title: Dietary restriction in rhesus monkeys: lymphopenia and reduced mitogen-induced proliferation in peripheral blood mononuclear cells.
abstract: Dietary restriction (DR) markedly extends mean and maximal life span, and retards the rate of biological aging in rodent models; however, it is unknown if these results occur in primate species. The purpose of the current study was to investigate selected immunologic outcomes in Rhesus monkeys subjected to DR for a period of seven years. Similar to observations in mice on DR, lymphopenia occurred in the restricted monkeys. Compared to normally fed controls, the mitogen-induced proliferative responses of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) were reduced in monkeys subjected to DR very early in life (up to 1 year), but not in others restricted in young adulthood (3-5 years). These data indicate that lymphopenia is a shared occurrence in rodents and primates on DR. However, the mitogen-induced proliferative data accumulated in rodents and primates cannot now be compared because PBMC have not been studied long enough or in comparable detail in primates fed restricted diets.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, VA GRECC, University of Wisconsin, Madison, USA.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Weindruch
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Lane
authors.forename: D K
authors.initials: DK
authors.lastname: Ingram
authors.forename: W B
authors.initials: WB
authors.lastname: Ershler
authors.forename: G S
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Roth
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging / Q000276:immunology*; D000818:Animals; D002149:Energy Intake; D005508:Food Deprivation / Q000502:physiology*; D007108:Immune Tolerance; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000276:immunology*; D008136:Longevity / Q000276:immunology; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008231:Lymphopenia / Q000209:etiology* / Q000276:immunology; D008253:Macaca mulatta / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008934:Mitogens / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D008934:Mitogens