Authors: Blanché H; Cabanne L; Sahbatou M; Thomas G

Abstract: Association study is the method of choice to identify genes involved in complex processes that result from the interaction of environmental and genetic factors. However, because of biases that increase the risk of false positive reports, preliminary positive conclusions have to be reproduced on other populations to be validated as firm conclusions. In 1994, certain alleles of two genes, APOE (Apolipoprotein E) and ACE (angiotensin converting enzyme), were reported to be more frequent in French centenarians, suggesting an association with such a complex polyfactorial process as longevity. Enlargement of the French centenarian cohort allows a new assessment of this hypothesis on 563 centenarians. In contrast to APOE, the ACE association was not confirmed. Retrospective analysis of the initial study revealed discrepancies that may in part explain this observation. Risk of reporting false positive associations is discussed and recommendations to set up a rigorous experimental design are proposed.

Keywords: Aged; Aged, 80 and over/*physiology; Alleles; Apolipoproteins E/*genetics; DNA/blood; Female; France; Gene Frequency; Genotype; Geography; Humans; Longevity/*genetics; Lymphocytes; Male; Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A/*genetics; *Polymorphism, Genetic; Reference Values
Journal: Comptes rendus de l'Academie des sciences. Serie III, Sciences de la vie
Volume: 324
Issue: 2
Pages: 129-35
Date: March 31, 2001
PMID: 11280044
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Citation:

Blanché H, Cabanne L, Sahbatou M, Thomas G (2001) A study of French centenarians: are ACE and APOE associated with longevity? Comptes rendus de l'Academie des sciences. Serie III, Sciences de la vie 324: 129-35.


Lifespan Factors:
  • APOE apolipoprotein E

  • Longevity Variant Associations (p-value):
  • I/D (insertion/deletion) (0.33)
  • E2 / E3 / E4 (1.2e-08)

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