Open AccessGrowth hormone signaling is necessary for lifespan extension by dietary methionine
Author(s) -
BrownBorg Holly M.,
Rakoczy Sharlene G.,
Wonderlich Joseph A.,
Rojanathammanee Lalida,
Kopchick John J.,
Armstrong Vanessa,
Raasakka Debbie
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
aging cell
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.103
H-Index - 140
eISSN - 1474-9726
pISSN - 1474-9718
DOI - 10.1111/acel.12269
Subject(s) - methionine , biology , hormone , medicine , endocrinology , growth hormone , growth hormone deficiency , dwarfism , longevity , transgene , amino acid , biochemistry , gene , genetics
Summary Growth hormone significantly impacts lifespan in mammals. Mouse longevity is extended when growth hormone ( GH ) signaling is interrupted but markedly shortened with high‐plasma hormone levels. Methionine metabolism is enhanced in growth hormone deficiency, for example, in the Ames dwarf, but suppressed in GH transgenic mice. Methionine intake affects also lifespan, and thus, GH mutant mice and respective wild‐type littermates were fed 0.16%, 0.43%, or 1.3% methionine to evaluate the interaction between hormone status and methionine. All wild‐type and GH transgenic mice lived longer when fed 0.16% methionine but not when fed higher levels. In contrast, animals without growth hormone signaling due to hormone deficiency or resistance did not respond to altered levels of methionine in terms of lifespan, body weight, or food consumption. Taken together, our results suggest that the presence of growth hormone is necessary to sense dietary methionine changes, thus strongly linking growth and lifespan to amino acid availability.