Clinical and biochemical correlates of serum L-ergothioneine concentrations in community-dwelling middle-aged and older adults

PLoS One. 2014 Jan 2;9(1):e84918. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0084918. eCollection 2014.

Abstract

Background: Despite the increasing interest towards the biological role of L-ergothioneine, little is known about the serum concentrations of this unusual aminothiol in older adults. We addressed this issue in a representative sample of community-dwelling middle-aged and older adults.

Methods: Body mass index, estimated glomerular filtration rate, serum concentrations of L-ergothioneine, taurine, homocysteine, cysteine, glutathione, cysteinylglycine, and glutamylcysteine were evaluated in 439 subjects (age 55-85 years) randomly selected from the Hunter Community Study.

Results: Median L-ergothioneine concentration in the entire cohort was 1.01 IQR 0.78-1.33 µmol/L. Concentrations were not affected by gender (P = 0.41) or by presence of chronic medical conditions (P = 0.15). By considering only healthy subjects, we defined a reference interval for L-ergothioneine serum concentrations from 0.36 (90% CI 0.31-0.44) to 3.08 (90% CI 2.45-3.76) µmol/L. Using stepwise multiple linear regression analysis L-ergothioneine was negatively correlated with age (rpartial = -0.15; P = 0.0018) and with glutamylcysteine concentrations (rpartial = -0.13; P = 0.0063).

Conclusions: A thorough analysis of serum L-ergothioneine concentrations was performed in a large group of community-dwelling middle-aged and older adults. Reference intervals were established. Age and glutamylcysteine were independently negatively associated with L-ergothioneine serum concentration.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Age Factors
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Biomarkers
  • Cohort Studies
  • Ergothioneine / blood*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Public Health Surveillance
  • Reference Values

Substances

  • Biomarkers
  • Ergothioneine

Grants and funding

Funding were provided by the University of Newcastle Strategic Initiative Fund, by the “Fondazione Banco di Sardegna – Sassari” Italy, and by the “Ministero dell’Università e della Ricerca” Italy. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.