Testing Direct Effects of Reproduction on Stress and Mortality via Ovariectomy

描述（由申请人提供）：本项目将研究如何摄取营养分配，细胞维持后，两个实验治疗，延长寿命的蚱蜢。减少饮食摄入或减少生殖输出的实验操作是延长简单动物寿命的两种最常见的方法。主要假设（即，一次性索马假说）认为，减少饮食摄入量和减少生殖输出量都可以通过将摄入的营养分配从生殖转移到维持身体来延长寿命。这导致改善身体的细胞维持，从而延长寿命。尽管这种营养分配假说很流行，但它只经过一次严格的测试;该测试缺乏对细胞维持水平的测量。严格跟踪蝗虫摄入的营养物质减少繁殖（目标#1）或减少饮食（目标#2），并同时测量细胞的维护。营养素将通过喂食具有独特的非放射性同位素特征的蚱蜢饮食来跟踪;如果喂食后在身体组织中看到这些特征，则证明这些摄入的营养素已被纳入体内。将通过量化体细胞中抗氧化酶的活性来测量细胞维持。这些酶可以清除导致细胞磨损的分子。一次性索马假说预测，减少生殖或减少饮食将增加寿命，增加摄入的营养物质在身体中的分配（以生殖为代价），并增加身体相同部位的抗氧化活性。 公共卫生相关性：了解饮食限制或减少繁殖延长简单动物寿命的内部机制可能会导致其他治疗方法的发展，以延长人类的健康岁月。减缓衰老过程本身可以延缓我们社会中主要杀手的发病（例如，心脏病，癌症），并增加人们的健康年数。最后但并非最不重要的是，这笔赠款将对北佛罗里达大学的生物学研究环境产生深远的影响，增加学生在生物医学科学研究的机会的质量和数量。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This project will examine how ingested nutrients are allocated, and cells are maintained, upon two experimental treatments that extend lifespan in grasshoppers. The experimental manipulations of reducing dietary intake or reducing reproductive output are two of the most common means of extending lifespan in simple animals. The predominant hypothesis (viz., the disposable soma hypothesis) suggests that both reducing dietary intake and reducing reproductive output extend lifespan by shifting allotment of ingested nutrients from reproduction to maintaining the body. This results in improved cellular maintenance of the body and thereby longer life. Despite the prevalence of this nutrient allocation hypothesis, it has been rigorously tested only once; that test lacked a measure of the level of cellular maintenance. Rigorous tracking of ingested nutrients in grasshoppers with reduced reproduction (Aim #1) or reduced diet (Aim #2), and simultaneously measurement of cellular maintenance are proposed. Nutrients will be tracked by feeding grasshoppers diets that have distinct non-radioactive isotopic signatures; if these signatures are seen in body tissues after feeding, it is evidence that these ingested nutrients have been incorporated into the body. Cellular maintenance will be measured by quantifying the activity of anti-oxidant enzymes in body cells. These enzymes remove molecules that cause wear-and-tear damage in cells. The disposable soma hypothesis predicts that either reduced reproduction or reduced diet will increase lifespan, increase allocation of ingested nutrients to the body (at the expense of reproduction), and increase anti-oxidant activity in those same parts of the body. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: Understanding the internal mechanisms by which dietary restriction or reduced reproduction extend lifespan in simple animals may lead to development of other treatments to extend the healthy years of people. Slowing the aging process itself could delay the onset of the major killers in our society (e.g., heart disease, cancer) and increase the number of healthy years for people. Last but not least, this grant will have a profound effect on the research environment in biology at the University of North Florida, by increasing the quality and quantity of opportunites for student research in biomedical science.