Researchers at Tokyo Metropolitan University in Japan have bred fruit flies with a gene that makes it easier for the body to absorb glucose. In insects, life expectancy increased, and age-related deterioration of motor functions was compensated. At the same time, the effect was more pronounced in combination with dietary restrictions, which indicates the benefits of a healthy diet in prolonging youth. This is reported in an article published in the journal iScience, and the study is summarized in a press release on Phys.org.
As we age, brain cells decrease the production of the ATP molecule, which is the source of energy for most metabolic processes in the body, including glucose uptake. In this case, the brain consumes 25 percent of the glucose entering the body. Decreased glucose absorption can be compensated for by eating more food, but a healthy diet is known to increase life expectancy.
In a new study, Japanese scientists have resolved the apparent contradiction by showing that it is not so much the amount of glucose that enters the brain that matters, but how effectively it is used once it enters the cells. The researchers genetically modified the aging model fruit flies to make more hGut3 protein. This was enough to increase the amount of ATP in cells.
Although the anti-aging benefits of calorie restriction have been demonstrated in many animal species, scientists have combined this with improved glucose uptake to take advantage of the benefits for longer life in the model organism.
