TY - JOUR
T1 - Oxidation-resistant membrane phospholipids can explain longevity differences among the longest-living rodents and similarly-sized mice
AU - Hulbert, A. J.
AU - Faulks, Sally C.
AU - Buffenstein, Rochelle
N1 - Funding Information:
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS A. J. Hulbert was supported by a Fulbright Senior Scholar award and grants (DP0450178 and DP0557448) from the Australian Research Council. S.C.F. is supported by an Australian Postgraduate Award. R.B. is supported by grants from the National Institutes of Health (NIH-AG022891-01 and NIGM S06-GM08168).
PY - 2006/10
Y1 - 2006/10
N2 - Underlying causes of species differences in maximum life span (MLS) are unknown, although differential vulnerability of membrane phospholipids to peroxidation is implicated. Membrane composition and longevity correlate with body size; membranes of longer-living, larger mammals have less polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA). We determined membrane phospholipid composition of naked mole-rats (MLS > 28.3 years) and similar-sized mice (MLS = 3-4 years) by gas-liquid chromatography to assess if the ∼9X MLS difference could be explained. Mole-rat membrane composition was unchanged with age. Both species had similar amounts of membrane total unsaturated fatty acids; however, mice had 9 times more docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). Because this n-3PUFA is most susceptible to lipid peroxidation, mole-rat membranes are substantially more resistant to oxidative stress than are mice membranes. Naked mole-rat peroxidation indices, calculated from muscle and liver mitochondrial membranes, concur with those predicted by MLS rather than by body size, suggesting that membrane phospholipid composition is an important determinant of longevity.
AB - Underlying causes of species differences in maximum life span (MLS) are unknown, although differential vulnerability of membrane phospholipids to peroxidation is implicated. Membrane composition and longevity correlate with body size; membranes of longer-living, larger mammals have less polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA). We determined membrane phospholipid composition of naked mole-rats (MLS > 28.3 years) and similar-sized mice (MLS = 3-4 years) by gas-liquid chromatography to assess if the ∼9X MLS difference could be explained. Mole-rat membrane composition was unchanged with age. Both species had similar amounts of membrane total unsaturated fatty acids; however, mice had 9 times more docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). Because this n-3PUFA is most susceptible to lipid peroxidation, mole-rat membranes are substantially more resistant to oxidative stress than are mice membranes. Naked mole-rat peroxidation indices, calculated from muscle and liver mitochondrial membranes, concur with those predicted by MLS rather than by body size, suggesting that membrane phospholipid composition is an important determinant of longevity.
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U2 - 10.1093/gerona/61.10.1009
DO - 10.1093/gerona/61.10.1009
M3 - Article
C2 - 17077193
AN - SCOPUS:33750913865
VL - 61
SP - 1009
EP - 1018
JO - Journals of Gerontology - Series A Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences
JF - Journals of Gerontology - Series A Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences
SN - 1079-5006
IS - 10
ER -