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts. , and The Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research and Whitehead/MIT Center for Genome Research. The findings will be published this week in the online version of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences The Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, usually referred to as PNAS, is the official journal of the United States National Academy of Sciences. (PNAS). "This study reconfirms our hypothesis that genes regulate aging. The proteins encoded by these genes represent important pharmaceutical targets for treating age-related disease," stated Edward Cannon, CEO (1) (Chief Executive Officer) The highest individual in command of an organization. Typically the president of the company, the CEO reports to the Chairman of the Board. of Elixir. "This study also underscores the power of population genetics to identify important genes." MTP is well characterized for its role in the assembly of lipoproteins. Coronary artery disease coronary artery disease, condition that results when the coronary arteries are narrowed or occluded, most commonly by atherosclerotic deposits of fibrous and fatty tissue. and other vascular diseases attributed to unfavorable lipid profiles (peripheral vascular disease Peripheral Vascular Disease Definition Peripheral vascular disease is a narrowing of blood vessels that restricts blood flow. It mostly occurs in the legs, but is sometimes seen in the arms. , renal-vascular disease and stroke) account for a large percentage of human mortality. Bard J. Geesaman, M.D., Ph.D., Elixir's Vice President of Medical Development and first author of the study, commented, "The known activity of MTP, as a rate limiting step in lipid metabolism, lends functional credibility to our association of MTP with human longevity. Common genetic variants that affect lipid metabolism should be expected to impact human lifespan and may be explored as potential targets for next-generation lipid-lowering drugs." The discovery of MTP is an extension of previously reported results from centenarian studies conducted by Company scientists and co-founders that established the heritability of average life expectancy (PNAS, June 11, 2002) and honed in on a region on chromosome 4 as the likely location of a gene or genes associated with longevity (PNAS, August 28, 2001). Dr. Annibale Puca of Elixir Pharmaceuticals' affiliate Associazione Longevita in Naples, Italy and senior author of the study noted, "This body of research lends credence to the value of long lived individuals as a unique model for studying human longevity and disease resistance. Furthermore, we have confirmed that a population that has escaped or delayed the lethal pathologies of old age is likely to be helpful in future studies that aim to detect genetic factors that impact the diseases of aging." In order to identify MTP and the specific gene variants impacting lifespan, Elixir researchers performed a haplotype-based fine mapping study of the previously identified interval on chromosome 4. The primary study sample consisted of 653 individuals in the United States 98 years and older and an anonymous control group of individuals under the age of 50. The researchers discovered that long-lived individuals were significantly less likely to carry a version of the MTP gene associated with risk for high cholesterol compared with younger controls in the U.S. This result was partially confirmed in a follow-up study in 564 French centenarians and a 564-member control group of unrelated Caucasians born in France. The paper, "Haplotype haplotype /hap·lo·type/ (-tip) the group of alleles of linked genes, e.g., the HLA complex, contributed by either parent; the haploid genetic constitution contributed by either parent. hap·lo·type n. based identification of a microsomal transfer protein marker associated with human lifespan," appears this week in the online addition of PNAS. The work conducted by Elixir and its collaborators was supported by grants from the National Institute on Aging The National Institute on Aging is a division of the U.S. National Institutes of Health, located in Bethesda, Maryland. Formed in 1974, NIA's mission is to improve the health and well-being of older Americans through research. It is the primary U.S. , The Ellison Medical Foundation, The Alzheimer's Association Templeton Discovery Award, The Institute for the Study of Aging, The Howard Hughes Medical Institute Howard Hughes Medical Institute, (HHMI), nonprofit medical research organization founded in 1953 by Howard Hughes and largly funded from proceeds of the 1984–85 sale of Hughes Aircraft. Headquartered in Chevy Chase, Md. and the French Ministry of Research. About Elixir Elixir Pharmaceuticals is a genomics-based drug discovery company developing a new category of pharmaceuticals that treat and/or prevent the broad spectrum of diseases that accompany aging. Our technology is based on the recent discovery that aging is genetically controlled. We have identified many of the genes that regulate aging and the proteins encoded by these longevity genes are the targets of our drug discovery efforts. Our mission is to develop such drugs as pharmaceuticals that slow aging, reduce the disease and disability that accompany aging, and extend youthful health, vigor and productivity. More information about Elixir, the Company's centenarian studies and qualifications for participation can be obtained by calling 866-LIVE-100 (866-548-3100) or by visiting www.elixirpharm.com. |
|
||||||||||||
Printer friendly
Cite/link
Email
Feedback
Reader Opinion