HLA AND LONGEVITY OR AGING AMONG SHANGHAI CHINESE

Twenty-two centenarians and one hundred and seventy-nine nonagenarians (mean age 93 +/- 1.04 years) in the Shanghai Region of China were phe notyped for alleles of A (13 types), B (21 types) and C (6 types) loci of the human leukocyte antigen (HLA). The frequencies of HLA antigens were compared with 211 healthy adults whose ages ranged from 20 to 50 years. It was observed that A9 was highly associated with longevity ( frequency in the longevity group is 38%, the control group 24%, P = 0. 002). A30 showed marked inverse correlation (frequency in the longevit y group is 8%, the control group 17%, P = 0.008). C(w)3, C(w)6 and C(w )7 were also inversely correlated (P = 0.02, 0.04 and 0.02, respective ly). Thus, it is likely that A9 may contribute to longevity while A30, C(w)3, C(w)6 and C(w)7 may be associated with aging. The average supe roxide dismutase (SOD) contents of erythrocytes in 48 cases with the H LA-A9 (without A30) antigen in the longevity group and in 13 cases wit h the HLA-A30 (without A9) antigen in the control group were 555 +/- 9 6 and 593 +/- 58 mu g/g(Hb), respectively (t = 1.375, P > 0.05). (C) 1 997 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd.