Long-Lived Ames Dwarf Mice Are Resistant to Chemical Stressors

• Published in: The journals of gerontology. Series A, Biological sciences and medical sciences Vol. 64A; no. 8; pp. 819 - 827
• Main Authors: Bokov, Alex F., Lindsey, Merry L., Khodr, Christina, Sabia, Marian R., Richardson, Arlan
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Oxford University Press 01-08-2009
• Subjects: Age; Aging; Aging - metabolism; Alanine Transaminase - blood; Ames dwarf mice; Animal cognition; Animals; Apoptosis; Cameras; Cell cycle; Diet; Diquat; Diquat - toxicity; Dwarfism - physiopathology; Exercise Test; Experiments; Female; Growth hormones; Journal of Gerontology: Biological Sciences; Lipid Peroxidation; Liver; Liver - drug effects; Longevity; Male; Mice; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Oxidative Stress; Paraquat; Paraquat - toxicity; Pituitary gland; Radiation; Reactive oxygen species; Rodents; Studies; Tissues; Veterans; Paraquat; Reactive oxygen species; Diquat; Ames dwarf mice; Liver
• ISSN: 1079-5006; 1758-535X
• DOI: 10.1093/gerona/glp052

To probe the connection between longevity and stress resistance, we compared the sensitivity of Ames long-lived dwarf mice and control littermates with paraquat, diquat, and dobutamine. In young adult animals, 95% of male and 39% of female controls died after paraquat administration, but no dwarf animals died. When the experiment was repeated at an older age or a higher dosage of paraquat, dwarf mice still showed greater resistance. Dwarf mice also were more resistant to diquat; 80% of male and 60% of female controls died compared with 40% and 20% of dwarf mice, despite greater sensitivity of dwarf liver to diquat. Dwarf mice were also less sensitive to dobutamine-induced cardiac stress and had lower levels of liver and lung F2-isoprostanes. This is the first direct in vivo evidence that long-lived Ames dwarf mice have enhanced resistance to chemical insult, particularly oxidative stressors.