[Frontiers in Bioscience E4, 768-778, January 1, 2012]

Role of sirtuins, calorie restriction and physical activity in aging

Graziamaria Corbi1, Valeria Conti2, Giovanni Scapagnini1, Amelia Filippelli2, Nicola Ferrara1

1Department of Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, University of Molise, via Giovanni Paolo II -Località Tappino, 86100 Campobasso, Italy, 2Department of Experimental Medicine and Excellence Center of Cardiovascular Disease - Second University of Naples, via De Crecchio 7, 80138 Naples, Italy

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. Abstract
2. Introduction
3. Classes and functions of sirtuins
4. Role of sirtuins in the cellular stress response
5. Role of sirtuins in caloric restriction
6. Role of sirtuins during aging and their relation with physical activity
7. Conclusions
8. Acknowledgments
9. References

1. ABSTRACT

Recently it has been discovered that Sirtuins represent pivotal regulators of lifespan. Caloric restriction (CR) enhances longevity from yeast to mammals. Whereas the relationship between Sirt-1 and CR is clear, the molecular mechanisms by which Sir2 increases longevity are still unknown. In mammals, CR induces physiological and behavioral changes, and many studies have shown that CR decreases production of reactive oxygen species production thus minimizing oxidative damage, leading to the hypothesis that CR by reducing oxidative stress extends the lifespan by counteraction of aging. In fact, the pathophysiology of aging and age-related diseases involves oxidative stress as an early stage in its development. Recently we found that in aged rats the SIRT1 activity was decreased in heart and adipose tissue, showing as aging is characterized in vivo by a reduced efficiency of this key-regulator of longevity. Whereas several studies have reported that increased physical activity can improve mean life span presumably by reducing mortality risk from many age-related diseases, exercise and longevity studies have failed to document an exercise effect on maximum life span. However, in aged rats a moderate prolonged exercise training is able to induce increase in SIRT1 activity, suggesting that this tool could counteract age-related dysfunctions.