Research Paper Volume 2, Issue 9 pp 555—566
Adult-onset, short-term dietary restriction reduces cell senescence in mice
- 1 Centre for Integrated Systems Biology of Ageing and Nutrition, Institute for Ageing and Health, Newcastle University, Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK
- 2 Crucible Laboratory, Institute for Ageing and Health, Newcastle University, Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK
- 3 Human Nutrition Research Centre and Centre for Brain Ageing and Vitality, Institute for Ageing and Health, Newcastle University, Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK
- 4 Nutrition and Toxicology Research Institute Maastricht (NUTRIM), Department of Health Risk Analysis and Toxicology, Maastricht University, Netherlands
Received: August 18, 2010 Accepted: September 9, 2010 Published: September 11, 2010
https://doi.org/10.18632/aging.100196How to Cite
Abstract
Dietary restriction (DR) extends the lifespan of a wide variety of species and reduces the incidence of major age-related diseases. Cell senescence has been proposed as one causal mechanism for tissue and organism ageing. We show for the first time that adult-onset, short-term DR reduced frequencies of senescent cells in the small intestinal epithelium and liver of mice, which are tissues known to accumulate increased numbers of senescent cells with advancing age. This reduction was associated with improved telomere maintenance without increased telomerase activity. We also found a decrease in cumulative oxidative stress markers in the same compartments despite absence of significant changes in steady-state oxidative stress markers at the whole tissue level. The data suggest the possibility that reduction of cell senescence may be a primary consequence of DR which in turn may explain known effects of DR such as improved mitochondrial function and reduced production of reactive oxygen species.