Treatment GuideJust DiagnosedSex & DatingAfrican AmericanStigmaAsk the HIV DocPrEP En EspañolNewsVoicesPrint IssueVideoOut 100
CONTACTCAREER OPPORTUNITIESADVERTISE WITH USPRIVACY POLICYPRIVACY PREFERENCESTERMS OF USELEGAL NOTICE
© 2024 Pride Publishing Inc.
All Rights reserved
All Rights reserved
By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Private Policy and Terms of Use.
Researchers at Mount Sinai School of Medicine set out to address a question that has been challenging scientists for years: How do dietary restriction -- and the reverse, overconsumption -- produce protective effects against aging and disease?
[ HOLIDAY WELLNESS WEEK ]
An answer lies in a two-part study led by Charles Mobbs, Ph.D., a professor of neuroscience and of geriatrics and palliative medicine at Mount Sinai School of Medicine, published in the November 17 edition of the journal Public Library of Science Biology. The study, titled "Role of CBP and SATB-1 in Aging, Dietary Restriction, and Insulin-Like Signaling," examines how dietary restriction and a high-caloric diet influence biochemical responses.
Mobbs and his colleagues unraveled a molecular puzzle to determine that within certain parameters, a lower-calorie diet slows the development of some age-related conditions, such as Alzheimer's disease, as well as the aging process. How the diet is restricted -- whether fats, proteins, or carbohydrates are cut -- does not appear to matter.
"It may not be about counting calories or cutting out specific nutrients," says Mobbs, "but how a reduction in dietary intake impacts the glucose metabolism, which contributes to oxidative stress."
Meanwhile, a high-calorie diet may accelerate age-related disease by promoting oxidative stress.
Dietary restriction induces a transcription factor called CREB-binding protein (CBP), which controls the activity of genes that regulate cellular function. By developing drugs that mimic the protective effects of CBP -- those usually caused by dietary restriction -- scientists may be able to extend lifespan and reduce vulnerability to age-related illnesses.
"We discovered that CBP predicts lifespan and accounts for 80% of lifespan variation in mammals," says Mobbs. "Finding the right balance is key; only a 10% restriction will produce a small increase in lifespan, whereas an 80% restriction will lead to a shorter life due to starvation."
The team found an optimal dietary restriction, estimated to be equivalent to a 30% caloric reduction in mammals, increased lifespan over 50% while slowing the development of an age-related pathology similar to Alzheimer's disease.
The first part of the study looked at C. elegans, a species of roundworm, that were genetically altered to develop Alzheimer's disease-like symptoms. Mobbs and his team reduced the roundworms' dietary intake by diluting the bacteria the worms consume. In these types of roundworms, human beta amyloid peptide, which contributes to plaque buildup in Alzheimer's disease, is expressed in muscle, which becomes paralyzed as age progresses. This model allowed researchers to readily measure how lifespan and disease burden were simultaneously improved through dietary restriction.
The researchers found that when dietary restriction was maintained throughout the worms' adulthood, lifespan increased by 65% and the Alzheimer's disease-related paralysis decreased by about 50%.
"We showed that dietary restriction activates CBP in a roundworm model, and when we blocked this activation, we blocked all the protective effects of dietary restriction," says Mobbs. "It was the result of blocking CBP activation, which inhibited all the protective effects of dietary restriction, that confirmed to us that CBP plays a key role in mediating the protective effects of dietary restriction on lifespan and age-related disease. "
In the second part of study Mobbs and his team looked at the other end of this process: What happens to CBP in a high-calorie diet that has led to diabetes, a disease in which glucose metabolism is impaired? Researchers examined mice and found that diabetes reduces activation of CBP, leading Mobbs to conclude that a high-calorie diet that leads to diabetes would have the opposite effect of dietary restriction and would accelerate aging.
Mobbs hypothesizes that dietary restriction induces CBP by blocking glucose metabolism, which produces oxidative stress, a cellular process that leads to tissue damage and also promotes cancer cell growth. Interestingly, dietary restriction triggers CBP for as long as the restriction is maintained, suggesting that the protective effects may wear off if higher dietary intake resumes. CBP responds to changes in glucose within hours, indicating genetic communications respond quickly to fluctuations in dietary intake.
"Our next step is to understand the exact interactions of CBP with other transcription factors that mediate its protective effects with age," says Mobbs. "If we can map out these interactions, we could then begin to produce more targeted drugs that mimic the protective effects of CBP."
Want more breaking equality news & trending entertainment stories?
Check out our NEW 24/7 streaming service: the Advocate Channel!
Download the Advocate Channel App for your mobile phone and your favorite streaming device!
From our Sponsors
Most Popular
Before AIDS, gay artist Rex drew hot men on the prowl — then he disappeared
April 11 2024 3:15 PM
Diets that mimic fasting reverse aging: study
March 07 2024 5:28 PM
The Most Amazing HIV Allies & Advocates of 2023
November 03 2023 12:51 PM
PrEP without a prescription now a reality in California
February 06 2024 8:37 PM
This OnlyFans Star Is Trying to Raise $100K to Fight HIV
December 26 2023 3:05 PM
Injectable HIV treatment, prevention: Everything you need to know
March 26 2024 3:28 PM
The naked Black body takes center stage in this HIV campaign
January 03 2024 1:07 PM
8 dating tips for gay men from a gay therapist
March 21 2024 2:50 PM
Mr. Gay World wants to make sure you're OK
January 02 2024 4:56 PM
Plus: Featured Video
Latest Stories
On Anal Sex Day, crack up with The Bottom's Digest
April 18 2024 10:22 AM
Todrick Hall has long supported the communities he comes from
April 17 2024 12:02 PM
Our May/June issue of Plus is here!
April 17 2024 12:00 PM
Giselle Byrd is taking center stage — and helping others do the same
April 10 2024 2:24 PM
Discover endless fun at The Pride Store: Games & electronics for all ages
April 09 2024 4:25 PM
Mean Girls' Daniel Franzese on playing an HIV+ character
April 09 2024 3:57 PM
HIV-positive Air Force, Navy servicemembers victorious in lawsuit
April 09 2024 3:02 PM
Unlocking a new level of beauty with Dr Botanicals' ethical skincare line
April 08 2024 3:40 PM
Unleash your wild side with The Pride Store’s beginner’s guide to kink
April 08 2024 3:35 PM
Why are mpox cases in the U.S. on the rise again?
April 08 2024 1:30 PM
Happy national foreskin day!
April 04 2024 1:45 PM
Adult entertainment icons Derek Kage & Cody Silver lead fight for free speech
April 03 2024 3:06 PM
LGBTQ+ patients twice as likely to face discrimination: survey
April 02 2024 4:57 PM
Spring into The Pride Store’s top new arrivals for April
April 02 2024 4:39 PM
Nashville PD Must Pay HIV-Positive Man Denied a Job
April 01 2024 6:22 PM
Common has a message on how to foster self-love
March 29 2024 7:33 PM
Listen to Dr. Levine: Take syphilis seriously
March 28 2024 6:40 PM