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The genetic contribution to longevity in humans has been estimated to range from 15% to 25%. Only two genes, APOE and FOXO3, have shown association with longevity in multiple independent studies.We conducted a meta-analysis of genome-wide association studies including 6,036 longevity cases, age ≥90 years, and 3,757 controls that died between ages 55 and 80 years. We additionally attempted to replicate earlier identified single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) associations with longevity.In our meta-analysis, we found suggestive evidence for the association of SNPs near CADM2 (odds ratio [OR] = 0.81; p value = 9.66 × 10(-7)) and GRIK2 (odds ratio = 1.24; p value = 5.09 × 10(-8)) with longevity. When attempting to replicate findings earlier identified in genome-wide association studies, only the APOE locus consistently replicated. In an additional look-up of the candidate gene FOXO3, we found that an earlier identified variant shows a highly significant association with longevity when including published data with our meta-analysis (odds ratio = 1.17; p value = 1.85×10(-10)).We did not identify new genome-wide significant associations with longevity and did not replicate earlier findings except for APOE and FOXO3. Our inability to find new associations with survival to ages ≥90 years because longevity represents multiple complex traits with heterogeneous genetic underpinnings, or alternatively, that longevity may be regulated by rare variants that are not captured by standard genome-wide genotyping and imputation of common variants.

Original publication

DOI

10.1093/gerona/glu166

Type

Journal article

Journal

The journals of gerontology. Series A, Biological sciences and medical sciences

Publication Date

01/2015

Volume

70

Pages

110 - 118

Addresses

Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, The Netherlands. Netherlands Consortium for Healthy Ageing, Leiden University Medical Center, The Netherlands. Department of Internal Medicine, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.

Keywords

Humans, Apolipoproteins E, Cell Adhesion Molecules, Receptors, Kainic Acid, Cohort Studies, Longevity, Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide, Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Middle Aged, Female, Male, Forkhead Transcription Factors, Genome-Wide Association Study, Forkhead Box Protein O3