'Immunogenetics of Aging': report on the activities of the 15th International HLA and Immunogenetics Working Group and 15th International HLA and Immunogenetics Workshop

Abstract

'Immunogenetics of Aging' is a component that was first included in the 14th International HLA and Immunogenetics Workshop (IHIWS) and developed further within the 15th Workshop. The aim of this component was to assess the impact of human leukocyte antigen (HLA) genes, cytokine genes, and some innate immunity genes such as killer-cell immunoglobulin-like receptors (KIRs) and mannose-binding lectin 2 (MBL2) in successful aging and their contribution to the better understanding of immune dysfunction in old age. Within the 15th IHIWS new populations were included in the analysis. Additional cytokine gene polymorphisms were assessed and innate immunity genes were analyzed for possible relevance in longevity. The results showed that longevity might be associated with anti-inflammatory cytokine gene profiles, decreased frequency of interleukin-10 (IL-10) and transforming growth factor-B1 haplotypes associated with a low level of gene expression, and increased frequency of haplotypes determining a high level of expression. Extended tumor necrosis factor-A and IL-12B genotypes were also likely relevant to longevity. Data also showed that innate immunity genes are associated with susceptibility to infections in the elderly and showed that these genes might be an important genetic marker in aging. Decreased frequencies of KIR2DS5 and A1B10 haplotypes, and an increased proportion of MBL2-deficient haplotypes were found in the group with higher cytomegalovirus-specific IgG antibody levels. Together, these studies emphasize the relevance of genes regulating immune functions in maintaining human longevity and stress the importance of further clarifying their impact on successful aging.