Attempts Continue to Link Blood Group to Natural Variations in Longevity

If we are to judge from the findings of genetic association studies, natural variation in human longevity occurs due to countless distinct factors, each of which provides a small contribution, is highly dependent on environmental circumstances, and is highly linked to other factors. Scientists have struggled to replicate more than a few known associations across different study populations, and those that have been replicated between study groups have small effects. Blood group is genetically determined, and data on patient blood group is included in many of the data sets that report on disease incidence and mortality. A number of research groups have attempted to find robust associations between blood group and longevity, but on the whole the results seem fairly nebulous to date. Blood group B in particular keeps showing in correlations, but as an association for either longevity or a shorter life expectancy, depending on the study. That suggests that there is no useful underlying association that might be universally applied and, as is the case for the broader study of genetics and longevity, different patient populations have quite different characteristics. The ABO blood group polymorphism has been associated with different diseases, cancer included. The cancer developments are variegated processes associated with aging. Protection from cancer and atherosclerosis is the main longevity reason. Long-survivors are an important group for the evaluation of gene...
Source: Fight Aging! - Category: Research Authors: Tags: Daily News Source Type: blogs