Red-wine gene networks associated with exceptional longevity in humans

Abstract

Moderate consumption of red wine has been associated with healthy aging and longevity, defined as one drink per day for women and two drinks per day for men (approximately 142 ml or 5 oz per drink). Previous research has revealed the health benefits of red wine, particularly in relation to cardiovascular disease. However, the influence of genetic factors on these benefits remains to be elucidated. In this study, we explored genes linked to red wine and created a curated gene set that intersects with those related to centenarians, who are markers of exceptional longevity. Utilizing over 190 databases, we identified and validated a curated list of genes, and conducted gene set enrichment analysis as well as enrichment analysis of annotations and diseases. Our findings highlighted 43 genes connected to centenarians, suggesting that these genes play a crucial role in stress response and apoptosis, which are essential for cell survival and renewal. Additionally, we noted that these genes were enriched in pathways associated with smooth muscle cell proliferation, neuroinflammation, nucleotide excision repair, and lipoprotein metabolism (false discovery rate, FDR < 3 x 10-07). Gene set enrichment analysis indicated significant tissue expression in the gastrointestinal, cardiovascular, and respiratory systems. Furthermore, the disease-gene enrichment analysis pointed to associations with the diseases related to the tissues, including cardiovascular disease (heart disease and stroke), type 2 diabetes, gastrointestinal diseases and metabolic diseases, immune diseases, and cancer (FDR < 9.37 x 10-6); notably, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and cancer are leading causes of death, suggesting that the genes may be protective against those diseases. Although further research is necessary to uncover additional genes, this study provides the first genetic overview of the health benefits of red wine, emphasizing its potential in supporting healthy aging and longevity.