Sicilian semi- and supercentenarians: age-related NK cell immunophenotype and longevity trait definition

Mattia Emanuela Ligotti, Laboratory of Immunopathology and Immunosenescence, Department of Biomedicine, Neurosciences and Advanced Diagnostics, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
Giulia Accardi, Laboratory of Immunopathology and Immunosenescence, Department of Biomedicine, Neurosciences and Advanced Diagnostics, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
Anna Aiello, Laboratory of Immunopathology and Immunosenescence, Department of Biomedicine, Neurosciences and Advanced Diagnostics, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
Anna Calabrò, Laboratory of Immunopathology and Immunosenescence, Department of Biomedicine, Neurosciences and Advanced Diagnostics, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
Calogero Caruso, Laboratory of Immunopathology and Immunosenescence, Department of Biomedicine, Neurosciences and Advanced Diagnostics, University of Palermo, Palermo, ItalyFollow
Anna Maria Corsale, Central Laboratory of Advanced Diagnosis and Biomedical Research, University Hospital "P. Giaccone", Palermo, Italy;
Francesco Dieli, Central Laboratory of Advanced Diagnosis and Biomedical Research, University Hospital "P. Giaccone", Palermo, Italy
Marta Di Simone, Central Laboratory of Advanced Diagnosis and Biomedical Research, University Hospital "P. Giaccone", Palermo, Italy
Serena Meraviglia, Central Laboratory of Advanced Diagnosis and Biomedical Research, University Hospital "P. Giaccone", Palermo, Italy
Giuseppina Candore, Laboratory of Immunopathology and Immunosenescence, Department of Biomedicine, Neurosciences and Advanced Diagnostics, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy

Abstract

The immune system of semi- and super-centenarians (i.e., the oldest centenarians) is believed to have peculiar characteristics that enable them to reach extreme longevity in a relatively healthy state. Therefore, in previous papers, we investigated, through flow cytometry, variations in the percentages of the main subsets of Tαβ and Tγδ cells in a Sicilian cohort of 28 women and 26 men (age range 19-110 years), including 11 long-living individuals (>90 years old) and 8 oldest centenarians. These investigations suggested that some observed immunophenotypic changes may contribute to the extreme longevity of the oldest centenarians. In the present study, to further characterize the immunophenotype of the oldest centenarians, we examined the percentages of Natural Killer (NK) cells identified as CD3-CD56+CD16+ in the previously described Sicilian cohort. We found a highly significant increase in NK cell percentages with age. When stratified by gender, this significant increase with age was maintained in both sexes, with higher significance observed in males. Our findings on NK cells, together with the previously obtained results, discussed in the context of the literature, suggest that these changes are not unfavourable for centenarians, including the oldest ones, supporting the hypothesis that immune aging should be considered as a differential adaptation rather than a general immune alteration. These adapted immune mechanisms allow the oldest centenarians to successfully adapt to a history of insults and achieve remarkable longevity.

Recommended Citation

Ligotti, Mattia Emanuela; Accardi, Giulia; Aiello, Anna; Calabrò, Anna; Caruso, Calogero; Corsale, Anna Maria; Dieli, Francesco; Simone, Marta Di; Meraviglia, Serena; and Candore, Giuseppina (2023) "Sicilian semi- and supercentenarians: age-related NK cell immunophenotype and longevity trait definition," Translational Medicine @ UniSa: Vol. 25 : Iss. 1 , Article 2.
Available at: https://doi.org/10.37825/2239-9747.1041