25-5 |
Using high-density oligonucleotide arrays to evaluate nutritional interventions in the aging process |
T. A. PROLLA, Dept. of Genetics & Medical Genetics, Univ. of Wisconsin, Madison, 445 Henry Mall, Madison, WI 53706 We have previously employed high density oligonucleotide arrays representing thousands of genes to determine the gene expression profile of the aging process in skeletal muscle (gastrocnemius) heart and brain (cerebellum and neocortex) of male C57BL/6 mice. Specific gene expression profiles are associated with the aging process of individual organs, and caloric restriction can prevent or retard the establishment of these gene expression alterations. The use of DNA microarrays may provide a new tool to measure biological age on a tissue-specific basis and to evaluate at the molecular level the efficacy of interventions designed to retard the aging process. Currently, we are using gene expression alterations as aging biomarkers to determine if specific nutritional interventions will retard the aging process. This approach allows for scientific validation of claims regarding the efficacy of specific nutrients on aging retardation at the level of specific organs.
Session 25, Current status, trends and prospects of nutraceuticals and functional foods
|