Project description:Analysis of treatment at gene expression level in aged mice. Results provide important information of the response of drug modifying NAD metabolism which has been implicated in anti-aging effect of calorie restriction in aging process. Total RNA obtained from skeletal muscles and brain (cortex) subjected to calorie restriction or β-lapachone treatment compared to untreated control.
Project description:Calorie restriction is a major intervention consistently demonstrated to retard aging and delay age-associated diseases. A novel micronutrient blend, a putative calorie restriction mimetic, was developed based on a screening tool we previously described. Whole transcriptomic analysis was examined in brain cortex, skeletal muscle and heart in three groups of mice: old controls (30 months), old + calorie restriction and old + novel micronutrient blend. The micronutrient blend elicited transcriptomic changes in a manner similar to those in the calorie-restricted group and unique from those in the control group. Subgroup analysis revealed that nuclear hormone receptor, proteasome complex and angiotensinogen genes, all of which are known to be directly related to the aging process, were the most affected by the micronutrient blend and by calorie restriction. Thus, these three genes may be considered master regulators of the favorable effects of calorie restriction and of the micronutrient blend. Based on the calorie restriction mimetic effects on transcriptomics, it was hypothesized that the micronutrient blend would promotes longevity and vitality. To test this hypothesis, a functional analysis in C. Elegans was used to examine the effects of the micronutrient blend on longevity and biomarkers of vitality. Results indicate that feeding C. Elegans the micronutrient blend increased longevity as well as vitality. Further studies are required to confirm that the calorie restriction mimicking benefits described here are elicited by the micronutrient blend in humans.
