以色列的一个研究小组不久前发现提高与长寿相关基因的活跃度可延长雄性小鼠的寿命。
包括人类在内的许多生物体内都有Sirt基因家族的基因，此前的研究表明Sirt系列基因能延长线虫和果蝇的寿命。哺乳动物通常拥有7种Sirt基因，但确认这类基因的活跃度与延长寿命相关尚属首次。
以色列巴伊兰大学的研究者在2月23日出版的英国学术期刊《自然》上报告说，他们在实验中发现生物如果没有Sirt6基因，其生存状态就会出现异常，这种异常与衰老类似。于是他们通过转基因技术培养出Sirt6基因更为活跃的两个小鼠种群，并研究它们的寿命变化。结果这两个种群中的雄鼠平均寿命分别延长了14.8%和16.9%，但雌鼠未发生类似变化。
研究人员说，如果能彻底了解Sirt系列基因活跃度影响寿命的具体机制，就有望为人类长寿研究提供新线索。（生物谷 bioon.com）
doi: 10.1038/nature10815
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The sirtuin SIRT6 regulates lifespan in male mice
Yariv Kanfi, Shoshana Naiman, Gail Amir, Victoria Peshti, Guy Zinman, Liat Nahum, Ziv Bar-Joseph & Haim Y. Cohen1
The significant increase in human lifespan during the past century confronts us with great medical challenges. To meet these challenges, the mechanisms that determine healthy ageing must be understood and controlled. Sirtuins are highly conserved deacetylases that have been shown to regulate lifespan in yeast, nematodes and fruitflies1. However, the role of sirtuins in regulating worm and fly lifespan has recently become controversial2. Moreover, the role of the seven mammalian sirtuins, SIRT1 to SIRT7 (homologues of the yeast sirtuin Sir2), in regulating lifespan is unclear3. Here we show that male, but not female, transgenic mice overexpressing Sirt6 (ref. 4) have a significantly longer lifespan than wild-type mice. Gene expression analysis revealed significant differences between male Sirt6-transgenic mice and male wild-type mice: transgenic males displayed lower serum levels of insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF1), higher levels of IGF-binding protein 1 and altered phosphorylation levels of major components of IGF1 signalling, a key pathway in the regulation of lifespan5. This study shows the regulation of mammalian lifespan by a sirtuin family member and has important therapeutic implications for age-related diseases.
