X-Message-Number: 28638
Date: Sun, 5 Nov 2006 19:39:41 -0800 (PST)
From: 
Subject: reduced body temperature key to longer life

[...if you're a transgenic mouse.]

Science 3 November 2006: Vol. 314. no. 5800, pp. 825 - 828
Transgenic Mice with a Reduced Core Body Temperature Have an Increased
Life Span
  Reduction of core body temperature has been proposed to contribute to
the increased life span and the antiaging effects conferred by calorie
restriction (CR). Validation of this hypothesis has been difficult in
homeotherms, primarily due to a lack of experimental models. We report
that transgenic mice engineered to overexpress the uncoupling protein 2 in
hypocretin neurons (Hcrt-UCP2) have elevated hypothalamic
temperature. The effects of local temperature elevation on the central
thermostat resulted in a 0.3  to 0.5 C reduction of the core body
temperature. Fed ad libitum, Hcrt-UCP2 transgenic mice had the same
caloric intake as their wild-type littermates but had increased energy
efficiency and a greater median life span (12% increase in males; 20%
increase in females). Thus, modest, sustained reduction of core body
temperature prolonged life span independent of altered diet or CR.

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