Does renal ageing affect survival?
The effects of ageing on progressive deterioration of renal function, both in human and experimental animals, are described elsewhere, but the effect of renal damage on overall survival and longevity is not yet clearly established. The wild-type animals of various genetic backgrounds, fed with regular diet, overtime develop severe age-associated nephropathy, that include but not limited to inflammatory cell infiltration, glomerulosclerosis, and tubulointerstitial fibrosis. Such renal damage significantly reduces their survival. Reducing renal damage, either by caloric restriction or by suppressing growth hormone (GH)/insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) activity could significantly enhance the longevity of these animals. Available survival studies using experimental animals clearly suggest that kidney pathology is one of the important non-neoplastic lesions that could affect overall survival, and that restoration of renal function by preventing kidney damage could significantly extend longevity. Careful long-term studies are needed to determine the human relevance of these experimental studies.
Department of Developmental Biology, Harvard School of Dental Medicine, 190 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA. mrazzaque@hms.harvard.edu
M Shawkat
MS
Razzaque
D000375:Aging / Q000473:pathology / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D005508:Food Deprivation / Q000502:physiology; D017127:Glycation End Products, Advanced / Q000378:metabolism; D013006:Growth Hormone / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism; D007668:Kidney / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology*; D007674:Kidney Diseases / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D007684:Kidney Tubules / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D008136:Longevity / Q000502:physiology*; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000502:physiology
D017127:Glycation End Products, Advanced; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I; D013006:Growth Hormone