NAD + repletion improves mitochondrial and stem cell function and enhances life span in mice

• DOI: 10.1126/science.aaf2693
• Publication Date: 2016-04-29T06:13:07Z
• Authors: Hongbo Zhang; Dongryeol Ryu; Yibo Wu; Karim Gariani; Xu Wang; Peiling Luan; Davide D’Amico; Eduardo R. Ropelle; Matthias P. Lutolf; Ruedi Aebersold; Kristina Schoonjans; Keir J. Menzies; Johan Auwerx
• Keywords: Niacinamide; 0301 basic medicine; Melanocytes/cytology/drug effects/physiology; Myoblasts, Skeletal; Longevity; Niacinamide/analogs & derivatives/metabolism; Pyridinium Compounds; Inbred C57BL; NAD/metabolism/pharmacology; Repressor Proteins/biosynthesis; Muscular Dystrophies; Myoblasts; Mice; 03 medical and health sciences; Neural Stem Cells; info:eu-repo/classification/ddc/616; Longevity/drug effects/physiology; Prohibitins; Unfolded Protein Response/drug effects; Animals; Mitochondria/drug effects/physiology; Cellular Senescence; ddc:616; 2. Zero hunger; Animal; Inbred mdx; Cellular Reprogramming; NAD; Neural Stem Cells/cytology/drug effects/physiology; Mitochondria; 3. Good health; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Repressor Proteins; Disease Models, Animal; Oxidative Stress; Skeletal/cytology/drug effects/physiology; Cellular Senescence/drug effects/physiology; Disease Models; Mice, Inbred mdx; Unfolded Protein Response; Melanocytes; Muscular Dystrophies/therapy

A dietary supplement protects aging muscle

The oxidized form of cellular nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD + ) is critical for mitochondrial function, and its supplementation can lead to increased longevity. Zhang et al. found that feeding the NAD + precursor nicotinamide riboside (NR) to aging mice protected them from muscle degeneration (see the Perspective by Guarente). NR treatment enhanced muscle function and also protected mice from the loss of muscle stem cells. The treatment was similarly protective of neural and melanocyte stem cells, which may have contributed to the extended life span of the NR-treated animals.

Science , this issue p. 1436 ; see also p. 1396