Effects of coenzyme Q on aging in mammls

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 23617042
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Integrated Nutrition Science
• Research Institution: Tokyo Metropolitan Geriatric Hospital and Institute of Gerontology
• Principal Investigator: TAKAHASHI Mayumi 地方独立行政法人東京都健康長寿医療センター(東京都健康長寿医療センター研究所), 東京都健康長寿医療センター研究所, 研究員 (50133632)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): SHIMIZU Takahiko 千葉大学, 医学(系)研究科(研究院), その他 (40301791)
• Project Period (FY): 2011-04-28 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: 寿命 / 老化 / コエンザイムQ / ミトコンドリア / 代謝 / 脳 / 骨格筋

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Coenzyme Q (CoQ) is one of the dietary supplements and used in expectation of the anti-aging effects. However, its effects remain to be fully validated scientifically. Therefore, we here explored its anti-aging effects by the use of aging mice. We found that the mitochondrial function in the brains of mice declined during aging compared with younger mice. In addition, the reduced brain mitochondrial function in aged mice was rescued by exogenous administration of water-soluble CoQ10 through drinking water. Regarding the effects on lifespan, transgenic mice of the clk-1 gene, which encodes one of biosynthetic enzymes of CoQ, exhibited longer lifespan, smaller bodies, and lower metabolism than those of wild-type mice, which clearly suggest that clk-1 relates to the lifespan in mammals through the regulation of mitochondrial function.

Free Research Field

加齢基礎医学