To study the relationship between
lipids and longevity, we examined the level of serum
lipids and
apolipoproteins, and the susceptibility of
low density lipoprotein (
LDL) to oxidation of 45 centenarians (15 men, 30 women, mean age 101.1 +/- 1.4) living in the Tokyo metropolitan area. The average levels of total
cholesterol (TC), of
LDL-C of
high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), and of
apolipoproteins A1 and B were significantly lower in centenarians than in healthy middle-aged controls. The frequency of hypobeta-lipoproteinemia (
apoB < 60 mg/dl) in centenarians was almost ten times as high as in controls. The time course of
copper-mediated
LDL, oxidation (assessed by monitoring 234 nm diene absorption (lag time)) did not significantly differ between the two groups. Analysis of
LDL subfractions by non-denaturated gradient-gel electrophoresis showed a predominance of large, buoyant
LDL particles (pattern A) in 75%, and a predominance of small dense
LDL particles (pattern B) in 25% of centenarians. We also assessed
activities of daily living (
ADL) and cognitive function in the centenarians. Centenarians were divided into two groups according to the median
ADL score, and were classified into five groups with a scale clinical
dementia. In subjects with good
ADL scores, the mean concentration of HDL-3-C was significantly higher than in those with poor
ADL scores. Average levels of HDL-C were also significantly lower in subjects with moderate or severe
dementia than in those with normal cognitive function. These findings suggest that centenarians have protective phenotypes of
lipids and
lipoproteins that protect them from atheroscierosis.