Science and Research

Nutritional regimens with periodically recurring phases of dietary restriction extend lifespan in Drosophila

Nutritional interventions such as caloric and dietary restriction increase lifespan in various animal models. To identify alternative and less demanding nutritional interventions that extend lifespan, we subjected fruit flies ( Drosophila melanogaster) to weekly nutritional regimens that involved alternating a conventional diet with dietary restriction. Short periods of dietary restriction (up to 2 d) followed by longer periods of a conventional diet yielded minimal increases in lifespan. We found that 3 or more days of contiguous dietary restriction (DR) was necessary to yield a lifespan extension similar to that observed with persistent DR. Female flies were more responsive to these interventions than males. Physiologic changes known to be associated with prolonged DR, such as reduced metabolic rates, showed the same time course as lifespan extension. Moreover, concurrent transcriptional changes indicative of reduced insulin signaling were identified with DR. These physiologic and transcriptional changes were sustained, as they were detectable several days after switching to conventional diets. Taken together, diets with longer periods of DR extended lifespan concurrently with physiologic and transcriptional changes that may underlie this increase in lifespan.-Romey-Glusing, R., Li, Y., Hoffmann, J., von Frieling, J., Knop, M., Pfefferkorn, R., Bruchhaus, I., Fink, C., Roeder, T. Nutritional regimens with periodically recurring phases of dietary restriction extend lifespan in Drosophila.

  • Romey-Glusing, R.
  • Li, Y.
  • Hoffmann, J.
  • von Frieling, J.
  • Knop, M.
  • Pfefferkorn, R.
  • Bruchhaus, I.
  • Fink, C.
  • Roeder, T.

Keywords

  • impl2
  • insulin
  • lifespan extension
  • metabolic rate
  • sex differences
Publication details
DOI: 10.1096/fj.201700934R
Journal: FASEB journal : official publication of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology
Pages: 1993-2003 
Number: 4
Work Type: Original
Location: ARCN
Disease Area: General Lung and Other
Partner / Member: CAU
Access-Number: 29196499
See publication on PubMed

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