Background: Centenarians display a characteristic auto- antibody profile, this being the absence of organ-specific autoantibodies and an increase in non-organ-specific auto- antibodies without any full-blown autoimmune disease. Objective: Antibodies directed to the nuclear protein poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) were frequently found in the sera of patients affected by autoimmune diseases. This study aims at investigating the presence of circulating auto- antibodies directed against PARP-1 in normal subjects, and searching for a possible correlation between level of circulat- ing autoantibodies and age. Methods: The presence of anti- bodies to PARP was monitored by ELISA according to a previ- ously developed protocol. Data were analysed by parametric statistics (unpaired t test, :2 test). Results: Our study per- formed on 33 centenarians and 66 subjects of age ranging from 12 to 80 years shows that circulating autoantibodies to the nuclear enzyme PARP, previously described in autoim- mune diseases, are present in the sera of normal healthy people and increase with age. Conclusions: Taking into ac- count the role of PARP-1 in DNA damage and apoptosis, the data are compatible with Grabar’s hypothesis, which pro- posed several decades ago that ‘autoreactive antibodies represent a physiological system for disposing the products of metabolism and catabolism’, thereby helping to attain longevity.

Autoantibodies to poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase in centenarians: a reappraisal of Grabar's hypothesis.

Lisa A;
2009

Abstract

Background: Centenarians display a characteristic auto- antibody profile, this being the absence of organ-specific autoantibodies and an increase in non-organ-specific auto- antibodies without any full-blown autoimmune disease. Objective: Antibodies directed to the nuclear protein poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) were frequently found in the sera of patients affected by autoimmune diseases. This study aims at investigating the presence of circulating auto- antibodies directed against PARP-1 in normal subjects, and searching for a possible correlation between level of circulat- ing autoantibodies and age. Methods: The presence of anti- bodies to PARP was monitored by ELISA according to a previ- ously developed protocol. Data were analysed by parametric statistics (unpaired t test, :2 test). Results: Our study per- formed on 33 centenarians and 66 subjects of age ranging from 12 to 80 years shows that circulating autoantibodies to the nuclear enzyme PARP, previously described in autoim- mune diseases, are present in the sera of normal healthy people and increase with age. Conclusions: Taking into ac- count the role of PARP-1 in DNA damage and apoptosis, the data are compatible with Grabar’s hypothesis, which pro- posed several decades ago that ‘autoreactive antibodies represent a physiological system for disposing the products of metabolism and catabolism’, thereby helping to attain longevity.
2009
Istituto di Genetica Molecolare "Luigi Luca Cavalli Sforza"
Autoimmunity
Centenarians
Grabar's hypothesis
Parametric statistics
Poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase
File in questo prodotto:
Non ci sono file associati a questo prodotto.

I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.

Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14243/23274
Citazioni
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.pmc??? ND
  • Scopus ND
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.isi??? 5
social impact