Longevity-Associated FLT1 Variant May Protect Against Hypertension Consequences
The FLT1 gene encodes the vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 1 (VEGFR1) protein, relevant to the process of angiogenesis, among others. Researchers here note that a longevity-associated variant of FLT1 appears to be protective in hypertensive individuals. It is tempting to speculate as how this variant beneficially alters blood vessel maintenance and creation, but finding out would require much more than just the epidemiological data presented here.
Longevity is written into the genes. While many so-called "longevity genes" have been identified, the reason why particular genetic variants are associated with longer lifespan has proven to be elusive. The aim of the present study was to test the hypothesis that the strongest of 3 adjacent longevity-associated single nucleotide polymorphisms - rs3794396 - of the vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 1 gene, FLT1, may confer greater lifespan by protecting against mortality risk from one or more adverse medical conditions of aging - namely, hypertension, coronary heart disease (CHD), stroke, and diabetes.
In a prospective population-based longitudinal study we followed 3,471 American men of Japanese ancestry living on Oahu, Hawaii, from 1965 until death or to the end of December 2019 by which time 99% had died. Cox proportional hazards models were used to assess the association of FLT1 genotype with longevity for 4 genetic models and the medical conditions. We found that, in major allele recessive and heterozygote disadvantage models, genotype GG ameliorated the risk of mortality posed by hypertension, but not that posed by having CHD, stroke, or diabetes. Normotensive subjects lived longest and there was no significant effect of FLT1 genotype on their lifespan.
In conclusion, the longevity-associated genotype of FLT1 may confer increased lifespan by protecting against mortality risk posed by hypertension. We suggest that FLT1 expression in individuals with longevity genotype boosts vascular endothelial resilience mechanisms to counteract hypertension-related stress in vital organs and tissues.