ScienceDaily (Oct. 16, 2012) ? A study by UT Southwestern Medical Center researchers finds that a starvation hormone markedly extends life span in mice without the need for calorie restriction.
"Restricting food intake has been shown to extend lifespan in several different kinds of animals. In our study, we found transgenic mice that produced more of the hormone fibroblast growth factor-21 (FGF21) got the benefits of dieting without having to limit their food intake. Male mice that overproduced the hormone had about a 30 percent increase in average life span and female mice had about a 40 percent increase in average life span," said senior author Dr. Steven Kliewer, professor of molecular biology and pharmacology.
The study published online in eLife -- a new peer-reviewed, open access journal -- defined average life span as the point at which half the members of a given test group remained alive. A study to determine differences in maximum life span is ongoing: While none of the untreated mice lived longer than about 3 years, some of the female mice that overproduced FGF21 were still alive at nearly 4 years, the researchers report.
FGF21 seems to provide its health benefits by increasing insulin sensitivity and blocking the growth hormone/insulin-like growth factor-1 signaling pathway. When too abundant, growth hormone can contribute to insulin resistance, cancer, and other diseases, the researchers said.
FGF21 is a hormone secreted by the liver during fasting that helps the body adapt to starvation. It is one of three growth factors that are considered atypical because they behave like hormones, which are substances created by one part of the body that have effects in other parts, the researchers said.
"Prolonged overproduction of the hormone FGF21 causes mice to live extraordinary long lives without requiring a decrease in food intake. It mimics the health benefits of dieting without having to diet," said co-author Dr. David Mangelsdorf, chairman of pharmacology and a Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) investigator at UT Southwestern.
"Aging and aging-related diseases represent an increasing burden on modern society. Drugs that slow the aging process would be very desirable. These findings raise the possibility of a hormone therapy to extend life span," said Dr. Mangelsdorf, who runs a research laboratory with Dr. Kliewer. They first identified FGF21's starvation-fighting effects in a 2007 study.
Lead author Dr. Yuan Zhang, an instructor of pharmacology, said the study was considered risky because all involved understood it would be at least two years -- an average mouse life span -- before there would be any evidence of whether elevated production of FGF21 would affect longevity.
Previous research has found that FGF21 can reduce weight in obese mice. The mice that overproduced FGF21 in this latest study were lean throughout their lives and remained lean even while eating slightly more than the wild-type mice, the researchers said.
The hormone does have some downsides: FGF21 overproducers tended to be smaller than wild-type mice and the female mice were infertile. While FGF21 overproducers had significantly lower bone density than wild-type mice, the FGF21-abundant mice exhibited no ill effects from the reduced bone density and remained active into old age without any broken bones, the researchers said.
"FGF21 is not affecting their mobility. These guys are spry. They live nice, long lives," Dr. Kliewer said. "But the decreased bone density and female infertility will require additional research to determine if it is possible to separate out the hormone's life span-extending effects from its effect on bone," he added.
The study was supported by the National Institutes of Health, the Robert A. Welch Foundation, the Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust, and the HHMI.
UT Southwestern co-authors are Dr. Yang Xie, assistant professor of clinical sciences; Dr. Eric Berglund, postdoctoral researcher in the Division of Hypothalamic Research; Dr. Katie Colbert Coate, postdoctoral researcher in pharmacology; Dr. Tian Teng He, senior research associate in the Advanced Imaging Research Center; Dr. Takeshi Katafuchi, instructor of pharmacology; Dr. Guanghua Xiao, assistant professor of clinical sciences; Drs. Matthew Potthoff and Wei Wei, both postdoctoral researchers in pharmacology; and Dr. Yihong Wan, assistant professor of pharmacology. Drs. Ruth Yu and Ronald Evans of the Salk Institute in San Diego also participated in the research.
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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by UT Southwestern Medical Center.
Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.
Journal Reference:
- Yuan Zhang, Yang Xie, Eric D Berglund, Katie Colbert Coate, Tian Teng He, Takeshi Katafuchi, Guanghua Xiao, Matthew J Potthoff, Wei Wei, Yihong Wan, Ruth T Yu, Ronald M Evans, Steven A Kliewer, David J Mangelsdorf. The starvation hormone, fibroblast growth factor-21, extends lifespan in mice. eLife, 2012; 1 DOI: 10.7554/eLife.00065
Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.
Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.
Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/top_news/top_science/~3/TVifC0fbHVA/121016103411.htm
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An English narrator? Why does NOM hate America?
Posted by: John Dough | Oct 16, 2012 6:23:21 PM
When you alienate "the gays", your propaganda will be done by a straight designer so anxious to try out his new font pack that you'll see 50 fonts in 50 seconds, and it'll look like a 1950's health class filmstrip. Just sayin'....
Posted by: Vint | Oct 16, 2012 6:27:56 PM
No benefits for society as a whole? Doesn't freedom benefit society as a whole? The Declaration of Independence and Constitution say it does.
Their parents probably made the same claim about interracial marriage, as did their grandparents about interreligious marriage.
Posted by: Anastasia Beaverhausen | Oct 16, 2012 6:28:42 PM
That art style reminds me of the retro 50s design of the Fallout series. Which is pretty much the time NOM wants to get back to
Posted by: Steve | Oct 16, 2012 6:29:24 PM
Once again, all of their claims about how and why "natural marriage" helps children, men and women, are "supported" either by clearly biased conservative "study" groups, or studies showing the benefits of children and people being in two-parent households vs. single-parent households, NOT opposite vs. same-sex households. Many of the people who have conducted these studies have not taken kindly to NOM and the like, perverting their work.
Posted by: Chris | Oct 16, 2012 6:38:43 PM
and this, Maggie Gallagher, is why your son Patrick is waiting for you to die before he comes out.
and this is why, Brian Brown, you are going to attend the funeral of at least one of your eight children.
ditto Rick Santorum.
enjoy!
Posted by: LittleKiwi | Oct 16, 2012 6:40:51 PM
Are they really as stupid as this add insinuates by the childish graphics and narration it contains. Besides the obvious falsehoods...is the common denominator an
IQ of 40? The good news is that I'm sure the average person immediately felt talked down to...because we're smarter than this add would imply the average person is. Well, either that or we're in a lot more hot water than I thought. Can you imagine if the whole world talked like this....googoo-gaagaa.
Posted by: PAUL B. | Oct 16, 2012 7:11:12 PM
@Paul B. - Yes, I think that IS the IQ they are aiming for. The accent of the narrator reminds me of that annoying Brit from "weakest link"... who very outspokenly reminded the viewing audience how stupid a person was.
Posted by: scotty | Oct 16, 2012 7:20:04 PM
Listening to it a second time (ouch!) I realized that the use of a lovely articulate Brit makes sense. Can you imagine the same add with a few ya'll and you betcha's thrown in? That would have tied in perfectly with the narrative & message...but been over the top shocking stupid... as opposed to whatever this is.
Posted by: PAUL B. | Oct 16, 2012 7:22:04 PM
@Scotty...you're right, it does! I think they try to lend some credibility with the accent...since it implies good grammar & some education. Oh well, I must admit...a good British accent works on me too.
Posted by: PAUL B. | Oct 16, 2012 7:26:07 PM
This kind of concealed bigotry drives me over the edge.
On the one hand, "natural marriage" on the other, "paedophilia and incest".
Gee, that really makes things clear, I was getting confused, I thought that guys who committed and dearly wanted to be married together would also be socially cohesive.
How wrong can I be ?
Now I won't be able to get to sleep, I'll be in a rage all night.
Damn you, Charlie Brown.
Posted by: JackFknTwist | Oct 16, 2012 7:26:58 PM
They had (accidentally) allowed comments for a while. But after getting reamed by 95% negative comments, they finally disabled them. -- Hey, NOM... if you can't take the heat, get out of the discrimination game!
Posted by: David in Houston | Oct 16, 2012 7:28:51 PM
Hey Jacktwist!
Keep in mind that ultimately we have "natural selection" as our ally. It's a slow route to take but close your eyes tonight and imagine a world where the only bigots are "extinct bigots"...for it will come to pass. Sleep tight.
Posted by: PAUL B. | Oct 16, 2012 7:30:56 PM
That's not a British accent, sounds more like South African...
Posted by: Basil | Oct 16, 2012 7:42:41 PM
Marriage is a legal contract. How can a contract be natural or unnatural?
Posted by: marshallt | Oct 16, 2012 8:16:45 PM
Natural marriage?
Show me any other organism in nature that marries. Then maybe we can talk.
Posted by: Sean in Dallas | Oct 16, 2012 8:24:55 PM
@ ANASTASIA BEAVERHAUSEN, I haven't looked at the video yet, but I'll bet it creates the "us versus them" tool so common to bigoted thinking. In their minds, they have so far removed homosexuals from humanity that it makes intuitive sense for them to talk as if we're not even part of humanity or society. Our freedom and rights make no difference to "society" because, in their minds, they are the only society that matters.
Posted by: Chuck Mielke | Oct 16, 2012 8:36:34 PM
Ads like this show why it's so important for you to get registered and GO VOTE! It's also a great reason to give a few bucks to the campaign fighting this rubbish. Clean out the change jars, forego a dinner out, and send the money to thefour2012. Or, whatever state you choose. We all need to fight these bigots so vote and donate. Let's go win!
Posted by: sparklekittens | Oct 16, 2012 9:13:31 PM
Wow. Thanks TOLERATING me and my relationship with my partner of 45 years. We also TOLERATE you, but here's the thing: Your views and actions HARM our society, and therefore we cannot PROMOTE them. Here's why: Your right wing bigotry and hatred HURT us, by promoting SUICIDE, BULLYING, INEQUALITY and RAMPANT STUPIDITY.
Posted by: Tristram | Oct 16, 2012 9:58:38 PM
Also, the ad says nothing about biology until the very end. On top of everything else, it offers no logical reasons for why Marriage is biological. If marriage is so biological, why have I never seen lemurs walking down the aisle? Or Meerkats? Freaking spare me!
Posted by: Tristram | Oct 17, 2012 1:13:01 AM
Also, the ad says nothing about biology until the very end. On top of everything else, it offers no logical reasons for why Marriage is biological. If marriage is so biological, why have I never seen lemurs walking down the aisle? Or Meerkats? Freaking spare me!
Posted by: Tristram | Oct 17, 2012 1:13:01 AM
Stay calm and go into your fallout shelter. What a piece of B.S. "Natural Marriage" WTF? How about getting out of the 1950s and admitting that just like right handed tools "Natural Marriage" does not work for everyone. The whole religious freedom argument makes me want to hurl. Anyone can worship and live as one feels they should. They just cannot impose those beliefs on everyone else.
Posted by: Tom in long beach | Oct 17, 2012 3:02:58 AM
Yes, she's Afrikaans, not English.
Posted by: Tim | Oct 17, 2012 3:27:46 AM
Ironic, that the only pedophiles I know are Catholic priests. Better check your own closets (and family trees) ladies, as most pedophile activity (around 90%) is HETEROSEXUAL in nature. Most victims KNOW their molester. Watch your daughters...very, very carefully. While you all are busy huffing and puffing about gay marriage, that creepy brother-in-law may be hitting on your daughter.
Posted by: millerbeach | Oct 17, 2012 3:59:47 AM
Please, please, PLEASE someone do an infographic refuting EVERY SINGLE DECEPTION in this infographic. I would do it myself but I don't have Adobe AfterEffects?. although I may get a copy just to do this. And why is NOM getting a British teenager to do the voice??
Posted by: Andy | Oct 17, 2012 4:59:31 AM