Life extension by diet restriction and N-acetyl-L-cysteine in genetically heterogeneous mice

J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci. 2010 Dec;65(12):1275-84. doi: 10.1093/gerona/glq155. Epub 2010 Sep 5.

Abstract

We used a heterogeneous stock of mice-UM-HET3, the first generation offspring of CByB6F1/J and C3D2F1/J parents-to test effects of six antiaging treatments on life span. In the first report of diet restriction in a structured, segregating heterogeneous population, we observed essentially the same increases in mean and maximum life span as found in CByB6F1/J hybrid positive controls. We also report results of treatment with N-acetyl-L-cysteine started at 7 months, and aspirin, nitroflurbiprofen, 4-hydroxy phenyl N-tert-butyl nitrone, and nordihydroguaiaretic acid, all started at 16-18 months. Only male UM-HET3 mice receiving N-acetyl-L-cysteine had significantly increased life span, and this may have been due to treatment-related inadvertent diet restriction. The other agents had no significant effects on life span. The use of UM-HET3 mice helps assure that these results are not the result of unresponsiveness of a single genotype but that they more broadly represent laboratory mice.

Publication types

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

MeSH terms

  • Acetylcysteine / pharmacology*
  • Animals
  • Aspirin / pharmacology
  • Crosses, Genetic*
  • Diet*
  • Female
  • Flurbiprofen / analogs & derivatives
  • Flurbiprofen / pharmacology
  • Imines / pharmacology
  • Life Expectancy*
  • Longevity / drug effects
  • Male
  • Masoprocol / pharmacology
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred Strains / genetics*
  • Phenols / pharmacology
  • Sex Factors

Substances

  • 4-hydroxyphenyl tert-butylnitrone
  • Imines
  • Phenols
  • nitroflurbiprofen
  • Flurbiprofen
  • Masoprocol
  • Aspirin
  • Acetylcysteine