F1000Research (Apr 2015)

Interaction of growth hormone receptor/binding protein gene disruption and caloric restriction for insulin sensitivity and attenuated aging [v2; ref status: indexed, http://f1000r.es/5a7]

  • Oge Arum,
  • Jamal Saleh,
  • Ravneet Boparai,
  • Jeremy Turner,
  • John Kopchick,
  • Romesh Khardori,
  • Andrzej Bartke

DOI
https://doi.org/10.12688/f1000research.5378.2
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 3

Abstract

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The correlation of physiological sensitivity to insulin (vis-à-vis glycemic regulation) and longevity is extensively established, creating a justifiable gerontological interest on whether insulin sensitivity is causative, or even predictive, of some or all phenotypes of slowed senescence (including longevity). The growth hormone receptor/ binding protein gene-disrupted (GHR-KO) mouse is the most extensively investigated insulin-sensitive, attenuated aging model. It was reported that, in a manner divergent from similar mutants, GHR-KO mice fail to respond to caloric restriction (CR) by altering their insulin sensitivity. We hypothesized that maximized insulin responsiveness is what causes GHR-KO mice to exhibit a suppressed survivorship response to dietary (including caloric) restriction; and attempted to refute this hypothesis by assessing the effects of CR on GHR-KO mice for varied slow-aging-associated phenotypes. In contrast to previous reports, we found GHR-KO mice on CR to be less responsive than their ad libitum (A.L.) counterparts to the hypoglycemia-inducing effects of insulin. Further, CR had negligible effects on the metabolism or cognition of GHR-KO mice. Therefore, our data suggest that the effects of CR on the insulin sensitivity of GHR-KO mice do not concur with the effects of CR on the aging of GHR-KO mice.

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