Circulating progenitor cells and the elderly: a seven-year observational study
Giuseppe Mandraffino1, Maria A Sardo, Stefania Riggio
1Department of Internal Medicine and Medical Therapy, University of Messina, Messina, Italy.
Insights
Higher numbers of CD34+ progenitor cells in octogenarians predict longevity and survival. These cells, involved in cardiovascular health, may serve as a key biomarker for aging well.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology
- Cardiovascular Medicine
- Stem Cell Biology
Background:
- Cardiovascular diseases are a primary cause of mortality in the elderly.
- Cardiovascular progenitor cells, like CD34+ cells, are implicated in mitigating atherosclerosis.
- Understanding predictors of longevity in centenarians is crucial for public health.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if the number of CD34+ progenitor cells predicts longevity in octogenarians.
- To examine the association between CD34+ cell antioxidant enzyme expression and mortality.
- To evaluate the predictive power of CD34+ cells versus traditional cardiovascular risk factors in the elderly.
Main Methods:
- Longitudinal observation of 100 octogenarians over seven years.
- Quantification of baseline CD34+ cell counts.
- Assessment of CD34+ cell expression of manganese superoxide dismutase (Mn-SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione peroxidase type-1 (GPx-1).
Main Results:
- Higher baseline CD34+ cell counts were associated with increased longevity and survival.
- Traditional cardiovascular risk factors (hypertension, smoking, hypercholesterolemia) lost predictive power in this cohort.
- A significant link was found between the redox system of CD34+ cells and mortality.
- HDL-C plasma levels also showed reduced predictive capacity.
Conclusions:
- CD34+ progenitor cell number is a significant predictor of longevity in the elderly.
- CD34+ cells may represent a novel biomarker for healthy aging and survival.
- The antioxidant capacity of CD34+ cells is linked to mortality risk in very old individuals.
Abstract:
Cardiovascular (CV) diseases and related complications are the main causes of morbidity and mortality in the elderly. CV progenitor cells, including CD34+ cells, play a role in delaying the progression of atherosclerosis. In the present study we observed 100 octogenarians for seven years, in order to address the question of whether CD34+ cell number is a predictor of longevity in selected survivors. We also checked for associations of cell expression of manganese superoxide dismutase (Mn-SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione peroxidase type-1 (GPx-1) antioxidative enzymes, with number of CD34+ progenitor cells and mortality. We found that in very old subjects the number of CD34+ cells at baseline were higher in subjects who reached older age at death or were still living at the end of observation period, with respect to subjects who died from all causes, including CV deaths. On the other hand, HDL-C plasma levels and, with the exception of diabetes, the classic CV risk factors (hypertension, smoking, hypercholesterolemia) showed a loss of their predictive power. A significant association between the redox system of CD34+ cells and mortality was also observed. These data suggest that, even in the elderly, CD34+ cells maintain their role in predicting mortality. CD34+ cells could thus be considered as a biomarker of longevity.
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