Methionine metabolism arises as a key target to elucidate the molecular adaptations underlying animal longevity due to the negative association between longevity and methionine content. The present study follows a comparative approach to analyse plasma methionine metabolic profile using a LC-MS/MS platform from 11 mammalian species with a longevity ranging from 3.5 to 120 years. Our findings demonstrate the existence of a species-specific plasma profile for methionine metabolism associated with longevity characterised by:
i) reduced methionine, cystathionine and choline;
ii) increased non-polar amino acids (alanine, glycine, leucine, isoleucine, phenylalanine, proline, tryptophan and valine);
iii) reduced succinate and malate; and
iv) increased carnitine. Our results support the existence of plasma longevity features that might respond to an optimised energetic metabolism and intracellular structures found in long-lived species.
Mechanisms to sense levels of the essential amino acid methionine are one of the more important triggers for the beneficial calorie restriction response in mammals. Since the body doesn't manufacture methionine, it must come from the diet. Either a low calorie diet or a low methionine diet produce broadly similar effects of improved metabolism, health, and longevity, though different in the fine details. Short-lived species, however, have a much larger gain in life span than is the case in longer-lived species. Calorie restriction can make mice live 40% longer, but it certainly doesn't add more than a few years in humans.
Why this is the case, when short-term metabolic responses and benefits appear broadly similar in both short-lived and long-lived mammals, is an open question. In this context, the research here is quite interesting. If background levels of methionine are lower in long-lived species, perhaps the shared trigger mechanisms relating to methionine are less capable of producing sizable effects in long-term health - though again, a detailed understanding of exactly how this happens has yet to be established.
i) reduced methionine, cystathionine and choline;
ii) increased non-polar amino acids (alanine, glycine, leucine, isoleucine, phenylalanine, proline, tryptophan and valine);
iii) reduced succinate and malate; and
iv) increased carnitine. Our results support the existence of plasma longevity features that might respond to an optimised energetic metabolism and intracellular structures found in long-lived species.
Plasma methionine metabolic profile is associated with longevity in mammals
Methionine metabolism arises as a key target to elucidate the molecular adaptations underlying animal longevity due to the negative association between longevity and methionine content. The present study follows a comparative approach to analyse plasma ...
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
Mechanisms to sense levels of the essential amino acid methionine are one of the more important triggers for the beneficial calorie restriction response in mammals. Since the body doesn't manufacture methionine, it must come from the diet. Either a low calorie diet or a low methionine diet produce broadly similar effects of improved metabolism, health, and longevity, though different in the fine details. Short-lived species, however, have a much larger gain in life span than is the case in longer-lived species. Calorie restriction can make mice live 40% longer, but it certainly doesn't add more than a few years in humans.
Why this is the case, when short-term metabolic responses and benefits appear broadly similar in both short-lived and long-lived mammals, is an open question. In this context, the research here is quite interesting. If background levels of methionine are lower in long-lived species, perhaps the shared trigger mechanisms relating to methionine are less capable of producing sizable effects in long-term health - though again, a detailed understanding of exactly how this happens has yet to be established.
Long Lived Mammals Exhibit Lower Plasma Methionine Levels
Mechanisms to sense levels of the essential amino acid methionine are one of the more important triggers for the beneficial calorie restriction response in mammals. Since the body doesn't manufacture methionine, it must come from the diet. Either a low calorie diet or a low methionine diet...
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