ABSTRACT
On March 19, 2008 a Symposium on Pathophysiology of Ageing and Age-Related diseases was held in Palermo, Italy. Here, the lecture of V. Nicita-Mauro on Smoking, health and ageing is summarized. Smoking represents an important ageing accelerator, both directly by triggering an inflammatory responses, and indirectly by favoring the occurrence of several diseases where smoking is a recognized risk factor. Hence, non-smokers can delay the appearance of diseases and of ageing process, so attaining longevity.
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate in a group of postmenopausal women the effects of long-term raloxifene treatment on breast density using a digitized analysis of mammograms and on insulinlike growth factor-1 (IGF-1), insulinlike growth factor binding protein-3 (IGFBP-3), and sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) plasma levels. DESIGN: Seventy healthy postmenopausal women with normal body weight were enrolled in this study and were divided into two groups based on their bone status, evaluated by dual-energy x-ray at the lumbar spine (L2-4). Fifty women (chronological age 52.4 +/- 4.1 y, menopausal age 42.1 +/- 3.9 y), in whom the L2-4 T score was less than -2.5 SD, were treated with raloxifene HCl 60 mg/day orally for 2 years. The other 20 women (chronological age 53.6 +/- 3.5 y, age at menopause 43.1 +/- 3.6 y), in whom the L2-4 T score ranged between -1 and -2.5 SD, were enrolled as controls. All 70 women received calcium (1 g/d orally) and cholecalciferol (880 UI/d orally) supplementation. Moreover, all women followed a normocaloric and personalized diet. All women had mammography at baseline and after 2 years of therapy. The mammographic images on traditional support (radiography) were acquired by using a film scanner and were then elaborated by means of ad hoc software. Moreover, assessments of IGF-1, IGFBP-3, and SHBG plasma levels were obtained at baseline and after 24 months. RESULTS: After 24 months of therapy, there was a significant variation in the raloxifene-treated group with respect to baseline in the distribution of gray classes of radiographic images. In particular, an attenuation of graphic trace with a reduction of the areas with the lowest and most elevated gray classes was observed. In the control group, no significant variations of graphic traces were observed. Moreover, raloxifene treatment significantly reduced IGF-1 and increased IGFBP-3 and SHBG plasma levels at 24 months. During follow-up, IGF-1, IGFPB-3, and SHBG levels did not change significantly in the control group. CONCLUSIONS: Long-term treatment with raloxifene in a population of postmenopausal women is able to reduce breast density. Such an effect could perhaps explain the reduction in the incidence of mammary carcinoma observed in the Multiple Outcomes of Raloxifene Evaluation study probably due to the direct antiestrogenic activity of raloxifene on mammalian tissue and/or its indirect activity increasing SHBG levels or modifying the IGF-1/IGFBP-3 ratio.
Subject(s)
Bone Density Conservation Agents/pharmacology , Breast/drug effects , Postmenopause , Raloxifene Hydrochloride/pharmacology , Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulators/pharmacology , Absorptiometry, Photon , Adult , Bone Density Conservation Agents/administration & dosage , Breast/pathology , Breast Neoplasms/prevention & control , Case-Control Studies , Female , Humans , Image Processing, Computer-Assisted , Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Protein 3/blood , Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Protein 3/drug effects , Insulin-Like Growth Factor I/drug effects , Lumbar Vertebrae , Mammography , Middle Aged , Raloxifene Hydrochloride/administration & dosage , Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulators/administration & dosage , Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin/drug effectsABSTRACT
Recent evidence indicates that longevity may be achieved when efficient defence mechanisms against oxidative stress, infections, neoplasia, and cardiovascular events are preserved. Centenarians represent an example of "successful aging," and the aim of this study was to evaluate serum levels of vitamins A and E, which represent two important nonenzymatic antioxidant defence systems, and their correlation in 16 healthy centenarians and two groups of control subjects. Centenarians showed normal values of retinol (450.9 +/- 240.3 ng/mL) and alpha-tocopherol (9220.2 +/- 3410.9 ng/mL). Moreover, a significant direct correlation between the two vitamins was observed in centenarians (Rho = 0.715, p = 0.0056), such as in younger control subjects (Rho = 0.618, p = 0.0168), but not in older control subjects. We assume that the preservation of normal values and the correlation between vitamin A and E concentrations protects centenarians against oxidative stress and contributes to their extreme longevity.
