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ARS Home » Plains Area » Houston, Texas » Children's Nutrition Research Center » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #385588
Research Project: Molecular, Cellular, and Regulatory Aspects of Obesity Development

Location: Children's Nutrition Research Center

Title: Adiponectin preserves metabolic fitness during aging

Author
item LI, NA - University Of Texas Southwestern Medical Center
item ZHAO, SHANGANG - University Of Texas Southwestern Medical Center
item ZHANG, ZHUZHEN - University Of Texas Southwestern Medical Center
item ZHU, YI - Children'S Nutrition Research Center (CNRC)
item GLINIAK, CHRISTY - University Of Texas Southwestern Medical Center
item VISHVANATH, LAVANYA - University Of Texas Southwestern Medical Center
item AN, YU - University Of Texas Southwestern Medical Center
item WANG, MAY-YUN - University Of Texas Southwestern Medical Center
item DENG, YINGFENG - University Of Texas Southwestern Medical Center
item ZHU, QINGZHANG - University Of Texas Southwestern Medical Center
item SHAN, BO - University Of Texas Southwestern Medical Center
item SHERWOOD, AMBER - University Of Texas Southwestern Medical Center
item ONODERA, TOSHIHARU - University Of Texas Southwestern Medical Center
item OZ, ORHAN - University Of Texas Southwestern Medical Center
item DIXIT, VISHWA - Yale School Of Medicine
item SCHERER, PHILIPP - University Of Texas Southwestern Medical Center

Submitted to: eLife
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/22/2021
Publication Date: 4/27/2021
Citation: Li, N., Zhao, S., Zhang, Z., Zhu, Y., Gliniak, C.M., Vishvanath, L., An, Y.A., Wang, M., Deng, Y., Zhu, Q., Shan, B., Sherwood, A., Onodera, T., Oz, O.K., Dixit, V.D., Scherer, P.E. 2021. Adiponectin preserves metabolic fitness during aging. eLife. 10:e65108. https://doi.org/10.7554/eLife.65108.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.7554/eLife.65108

Interpretive Summary: Adiponectin is an important hormone secreted from the adipocyte. It has a strong positive association with healthspan and lifespan. But whether it directly acts on the body to slow the deterioration of multi-organ physiological function and extend lifespan is unknown. Mice devoid of adiponectin and mice with higher circulating adiponectin were used to study its role during aging. We found mice devoid of adiponectin lived a short life, and mice with more adiponectin had improved multi-organ function during the aging and had a longer median lifespan. This work indicates adiponectin directly improves organ function during the aging process.

Technical Abstract: Adiponectin is essential for the regulation of tissue substrate utilization and systemic insulin sensitivity. Clinical studies have suggested a positive association of circulating adiponectin with healthspan and lifespan. However, the direct effects of adiponectin on promoting healthspan and lifespan remain unexplored. Here, we are using an adiponectin null mouse and a transgenic adiponectin overexpression model. We directly assessed the effects of circulating adiponectin on the aging process and found that adiponectin null mice display exacerbated age-related glucose and lipid metabolism disorders. Moreover, adiponectin null mice have a significantly shortened lifespan on both chow and high-fat diet. In contrast, a transgenic mouse model with elevated circulating adiponectin levels has a dramatically improved systemic insulin sensitivity, reduced age-related tissue inflammation and fibrosis, and a prolonged healthspan and median lifespan. These results support a role of adiponectin as an essential regulator for healthspan and lifespan.