title: The increase in the induction of IL-2 expression with caloric restriction is correlated to changes in the transcription factor NFAT.
abstract: The objective of this study was to determine if the increase in the induction of interleukin-2 (IL-2) expression with caloric restriction correlates with changes in binding activity of the IL-2-specific transcription factor NFAT (nuclear factor of activated T cells) and/or the ubiquitous transcription factor AP-1 in T cells from male Fischer 344 rats. Splenic T cells were isolated from young (6-month) and old (24-month) rats fed ad libitum and from old (24-month) rats fed a restricted diet (40% caloric restriction) that began at 6 weeks of age. T cells were stimulated with concanavalin A (Con A) and the expression of IL-2 and the DNA binding activity of the transcription factors NFAT and AP-1 were measured in these cells. We found that the induction of IL-2 activity and mRNA levels decreased with age and that caloric restriction significantly (P < 0.05) reduced the age-related decline in IL-2 expression. The ability of nuclear extracts from T cells isolated from old rats fed ad libitum and restricted old rats to bind to the NFAT oligonucleotide or AP-1 oligonucleotide decreased with age. Caloric restriction significantly (P < 0.05) reduced the age-related decline in NFAT but had no significant effect on AP-1 binding activity. We also measured the induction of c-fos and c-jun expression by Con A in T cells from young and old rats fed ad libitum or caloric-restricted diet. The induction of c-fos protein and mRNA levels but not c-jun protein or mRNA levels decreased significantly with age. Caloric restriction significantly (P < 0.05) reduced the age-related decline in c-fos expression but had no significant effect on c-jun expression. Therefore, the increase in IL-2 expression with caloric restriction correlates with an increase in binding activity of transcription factor NFAT and an increase in the expression of c-fos, which is a component of the NFAT-protein complex.
authors.affiliation: Geriatric Research, Education, and Clinical Center, South Texas Veterans Health Care System, USA.
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Pahlavani
authors.forename: M D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Harris
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Richardson
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging / Q000276:immunology*; D000818:Animals; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D004035:Diet Therapy; D002149:Energy Intake / Q000276:immunology*; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D008297:Male; D050778:NFATC Transcription Factors; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D011485:Protein Binding; D016760:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fos / Q000096:biosynthesis; D016755:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-jun / Q000096:biosynthesis; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D051381:Rats; D011916:Rats, Inbred F344; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D018808:Transcription Factor AP-1 / Q000378:metabolism; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D007376:Interleukin-2; D050778:NFATC Transcription Factors; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D016760:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fos; D016755:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-jun; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D018808:Transcription Factor AP-1; D014157:Transcription Factors