Lipoprotein Profile and High-Density Lipoproteins: Subfractions Distribution in Centenarians

Abstract

In order to assess the role of HDL on longevity, we studied HDL subfraction distribution in centenarian women compared with a group of weight- and gender-matched healthy normolipidemic controls. We did not find any significant difference in the mean plasma lipid, apolipoprotein, and Lp(a) levels. On the contrary, in spite of similar HDL-cholesterol concentrations (1.32 ± 0.41 mmol/l in centenarians vs. 1.32 ± 0.25 mmol/l in controls, p = not significant), HDL_2b and HDL_3a levels were, respectively, significantly increased and significantly reduced in centenarians in comparison with controls (HDL_2b 32.4 ± 9.2% in centenarians vs. 23.4 ± 7.7% in controls, p < 0.002, and HDL_3a 26.3 ± 9.8% in centenarians vs. 34.1 ± 7.3% in controls, p < 0.01). Moreover, HDL_2b levels were significantly raised and HDL_3a levels were significantly reduced in centenarians in comparison with both ‘middle-aged’ and ‘elderly’ subjects, whereas no difference for any HDL subfraction was found between the two groups of controls of different ages. Age was significantly correlated with HDL_2b and HDL_3a (respectively, +0.452, p < 0.001, and –0.370, p < 0.01) in all subjects, but not with all the other lipid, lipoprotein and apolipoprotein parameters, but we observed a large overlapping of individual values of HDL_2b between centenarians and controls. Since HDL_2b levels were found to be inversely correlated with coronary heart disease risk, we could speculate that, in some cases, this may probably favor a healthy ageing, but long-term longitudinal studies are necessary to define the relative importance of HDL subfractions distribution as a marker of longevity. Probably other factors or clinical characteristics play a major role in the ageing process.