A molecule produced during fasting or calorie restriction has anti-aging effects on the vascular system, according to a study published last week in Molecular Cell.
George State researchers identified β-Hydroxybutyrate, a small molecule that is produced during fasting or calorie restriction conditions. β –HB contains a ketone group and is produced by the liver from fatty acids during periods of low food intake, carbohydrate restrictive diets, starvation, and prolonged intense exercise.
"We found this compound, β-Hydroxybutyrate, can delay vascular aging," explained Ming-Hui Zou, senior author of the study and director of the Center for Molecular and Translational Medicine. "That's actually providing a chemical link between calorie restriction and fasting and the anti-aging effect. This compound can delay vascular aging through endothelial cells, which line the interior surface of blood vessels and lymphatic vessels. It can prevent one type of cell aging called senescence, or cellular aging."
The researchers also found that β-Hydroxybutyrate can promote cell division and prevent these cells from becoming old. Because this molecule is produced during calorie restriction or fasting, when people overeat or become obese this molecule is possibly suppressed, which would accelerate aging.
In addition, the researchers found when β-Hydroxybutyrate binds to a certain RNA-binding protein, this increases activity of a stem cell factor called Octamer-binding transcriptional factor (Oct4) in vascular smooth muscle and endothelial cells in mice. Oct4 increases a key factor against DNA damage-induced senescence, which can keep blood vessels young.
"We think this is a very important discovery, and we are working on finding a new chemical that can mimic the effect of this ketone body's function," Zou said. "We're trying to take the global approach to reducing cardiovascular disease and Alzheimer's disease. It's difficult to convince people not to eat for the next 24 hours to increase the concentration of this compound and not everybody can do that, but if we can find something that can mimic this effect and people can still eat, it would make life more enjoyable and help fight disease.