Comparison of hepatic gene expression between short-term calorie restricted wild-type and Dgat1 deficient middle-aged female mice. Mus musculus

Leanness is associated with increased lifespan and is linked to favorable metabolic conditions promoting life extension. We show here that deficiency of the lipid synthesis enzyme acyl CoA:diacylglycerol acyltransferase 1 (DGAT1), which reduces body fat in mice, promotes longevity. Female DGAT1-deficient mice were protected from age-related increases in body fat, non-adipose tissue triglycerides, and markers of inflammation in white adipose tissue. These metabolic changes were accompanied by an increased mean and maximal lifespan of ~25% and ~10%, respectively. The gene expression profile of DGAT1-deficient mice was not highly correlated with calorie restriction of sex and age matched wild-type littermates. Our findings indicate that loss of DGAT1-mediated lipid synthesis results in leanness, protects against age-related metabolic consequences, and thus extends longevity. Overall design: Liver gene expression profiles between short-term calorie restricted wild-type (WTCR) and Dgat1 deficient (KO) middle-aged (15-16 mo) female mice were compared to determine if calorie restriction and Dgat1 deficiency rely on common regulatory pathways for the promotion of longevity. Both CR and KO were compared to middle-aged wild-type female littermates fed a standard chow diet ad libitum (WTAL).