TY - JOUR
T1 - Prolonged longevity in naked mole-rats
T2 - Age-related changes in metabolism, body composition and gastrointestinal function
AU - O'Connor, Timothy P.
AU - Lee, Angela
AU - Jarvis, Jennifer U.M.
AU - Buffenstein, Rochelle
N1 - Funding Information:
We kindly thank A. Washington, B. Andziak, M. Baldwin, J. Booysen, W. Chaii, D. Edgcombe and R. Woodley for assistance with animal care. This project was supported by a grant from the American Foundation for Aging Research to TOC.
PY - 2002/11/1
Y1 - 2002/11/1
N2 - Aging is characterized by declines in all physiological processes and concomitant changes in body composition. Age-related changes in metabolism, body composition and gastrointestinal function were investigated in naked mole-rats (Heterocephalus glaber), rodents that exhibit extended longevity. Maximum lifespan of these 40 g rodents (>27 year) is ∼9 times greater than predicted allometrically. We investigated changes in basal metabolic rate (BMR), body composition and intestinal glucose transport in 1, 5, 10 and 20-year-old male individuals. Body composition was measured using dual X-ray absorptiometry and activity of sodium glucose co-transporters (SGLT1) determined using everted gut sleeves. One-year-olds had lower body mass than other age cohorts, as they had not attained full adult form. Among the 5, 10, and 20-year-olds, no age-related changes in body mass, BMR, percentage body fat, fat-free mass or bone mineral density were found. SGLT1 activity declined moderately (<20%) from 5 to 20 years and was similar at 10-20 years, whereas age-related declines are 40-60% in mice. Although mole-rats have low metabolic rates, their prolonged longevity results in a lifetime energy expenditure more than 4 times that of mice. Since lifetime energy expenditure is an important index of potential exposure to oxidative damage, naked mole-rats may be valuable for studying mechanisms of aging.
AB - Aging is characterized by declines in all physiological processes and concomitant changes in body composition. Age-related changes in metabolism, body composition and gastrointestinal function were investigated in naked mole-rats (Heterocephalus glaber), rodents that exhibit extended longevity. Maximum lifespan of these 40 g rodents (>27 year) is ∼9 times greater than predicted allometrically. We investigated changes in basal metabolic rate (BMR), body composition and intestinal glucose transport in 1, 5, 10 and 20-year-old male individuals. Body composition was measured using dual X-ray absorptiometry and activity of sodium glucose co-transporters (SGLT1) determined using everted gut sleeves. One-year-olds had lower body mass than other age cohorts, as they had not attained full adult form. Among the 5, 10, and 20-year-olds, no age-related changes in body mass, BMR, percentage body fat, fat-free mass or bone mineral density were found. SGLT1 activity declined moderately (<20%) from 5 to 20 years and was similar at 10-20 years, whereas age-related declines are 40-60% in mice. Although mole-rats have low metabolic rates, their prolonged longevity results in a lifetime energy expenditure more than 4 times that of mice. Since lifetime energy expenditure is an important index of potential exposure to oxidative damage, naked mole-rats may be valuable for studying mechanisms of aging.
KW - Aging
KW - Body composition
KW - Heterocephalus glaber
KW - Lifetime energy expendituremetabolism
KW - Naked mole-rats
KW - SGLT1 activity
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U2 - 10.1016/S1095-6433(02)00198-8
DO - 10.1016/S1095-6433(02)00198-8
M3 - Article
C2 - 12443939
AN - SCOPUS:0036850012
VL - 133
SP - 835
EP - 842
JO - Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology - A Molecular and Integrative Physiology
JF - Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology - A Molecular and Integrative Physiology
SN - 1095-6433
IS - 3
ER -