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Updated: May 13, 2026
07:25
Lipid Supplementation for Longevity and Gene Transcriptional Analysis in Caenorhabditis elegans
Published on: December 9, 2022
Lipidomics of familial longevity
Vanessa Gonzalez-Covarrubias1, Marian Beekman, Hae-Won Uh
1Netherlands Metabolomics Centre, Leiden, The Netherlands. v.gonzalez@lacdr.leidenuniv.nl
Aging Cell
|March 5, 2013
Summary
Familial longevity in women is linked to specific plasma lipids, including ether phosphocholine and sphingomyelin, suggesting reduced oxidative stress. These findings highlight a sex-specific lipid signature associated with a longer lifespan.
Area of Science:
- Lipidomics
- Gerontology
- Metabolic Health
Background:
- Offspring of nonagenarians exhibit distinct metabolic profiles compared to controls.
- Previous studies indicated favorable lipid metabolism in offspring, with sex-specific differences.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify specific plasma lipids associated with familial longevity.
- To investigate sex-specific lipid signatures in offspring of nonagenarians.
Main Methods:
- Plasma lipidome analysis of 128 lipid species using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry.
- Comparison of 1526 offspring of nonagenarians with 675 controls from the Leiden Longevity Study.
- Statistical analysis to identify significant lipid species and their associations.
Main Results:
- No significant lipid differences were found in men. In women, 19 lipid species associated with familial longevity.
- Female offspring showed higher ether phosphocholine (PC) and sphingomyelin (SM) levels, and lower phosphoethanolamine (PE) and triglyceride (TG) levels.
- Longevity-associated lipids in women were independent of total triglycerides and characterized by a higher monounsaturated (MUFA) to polyunsaturated (PUFA) ratio.
Conclusions:
- Ether PC and SM species are novel longevity markers in females, independent of total triglycerides.
- The identified sex-specific lipid signature suggests improved antioxidant capacity and reduced inflammation.
- Longevity-associated lipids correlated with a lower risk of hypertension and diabetes.
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