AGE-RELATED MITOCHONDRIAL-DNA DELETIONS - EFFECT OF DIETARY RESTRICTION

Results from quantitative PCR analysis of the frequency of deleted mit ochondrial genomes in male Fischer 344 rats reveal an age-related rise in this molecular abnormality. We used this model to examine the abil ity of dietary restriction (DR) to prevent this potentially pathogenic change. DR prevented age-related increase in frequency of mitochondri al deletions in the liver. In contrast, however, DR had no effect on t he age-related increase in deletion frequency in the brain. These data suggest that the effects of DR on age-related accumulation of mitocho ndrial DNA deletions may be tissue specific. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Inc.