engleski

POLYMORPHISM rs1800795 IN LONGEVITY CANDIDATE GENE IL-6 IN THE CROATIAN ROMA POPULATION

Lifespan is determined by the interaction of genetic, environmental and lifestyle factors. One of the aging theories focuses on immune response, and argues that the immune system loses its effectiveness with age, leading to autoimmunity and a reduced ability to respond to infections. People who can better deal with this problem by activating the anti- inflammatory response live longer. Since interleukin-6 is related to inflammation, its gene is a candidate gene for longevity. Roma is a transnational minority present in many countries of the world, known to have shorter life expectancy than surrounding populations. Objective of this study was to investigate the association between rs1800795 in IL-6-174G/C promoter region and longevity in 315 subjects (171f/144m, age range 18-72 years, 40.35±13.71 yrs), members of socioculturally different and geographically distant Roma groups in Croatia ; two Vlax Roma groups, and one Balkan Roma group. DNA was extracted from peripheral blood using salting-out method and genotypes were determined using the competitive allele specific PCR method (KASP). Results showed that G allele, in previous research associated with longevity, had the lowest allele frequency in the Međimurje Roma (65.2%, p<0.00001), who also had the lowest mean age (34.4±11.1 yrs, p<0.0001) when compared to the Baranja (73.0% and 45.0±14.2 yrs) and the Balkan Roma (84.4% and 41.4±13.4 yrs). When analyzed separately by sex, this difference was significantly pronounced only in women (p<0.001). To conclude, IL-6-174G may be advantageous for lifespan in the Croatian Roma and genetic distinctiveness of tested Roma groups may be the result of reproductive isolation.

IL-6 gene, rs1800795, longevity, Roma population, Croatia

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