p66shc is highly expressed in fibroblasts from centenarians

p66shc−/− mice exhibit prolonged lifespan and increased resistance to oxidative and hypoxic stress. To investigate p66shc involvement in human longevity, p66shc mRNA and protein were evaluated in fibroblasts from young people, elderly and centenarians, exposed to oxidative or hypoxic stress. Unexpectedly, centenarians showed the highest basal levels of p66shc. Oxidative stress induced p66shc in all samples. At variance, hypoxic stress caused p66shc reduction only in cells from centenarians. These changes occurred in absence of any modification of p66shc promoter methylation pattern. Intriguingly, in cells from centenarians, p66shc induction was affected by p53 codon 72 polymorphism. Thus, cells from centenarians present a peculiar regulation of p66shc, suggesting that its role in mammalian longevity is more complex than previously thought.