8 EEEEwww.elsevier.nl/locate/expgero - Longevity, the Aging Population, and Blood Transfusing: Building, OE_ Belfast, t NII, BT9, )7TS. Received % July 4 ((() ; received i lint 1 revised | form < * | January < ((+) ; accepted 7 , | February. The mtDNA genome has been implicated as playing a pivotal role in determining the longevity and lifespan of the human population. A methodology was used to identify polymorphic restriction enzyme sites within a 3-4 bp region of the mtDNA genome, and a table of genetic haplotypes for healthy aged and younger control cohorts of patients was constructed. Forty-six different mtDNA haplotypes were identified across the two age groups but statistical analysis failed to show any significant associations. The European haplogroup was previously reported to be associated with longevity but it was not found to have increased frequency within the aged population. However, haplotypes comprising the haplogroup could be differentiated into two distinct branches by presence or absence of two polymorphic restriction sites (+34; +3((()))). The branch defined by +34 displayed a significant increased frequency in the aged samples compared to controls while the branch defined by 16000g displayed a significant decreased frequency in aged samples compared to controls. The polymorphism associated with longevity in Japanese was not found in the Irish population, while the polymorphism associated with successful ageing in French centenarians was found to have an increased frequency in the aged population compared to younger control group but failed to reach a level of statistical significance. Elsevier Science Inc. All rights reserved.
Keywords: Mitochondrial DNA; Longevity; Haplogroup; Polymorphism.
Corresponding author: Northern Ireland Regional Histocompatibility and Immunogenetics Laboratory, Belfast City Hospital, Blood Transfusing Building, Belfast NIE $. Tel.: - (0)28-40304:0:4. E-mail address: martin.curran@bll.n-i.nhs.uk (M.D. Curran).