Longevity gene rejuvenates blood vessels, Italians say

Jul 16, 2019 555

A longevity gene isolated in the DNA of centenarians has been shown to rejuvenate blood vessels, an Italian team said in a study published in the European Heart Journal. The study paves the way for new therapies against cardiovascular diseases, said the team from the University of Salerno, Irccs MultiMedica and Irccs Neuromed, led by Annibale Puca and Carmine Vecchione. "Our objective is to transfer the genetic advantages of the long-lived to the general population and we are working on other fronts too, from tumours to neuro-degenerative diseases," Puca told ANSA.

The study, sponsored by the Cariplo Foundation and the Italian health ministry, began after previous results achieved by the same group in identifying the LAV-BPIFB4 (longevity associated variant) gene in people over a hundred years old. This gene, Luca said, "leads to greater production of the BPIFB4 protein, which when it is found in high levels in the blood has a protective function for blood vessels".

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SOURCE: http://www.ansa.it/

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