We found significant differences in the formation of tumor nodules, total cell numbers, proliferation rates, cell death rates, and matrix metalloproteinase production. Moreover, the human lung cancer cells grown in the ex vivo 3D lung model produced MMPs that are found in human samples, whereas the cells from 2D culture did not. Several studies including various genome wide association studies have demonstrated the existence of an important familial and SCH772984 genetic component of longevity. Twin studies have highlighted that approximately 25% of the overall variation in human lifespan can be attributed to genetic factors, which becomes more relevant after 60 years of age. Based on the results obtained in model organisms, the research on the genetic component of human longevity has been focused on conserved pathways related to stress response signalling, DNA repair and to the storage and the use of nutrients. Studies on centenarians or long-lived subjects allowed indeed to identify specific genes and genotypes involved in these pathways that influence human lifespan. In particular, the variability and the expression of the genes involved in the storage and the use of the nutrients showed to influence both longevity and the quality of the aging. The importance of nutrients in the aging process is also witnessed by overwhelming epidemiologic evidences that diet and nutrition can affect growth, the development of the body during childhood, the risk of acute and chronic diseases during adulthood, the maintenance of physiological processes and the biological process of aging. In particular, diets rich in vegetables seem to be associated with a significant increase in longevity and wellness. In epidemiological studies it could be difficult to obtain, by elders, reliable information on diet style in their early decades of life, which, likely, significantly influenced later health status. Since there are several indications that bitter taste gene polymorphisms can influence food choice, we considered of some interest to investigate the possible association between bitter taste and longevity. On the basis of these molecular, genetic and epidemiological data from the literature we hypothesized that genetic polymorphisms of taste receptors, which modulate food preferences but are also expressed in a number of organs and regulate food absorption and processing, could modulate the aging process. For example, the TAS2R38 gene is characterized by three non synonymous coding SNPs which give rise to several haplotypes. Subjects possessing at least one copy of the PAV haplotype are significantly more responsive to the bitter tastants PROP, PTC, and chemically similar compounds. Such individuals display the so-called taster phenotype, and are distinct from those who are homozygous for the AVI haplotype and display the so-called non-taster phenotype. Tasters show a reduction in their intake of several vegetables such as cabbage, spinach, lettuce. Given the importance of diet in longevity, genetic variation in taste receptor could directly affect a healthy aging by modulating food preference during life. On the other hand, new evidence strongly suggests that taste genes play a much broader role in human health. Genes of the TAS1R-TAS2R gene family express membrane taste receptors. These cells start the regulation of a variety of relevant functions, including appetite, satiety, the proliferation of epithelial GI cells, secretory activity of the stomach, liver and pancreas, intestine motility, and gall bladder contraction.