Mice with reduced body core temperature have increased life span

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Science 3 November 2006:

Vol. 314. no. 5800, pp. 825 - 828

DOI: 10.1126/science.1132191

Transgenic Mice with a Reduced Core Body Temperature Have an Increased

Life Span

Reduction of core body temperature has been proposed to contribute to

the increased life span and the antiaging effects conferred by calorie

restriction (CR). Validation of this hypothesis has been difficult in

homeotherms, primarily due to a lack of experimental models. We report

that transgenic mice engineered to overexpress the uncoupling protein

2 in hypocretin neurons (Hcrt-UCP2) have elevated hypothalamic

temperature. The effects of local temperature elevation on the central

thermostat resulted in a 0.3° to 0.5°C reduction of the core body

temperature. Fed ad libitum, Hcrt-UCP2 transgenic mice had the same

caloric intake as their wild-type littermates but had increased energy

efficiency and a greater median life span (12% increase in males; 20%

increase in females). Thus, modest, sustained reduction of core body

temperature prolonged life span independent of altered diet or CR.

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