Prevalence of organ-specific and non organ-specific autoantibodies in healthy centenarians

Abstract In the present study we have investigated the prevalence of organ-specific and non organ-specific autoantibodies in 26 healthy centenarians (6 men, 20 women; age range 101–106 years), using as controls 54 healthy old (33 men and 21 women, age range 71–93) and 56 young subjects (29 men and 27 women, age range 26–60). We assayed sera of each group for the following organ-specific autoantibodies, anti-gastric mucosa (anti-PCA), anti-thyroglobulin (anti-Tg) and non organ-specific autoantibodies, anti-cardiolipin (anti-APA IgG and IgM), anti-nuclear antigens (anti-ANA), anti-double strand DNA (anti-dsDNA), anti-extractable nuclear antigens (anti-ENA). Finally, natural anti- α -galactosyl (anti- α -GAL) antibodies were also analyzed. As expected, in the old subjects there was a significant increase of prevalence of anti-Tg and anti-PCA autoantibodies. By contrast, in centenarians the prevalence of organ specific anti-Tg and anti-PCA antibodies was not significantly different from that observed in controls aged less than 60 years. The prevalence of non organ-specific autoantibodies anti-APA (IgG), anti-APA (IgM), anti-ANA, was significantly increased both in the elderly and centenarians when compared with the prevalence observed in sera from the young. Anti-ENA and anti-dsDNA antibodies were not detected in all groups studied. Finally, the prevalence of natural anti- α -GAL antibodies significantly increases with age, including centenarians. In conclusion, we confirm and extend the results previously obtained by other authors. In fact, as already described, the prevalence of organ-specific autoantibodies in the elderly is not seen after the tenth decade of life. Interestingly, the prevalence of non organ-specific autoantibodies is instead increased in these subjects, suggesting that different mechanisms are involved in the pathogenesis of these autoantibodies. Particularly, these autoantibodies could be the expression of a damaged tissue process rather than of an autoimmune one, as suggested by data concerning natural antibodies.