Ageing-associated effects of a long-term dietary modulation of four trace elements in mice
Viktoria K. Wandt,
Nicola Winkelbeiner,
Kristina Lossow,
Johannes F. Kopp,
Maria Schwarz,
Wiebke Alker,
Merle M. Nicolai,
Luise Simon,
Caroline Dietzel,
Barbara Hertel,
Gabriele Pohl,
Franziska Ebert,
Lutz Schomburg,
Julia Bornhorst,
Hajo Haase,
Anna P. Kipp,
Tanja Schwerdtle
Affiliations
Viktoria K. Wandt
Department of Food Chemistry, Institute of Nutritional Science, University of Potsdam, Arthur-Scheunert-Allee 114-116, 14558, Nuthetal, Germany; TraceAge – DFG Research Unit on Interactions of Essential Trace Elements in Healthy and Diseased Elderly (FOR 2558), Berlin-Potsdam-Jena-Wuppertal, Germany
Nicola Winkelbeiner
Department of Food Chemistry, Institute of Nutritional Science, University of Potsdam, Arthur-Scheunert-Allee 114-116, 14558, Nuthetal, Germany; TraceAge – DFG Research Unit on Interactions of Essential Trace Elements in Healthy and Diseased Elderly (FOR 2558), Berlin-Potsdam-Jena-Wuppertal, Germany
Kristina Lossow
TraceAge – DFG Research Unit on Interactions of Essential Trace Elements in Healthy and Diseased Elderly (FOR 2558), Berlin-Potsdam-Jena-Wuppertal, Germany; Department of Molecular Nutritional Physiology, Institute of Nutritional Sciences, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Dornburger Str. 24, 07743, Jena, Germany; German Institute of Human Nutrition, Arthur-Scheunert-Allee 114-116, 14558, Nuthetal, Germany
Johannes F. Kopp
Department of Food Chemistry, Institute of Nutritional Science, University of Potsdam, Arthur-Scheunert-Allee 114-116, 14558, Nuthetal, Germany; TraceAge – DFG Research Unit on Interactions of Essential Trace Elements in Healthy and Diseased Elderly (FOR 2558), Berlin-Potsdam-Jena-Wuppertal, Germany
Maria Schwarz
TraceAge – DFG Research Unit on Interactions of Essential Trace Elements in Healthy and Diseased Elderly (FOR 2558), Berlin-Potsdam-Jena-Wuppertal, Germany; Department of Molecular Nutritional Physiology, Institute of Nutritional Sciences, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Dornburger Str. 24, 07743, Jena, Germany
Wiebke Alker
TraceAge – DFG Research Unit on Interactions of Essential Trace Elements in Healthy and Diseased Elderly (FOR 2558), Berlin-Potsdam-Jena-Wuppertal, Germany; Chair of Food Chemistry and Toxicology, Technische Universität Berlin, Straße des 17. Juni 135, 10623, Berlin, Germany
Merle M. Nicolai
Food Chemistry, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, University of Wuppertal, Gaußstr. 20, 42119, Wuppertal, Germany
Luise Simon
Department of Food Chemistry, Institute of Nutritional Science, University of Potsdam, Arthur-Scheunert-Allee 114-116, 14558, Nuthetal, Germany; TraceAge – DFG Research Unit on Interactions of Essential Trace Elements in Healthy and Diseased Elderly (FOR 2558), Berlin-Potsdam-Jena-Wuppertal, Germany
Caroline Dietzel
Chair of Food Chemistry and Toxicology, Technische Universität Berlin, Straße des 17. Juni 135, 10623, Berlin, Germany
Barbara Hertel
Department of Food Chemistry, Institute of Nutritional Science, University of Potsdam, Arthur-Scheunert-Allee 114-116, 14558, Nuthetal, Germany
Gabriele Pohl
Department of Food Chemistry, Institute of Nutritional Science, University of Potsdam, Arthur-Scheunert-Allee 114-116, 14558, Nuthetal, Germany
Franziska Ebert
Department of Food Chemistry, Institute of Nutritional Science, University of Potsdam, Arthur-Scheunert-Allee 114-116, 14558, Nuthetal, Germany; TraceAge – DFG Research Unit on Interactions of Essential Trace Elements in Healthy and Diseased Elderly (FOR 2558), Berlin-Potsdam-Jena-Wuppertal, Germany
Lutz Schomburg
TraceAge – DFG Research Unit on Interactions of Essential Trace Elements in Healthy and Diseased Elderly (FOR 2558), Berlin-Potsdam-Jena-Wuppertal, Germany; Institute for Experimental Endocrinology, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Augustenburger Platz 1, 13353, Berlin, Germany
Julia Bornhorst
TraceAge – DFG Research Unit on Interactions of Essential Trace Elements in Healthy and Diseased Elderly (FOR 2558), Berlin-Potsdam-Jena-Wuppertal, Germany; Food Chemistry, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, University of Wuppertal, Gaußstr. 20, 42119, Wuppertal, Germany
Hajo Haase
TraceAge – DFG Research Unit on Interactions of Essential Trace Elements in Healthy and Diseased Elderly (FOR 2558), Berlin-Potsdam-Jena-Wuppertal, Germany; Chair of Food Chemistry and Toxicology, Technische Universität Berlin, Straße des 17. Juni 135, 10623, Berlin, Germany
Anna P. Kipp
TraceAge – DFG Research Unit on Interactions of Essential Trace Elements in Healthy and Diseased Elderly (FOR 2558), Berlin-Potsdam-Jena-Wuppertal, Germany; Department of Molecular Nutritional Physiology, Institute of Nutritional Sciences, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Dornburger Str. 24, 07743, Jena, Germany
Tanja Schwerdtle
Department of Food Chemistry, Institute of Nutritional Science, University of Potsdam, Arthur-Scheunert-Allee 114-116, 14558, Nuthetal, Germany; TraceAge – DFG Research Unit on Interactions of Essential Trace Elements in Healthy and Diseased Elderly (FOR 2558), Berlin-Potsdam-Jena-Wuppertal, Germany; German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR), Max-Dohrn-Str. 8-10, 10589, Berlin, Germany; Corresponding author. Institute of Nutritional Science, University of Potsdam, Arthur-Scheunert-Allee 114-116, 14558, Nuthetal, Germany.
Trace elements (TEs) are essential for diverse processes maintaining body function and health status. The complex regulation of the TE homeostasis depends among others on age, sex, and nutritional status. If the TE homeostasis is disturbed, negative health consequences can result, e.g., caused by impaired redox homeostasis and genome stability maintenance. Based on age-related shifts in TEs which have been described in mice well-supplied with TEs, we aimed to understand effects of a long-term feeding with adequate or suboptimal amounts of four TEs in parallel. As an additional intervention, we studied mice which received an age-adapted diet with higher concentrations of selenium and zinc to counteract the age-related decline of both TEs. We conducted comprehensive analysis of diverse endpoints indicative for the TE and redox status, complemented by analysis of DNA (hydroxy)methylation and markers denoting genomic stability maintenance. TE concentrations showed age-specific alterations which were relatively stable and independent of their nutritional supply. In addition, hepatic DNA hydroxymethylation was significantly increased in the elderly mice and markers indicative for the redox status were modulated. The reduced nutritional supply with TEs inconsistently affected their status, with most severe effects regarding Fe deficiency. This may have contributed to the sex-specific differences observed in the alterations related to the redox status and DNA repair activity.Overall, our results highlight the complexity of factors impacting on the TE status and its physiological consequences. Alterations in TE supply, age, and sex proved to be important determinants that need to be taken into account when considering TE interventions for improving general health and supporting convalescence in the clinics.
