X-Message-Number: 25628
Date: Wed, 26 Jan 2005 00:33:56 -0800 (PST)
From: Doug Skrecky <>
Subject: active proteasome key advantage of centenarians

[This implies most of humanity fail to reach the 100 year mark because
of proteasome deficits.]

Exp Gerontol. 2000 Sep;35(6-7):721-8.
Fibroblast cultures from healthy centenarians have an active proteasome.
  Healthy centenarians represent the best example of successful ageing.
Various studies have shown that centenarians have escaped the major
age-associated diseases, they have several well-conserved immune
parameters and at least one gene allele has been identified and linked
with their increased longevity. During ageing there is an accumulation of
oxidised proteins, a phenomenon that has been related to an impaired
function of the 20S proteasome in aged cells. We have, therefore,
analysed the expression and the proteolytic activity of the proteasome in
centenarian cells. Four fibroblast cultures derived from healthy
centenarians were studied and compared with cultures derived from adult
donors of different ages. Analysis of several proteasome subunits RNA
expression levels, determination of one peptidase activity and
identification of oxidised proteins in these samples revealed that
centenarian cultures have a functional proteasome. In addition, it  was
found that the centenarian cultures exhibit characteristics similar
to the younger rather than the older control donors derived cultures in
all three assays. These data indicate that centenarian cells may be
different from elderly donors cells, thus opening up new dimensions for
the identification and characterisation of factors that are linked with
longevity.

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