Abstract
Dietary restriction is known to extend lifespan in many species. It has now been shown to reduce DNA damage and extend lifespan in mice modelling human DNA-repair disorders. See Letter p.427 Dietary restriction is well established as an intervention that can extend lifespan and delay many signs of ageing in numerous species, but the underlying mechanisms remain unresolved. Jan Hoeijmakers and colleagues have examined the effects of dietary restriction in two mouse models with defective DNA repair that develop signs resembling those seen in human progeroid syndromes, which cause children to age at an accelerated rate. Strikingly, a dietary restriction of 30% substantially increased lifespan in both models and mice on the restricted diets maintained more neurons and better motor function than controls. In particular, the authors suggest DNA-repair-deficient Ercc1Δ/− mice as an effective model for the study of the effects of dietary restriction and for testing therapeutic interventions.
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