Development and application of a reporter bioassay system to screen for phytochemicals mimicking the anti-aging effects of caloric restriction

2015 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 25282027
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Partial Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Eating habits
• Research Institution: Waseda University
• Principal Investigator: CHIBA Takuya 早稲田大学, 人間科学学術院, 教授 (40336152)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): HIGUCHI Keiichi 信州大学, 医学(系)研究科, 教授 (20173156) ; NISHIZONO Shoko 崇城大学, 生物生命学部, 准教授 (40336970)
• Project Period (FY): 2013-04-01 – 2016-03-31
• Keywords: 老化 / カロリー制限 / 酸化ストレス / 脂質代謝 / 機能性食品 / 転写因子 / がん / 生活習慣病

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Caloric restriction (CR) without malnutrition in normal mice, and suppression of the GH/IGF-I axis in spontaneous mutant Ames dwarf (DF) mice, extend lifespan and delay the onset of various age-dependent disorders. Combined, these two lifespan-prolonging interventions have an additive effect in DF mice. We aimed to identity the intracellular signaling pathways mediating these effects, and to develop a system to screen anti-aging phytochemicals both in vitro and in vivo. We identified HNF-4 alpha and Nrf2, important transcription factors involved in glucose and lipid metabolism and oxidative stress resistance, respectively, might critical regulators for longevity gene regulations. We also found that taurine could mimic the anti-aging effects such as increased oxidative stress resistance. These results indicate that our bioassay system would be useful to screen for chemicals, which mimic the beneficial effects of CR without actual food restriction.

Free Research Field

基礎老化学、実験病理学、食生活学