Effects of Sex, Strain, and Energy Intake on Hallmarks of Aging in Mice
Abstract
Calorie restriction (CR) is the most robust non-genetic intervention to delay aging. However, there are a number of emerging experimental variables that alter CR responses. We investigated the role of sex, strain, and level of CR on health and survival in mice. CR did not always correlate with lifespan extension, although it consistently improved health across strains and sexes. Transcriptional and metabolomics changes driven by CR in liver indicated anaplerotic filling of the Krebs cycle together with fatty acid fueling of mitochondria. CR prevented age-associated decline in the liver proteostasis network while increasing mitochondrial number, preserving mitochondrial ultrastructure and function with age. Abrogation of mitochondrial function negated life-prolonging effects of CR in yeast and worms. Our data illustrate the complexity of CR in the context of aging, with a clear separation of outcomes related to health and survival, highlighting complexities of translation of CR into human interventions.
From the paper
- Events by group
In B6 mice, 20% CR significantly improved survival, with a mean lifespan extension of 40.6% in females and 24.4% in males relative to AL-fed controls.
Results, Effects of strain and sex on the healthspan and lifespan of mice on calorie restriction
Quoted word for word from the full text on PubMed Central.
The paper
National Institutes of Health
Cell Metabolism, 14 Jun 2016, Open access
