Association of frailty with the serine protease HtrA1 in older adults

• Published in: Experimental gerontology Vol. 81; pp. 8 - 12
• Main Authors: Lorenzi, Maria, Lorenzi, Teresa, Marzetti, Emanuele, Landi, Francesco, Vetrano, Davide L., Settanni, Silvana, Antocicco, Manuela, Bonassi, Stefano, Valdiglesias, Vanessa, Bernabei, Roberto, Onder, Graziano
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Inc 01.08.2016
• Subjects: Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Ambulatory Care Facilities; Biomarkers; Biomarkers - blood; Female; Frail Elderly; Frailty; Geriatric Assessment - methods; High-Temperature Requirement A Serine Peptidase 1; High-temperature requirement serine protease A1; Humans; Immunosenescence; Inflammation; Inflammation - metabolism; Italy; Male; Plasma; Serine Endopeptidases - blood; High-temperature requirement serine protease A1; Biomarkers; Plasma; Frailty; Immunosenescence; Inflammation
• ISSN: 0531-5565; 1873-6815
• DOI: 10.1016/j.exger.2016.03.019

Frailty is a geriatric syndrome characterized by multi system dysregulation. It has been suggested that chronic inflammation may be involved in the pathogenesis of frailty. No study so far has identified accurate, specific and sensitive molecular biomarkers for frailty. High-temperature requirement serine protease A1 (HtrA1) is a secreted multidomain serine protease implicated in the inhibition of signaling of active transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β)1, a cytokine which has an important anti-inflammation role. The aim of the present study was to investigate the association of circulating levels of HtrA1 with frailty in a sample of older adults. The study was performed in 120 older adults aged >65years and admitted to a geriatric outpatient clinic. The frailty status of participants was assessed by both the Fried's criteria (physical frailty, PF) and a modified Rockwood's frailty index (FI). Plasma HtrA1 concentration was measured using commercial ELISA kit. Frailty was identified in 61/120 participants (50.8%) using PF, and in 60/118 subjects (50.8%) using FI. Plasma levels of HtrA1 were significantly higher in individuals classified as frail according to PF (75.9ng/mL, 95% CI 67.4–85.6) as compared with non-frail participants (48.4ng/mL, 95% CI 42.5–54.6, p<0.001). A significant association was also observed between frailty, assessed by FI, and HtrA1 levels (72.2ng/mL, 95% CI 63.4–82.3, vs. 50.4ng/mL, 95% CI 44.3–58.0, p<0.001). These associations were confirmed after adjusting for potential confounders. This study demonstrates for the first time the association of plasma levels of HtrA1 with frailty status. Future investigations are needed to validate the potential value of HtrA1 as possible biomarker for frailty. •Inflamm-aging may be involved in the pathogenesis of frailty.•HtrA1 is a secreted multidomain protein with serine protease activity.•HtrA1 inhibits signaling of TGF-β proteins with anti-inflammatory properties.•Association of HtrA1 with frailty in plasma of older adults has been proven.•The assay of HtrA1 levels in plasma has been performed by Elisa method.