Previous studies have indicated that the rs2802292 polymorphism in the human forkhead box O3A (FOXO3A) gene might be associated with exceptional longevity (EL, i.e., living 100+ years), although the results are conflicting.
Using a case-control design, we investigated the distribution of the rs2802292 polymorphism in two ethnically distinct cohorts of centenarians (cases) and younger adults (controls). The first cohort included Japanese individuals (733 centenarians and 820 controls) and the second was from Northern Italy (79 disease-free centenarians and 316 controls).
No statistically significant association was found between the rs2802292 polymorphism and EL in either cohort (either examined in their entirety or in a sex-based analysis).
In light of our negative findings, further research and resequencing efforts are needed to shed more light on the potential association between EL and FOXO3A polymorphisms.