SERUM CYTOKINE PROFILE OF CENTENARIANS OF KAZAKHSTAN

Abstract

Aging is the process that affects all living organisms, including humans. With aging our bodies undergo a significant amount of changes, which affect our health. Interestingly, people, although very similar physiologically, may have very different life spans from one another, and the reasons behind this remain unknown. In this study, we aimed to investigate the reasons behind the exceptional longevity among the Kazakhstan population, by examining the immunological statuses with a focus on cytokines of centenarians and control groups of people aged 60 to 80. Our aim was to identify specific cytokines that are associated with exceptional longevity and also whether the presence of centenarians in the family tree affects life expectancy. Another aim was to evaluate whether the factors such as nationality or gender affect the cytokine profiles. Based on our findings, significant differences in cytokine profiles were observed between centenarians and the control group, indicating that cytokines play a role in exceptional longevity. Moreover, specific cytokines, both pro-inflammatory (CXCL-1, IFN-G, IL-8, IL-12B, CXCL-10, IL-15, FRACTALKINE) and anti-inflammatory (FLT3LG), were identified as being associated with exceptional longevity. Demographic factors such as gender and nationality were found to have no significant impact on cytokine profiles in centenarians in Kazakhstan, and we identified that growth factor FGF-2, glucose, and CRP levels were higher in the control group as compared to the centenarian group. Our study provides valuable insights into the differences in cytokine profiles between centenarians and individuals aged 60 to 80 in Kazakhstan and their potential implications for the development of interventions to improve health and extend lifespan in the Kazakh population and beyond.