Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
---|---|---|---|---|
9881215 | Mechanisms of Ageing and Development | 2005 | 10 Pages |
Abstract
Mice carrying a loss-of-function mutation in the klotho gene (KLâ/â mice) develop ageing-like symptoms around 4 weeks after birth and suffer from multiple age-related disorders observed in humans, including osteoporosis, arteriosclerosis, and pulmonary emphysema. The klotho gene encodes a single-pass transmembrane protein that may function in signaling pathways that suppress ageing. To investigate the ability of Klotho to regulate the development of ageing-related disorders, we established an inducible Klotho expression system using KLâ/â mice carrying an exogenous klotho gene fused to the mouse metallothionein-I promoter, in which Klotho expression was dependent on zinc water feeding. We demonstrate that many advanced ageing-like KLâ/â phenotypes were restored to normal whenever Klotho expression was induced. Conversely, decreasing Klotho expression in these rescued KLâ/â mice induced several ageing-like KLâ/â phenotypes. Our data indicate that Klotho may be effective in the treatment of multiple age-related disorders and is essential for maintaining animals free of these disorders.
Keywords
Related Topics
Life Sciences
Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology
Ageing
Authors
Hiroaki Masuda, Hirotaka Chikuda, Tatsuo Suga, Hiroshi Kawaguchi, Makoto Kuro-o,