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Manipulation of Rhythmic Food Intake in Mice Using a Custom-Made Feeding System
Published on: December 16, 2022
The interrelations among feeding, circadian rhythms and ageing
1Institute of Biochemistry, Food Science and Nutrition, Faculty of Agricultural, Food and Environmental Quality, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, P.O. Box 12, Rehovot 76100, Israel. froy@agri.huji.ac.il
Progress in Neurobiology
|May 8, 2007
Summary
Caloric restriction (CR) and robust circadian rhythms are linked to longer life spans. This study suggests that well-regulated peripheral rhythms may mediate longevity in CR animals, connecting diet, biological clocks, and lifespan.
Area of Science:
- Chronobiology
- Aging Research
- Metabolic Regulation
Background:
- Circadian rhythms, regulated by the suprachiasmatic nuclei (SCN) master clock, influence mammalian physiology.
- Peripheral circadian oscillators exist in tissues like the liver, intestine, and retina.
- Both circadian rhythms and caloric restriction (CR) have been independently linked to lifespan extension.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the interconnectedness of caloric restriction, circadian rhythms, and lifespan.
- To explore the role of peripheral circadian rhythms as a mediator of longevity in CR animals.
- To provide evidence supporting the hypothesis that CR, circadian rhythms, and lifespan are interconnected.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of alphaMUPA mice, a transgenic model with spontaneous reduced eating and extended lifespan.
- Assessment of circadian clock gene expression in the liver and clock-controlled output systems (feeding time, body temperature).
- Review of existing literature on CR's effects on the SCN central clock and other feeding regimens.
Main Results:
- AlphaMUPA mice exhibit high-amplitude, appropriately reset circadian rhythms in peripheral tissues.
- These pronounced rhythms correlate with reduced food intake and extended lifespan.
- CR has been shown to reset the central biological clock in the SCN.
Conclusions:
- Appropriately reset peripheral circadian rhythms may be a key mediator of longevity in calorically restricted animals.
- The study provides evidence for a novel interconnection between caloric restriction, circadian rhythms, and lifespan.
- Further research into various feeding regimens' effects on circadian rhythms and lifespan is warranted.
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