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Background and aims: Human longevity seems to be directly correlated with optimal functioning of the immune system, suggesting that some genetic determinants of longevity reside in those polymorphisms for the immune system genes which regulate immuneinflammatory responses, in particular cytokine gene polymorphisms. The frequency of − 174C single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in the promoter region of the interleukin(IL)-6 gene is increased in Italian male centenarians. Moreover, the frequency of − 1082G SNP at the 5′ flanking region of the IL-10 gene coding sequence is increased among male centenarians, and that of +874A SNP at the interferon (IFN)- γ gene was found more frequently in female centenarians. These findings indicate that different alleles at different cytokine gene codings for pro- (IL-6, IFN- γ) or anti-inflammatory (IL-10) cytokines may affect the individual life-span …