Abstract

Background: To explore the association between growth hormone secretagogue receptor (GHSR) rs572169 and serum lipid and glucose levels in a long-lived population to reveal its putative roles in longevity.

Methods: Participants were recruited in three groups: longevity group (LG, aged 90 and above, n = 496), offspring group (OG, aged 60–75, n = 723) and control group (CG, aged 60–75, n = 611). Genotyping of SNP rs572169 was performed by improved multiple ligase detection reaction (iMLDR). Association between the SNP and fasting blood glucose (FBG) and lipid levels were evaluated thereafter.

Results: Genotypic frequency of GHSR rs572169 showed no significant difference among groups, but females in CG exhibited higher CT/TT frequency than that of LG. Total cholesterol (TC) levels in T allele carriers of controls were higher than that in non-T carriers. T carriers exhibited higher TG levels than those of T noncarriers in the females of combined population and in OG. When BMI, FBG and lipid status were taken into account, T carriers tended to have an elevated FBG in the normal BMI subgroup of CG and in the hyperglycemic subgroup of OG and CG, an increased TG in the hyperlipidemic subgroup of OG, TC and HDL-C levels in the hyperlipidemic subgroup of CG while a lowered HDL-C in the normolipidemic subclass of LG.

Conclusions: GHSR rs572169 derived T allele is significantly enriched in average females and mainly linked to disadvantageous metabolic measures, while ancestral C allele is well maintained in long-lived families which is associated with favorable metabolic profiles and better survivorship.