Skinny centenarians with impaired immunity

The removal of the immune system gene made mice slender centenarians

RIA NewsThe removal of the FAT10 immune system gene led to a significant increase in life expectancy and a decrease in the thickness of the fat layer in mice, which indicates a close relationship between immunity and longevity, geneticists say in an article published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (Canaan et al., Extended lifespan and reduced adiposity in mice lacking the FAT10 gene; the press release Deletion of FAT10 gene reduces body fat, slows down aging in mice is published on the website of Tufts University - VM).

"No one knew what FAT10 actually does, except that it "turns on" during inflammation and that it is associated with cancer of the gastrointestinal tract and genitals. Disabling this gene causes a lot of positive effects, including a decrease in fat reserves, which slows down aging and prolongs life by 20%," said Martin Aubin from Tufts University in Medford (USA).

Aubin and his colleagues came to this conclusion as part of an experiment in which they tried to uncover the functions of FAT10 and related genes. To do this, scientists raised mice that had the FAT10 gene damaged, and checked how their lives would differ compared to ordinary rodents.

The removal of this gene led to several unexpected consequences – such rodents began to eat more, but at the same time their mass remained relatively low. In addition, the fat reserves in their body were noticeably less than in ordinary mice, which was most evident in adulthood and in old age.

The main effect of disabling FAT10 was that such mice lived on average 20% longer than their relatives. The authors of the article do not yet know whether such an effect is associated with a lower tendency to obesity or with changes in the work of other genes with which FAT10 is associated.

"Laboratory mice live in cells where there are practically no bacteria. The body spends a lot of energy fighting infections, the source of which is usually fat reserves. Mice without the FAT10 gene may be too skinny to successfully repel infections outside the laboratory walls. Further research is needed to help us achieve a balance between the immune system and fat reserves among mice, and then among humans," concludes Aubin.

Portal "Eternal youth" http://vechnayamolodost.ru27.03.2014