During the last decade, studies aimed at investigating genes and molecular pathways involved in aging have been very fruitful and led to the identification of several mechanisms responsible for aging. Overall, those results put forward the capacity of cells and organisms to sense and respond to stress, as a critical factor for a healthy and long life. Those molecular pathways are tightly linked with the overall metabolism of an organism. Indeed, environmental stresses trigger a plethora of defense mechanisms which are energy demanding while still the organism has to allocate energy for the maintenance of basic functions. So all along our life, we have to adapt to different stresses while optimizing energy use. This review aims at highlighting data from the literature that support the crucial role of metabolism as a modulator of aging and age-associated disease, as illustrated by the beneficial effect of dietary restriction on longevity and cancer development.
© 2012 médecine/sciences – Inserm / SRMS.