Telomere dynamics in rhesus monkeys: no apparent effect of caloric restriction

J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci. 2011 Nov;66(11):1163-8. doi: 10.1093/gerona/glr136. Epub 2011 Aug 22.

Abstract

The role of telomere attrition in limiting the replicative capacity of cells in culture is well established. In humans, epidemiologic evidence suggests telomere length (TL) in leukocytes is highly variable at birth and inversely related to age. Although calorie restriction (CR) significantly increases life span in most rodent models, its association with TL is unknown. Using linear regression analysis, TLs (as measured by Southern blot analysis) of skeletal muscle (a postmitotic tissue that largely represents early development TL), fat, leukocytes, and skin were tested for effects of age, sex, and diet in 48 control and 23 calorie restriction rhesus monkeys. After controlling for the individual's muscle mean TL, differences between leukocytes muscle and skin muscle were significantly associated with age (p = .002; p = .002) and sex (p = .003; p = .042), but not calorie restriction (p = .884; p = .766). Despite an age-dependent shortening of TL in leukocytes and skin, calorie restriction did not significantly affect TL dynamics in these samples.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, N.I.H., Intramural

MeSH terms

  • Adipose Tissue / cytology
  • Animals
  • Blotting, Southern
  • Caloric Restriction*
  • Female
  • Leukocytes / cytology
  • Macaca mulatta
  • Male
  • Muscle, Skeletal / cytology
  • Skin / cytology
  • Telomere / physiology*
  • Telomere / ultrastructure*