C57BL/6J Mice Longevity Database (updated)

Doug Skrecky (oberon@vcn.bc.ca)
Thu, 12 Feb 1998 17:04:52 -0800 (PST)


C57BL/6J MICE LONGEVITY DATABASE
(Updated by Doug Skrecky February 11, 1998)

The following database lists the effect of various treatments on
average life span of C57 black jax 6 (C57BL/6J) mice. The percent change
in average life span is listed under the %CHANGE columns, relative to
either the CONTROL group used in an individual experiment, or relative to
the Longest Lived Control (LLC) group of all the experiments listed in
this database. The LLC group was one of the control groups from reference
20, which lived an average of 34.3 months. The START column shows the age
when treatment was begun. A ~ symbol means that a number was estimated.
For animals that were calorically restricted, the amount of rat chow
below ab libitum they were allowed to consume is indicated by the number
before the word "chow". Thus -49% chow indicates that the animals were fed
49% less chow, than they would normally consume. Some experiments which
restricted calories by feeding animals only every other day did not
clearly indicate the extent of the reduction. This is indicated by "EOD"
chow. An interesting variant on caloric restriction is to be found in
reference 19. Here the animals were allowed to eat ad libitum of a chow
that was diluted by cellulose. Strictly speaking they were not
"restricted", since the caloric intake was reduced voluntarily.
Some caloric restriction experiments fortified their chows so that
restricted animals did not consume less protein, vitamins, and minerals
than those fed ab libitum. This is indicated by the shorthand PR+, VIT+,
and MIN+. Thus -49% chow PR+ VIT+ MIN+ means that 49% less chow (and
calories) was consumed, but fortification with protein, vitamins, and
minerals eliminated any potential confounding effects of multiple
variations in the intake of these nutrients.

%CHANGE
REF TREATMENT START CONTROL LLC
7 acetaminophen 242 mg/l 9.4+ 2 -33
24 aluminum 10 mM 20.1+ -7 -17
29 antioxidents(beta carotene, 2+ 16 -24
ascorbic acid, alpha tocopherol, 9+ 13 -27
rutin, selenium, zinc) 16+ 4 -27
23+ 2 -22
1 ascorbic acid 1% drinking water 1.2+ 9 -9
7 aspirin 495 mg/l 8.1+ 0 -34
7 242 8.1+ -10 -41
7 113 8.1+-9.3+ 3 -32
4 beta carotene 0.5% 1+ 5 -13
4 0.5% 20.3+ -12 -22
25 brain damage 1+ 1 -18
6 butylated hydroxytoluene 0.5% 2.5+ 26 -18
6 0.2% 10+ 0 -12
7 chloropromazine 16.7 mg/l 9.7+-10.7+ 0 -34
7 chloroquine 39.5 mg/l 10.4+-12.1+ 0 -34
7 13.2 mg/l 9.4+-10.4+ -8 -40
7 chlorpheniramine 2.28 mg/l 9.4+ -2 -34
7 0.762 mg/l 9.4+-10.4+ 0 -34
8 coffee (in place of drinking water) 7+ ~-8 ~-21
8 (in place of drinking water) 4+ ~-17 ~-42
5 copper gluconate 5 mM 1+ -14 -24
5 1 mM 1+ -12 -24
5 0.5 mM 1+ -15 -26
26 -66% chow PR+ VIT+ MIN+ (30 C temp) 1+ 4 -21
26 -54% chow PR+ VIT+ MIN+ 1+ 47 11
23 -49% chow PR+ VIT+ MIN+ 1+ 48 -2
15 -44% chow PR+ VIT+ MIN+ 12+ 20 -13
20 -43% chow VIT+ MIN+ 0+ 12 -16
20 -43% chow VIT+ MIN+ 0+ -9 -9
20 -43% chow VIT+ MIN+ 0+ 5 -3
20 -43% chow VIT+ MIN+ 0.7+ -7 -30
20 -43% chow VIT+ MIN+ 0.7+ -9 -9
20 -43% chow VIT+ MIN+ 0.8+ -11 -17
20 -43% chow VIT+ MIN+ 1+ -1 -38
21 -40% chow VIT+ 1+ 15 -8
21 -40% chow VIT+ 1+ 24 -2
16 -33% chow 1+ 5 -21
28 -26% chow 12+ 16 1
28 -26% chow + dehydroepiandrosterone 12+ 13 -2
18 -25% chow 1+ -33 -43
19 -12.5% chow (50% cellulose) 16+ 8 -21
19 -12.5% chow (50% cellulose) 16+ 11 -16
19 -7.7% chow (33% cellulose) 16+ 5 -23
19 -7.7% chow (33% cellulose) 16+ 4 -22
20 EOD chow (during weaning) 0-0.7 25 -6
20 EOD chow (during weaning) 0-0.7 9 9
(longest lived control (LLC) group here lived 34.3 months average)
17 EOD chow 1.5+ 27 -8
17 EOD chow 6+ 11 -15
17 EOD chow 10+ 0 -21
12 EOD chow 25+ 0 -17
30 cotton seed oil 25% ? 1 -41
28 dehydroepiandrosterone 0.05 mg/day 12+ 2 -11
7 dimethylaminoethyl 8.1+-9.3+ 4 -32
chlorophenoxyacetate
13 exercise 12-24 ~0 ~-13
13 exercise 24+ ~-5 ~-15
14 exposure to 10 C decreases
27 ginkgo biloba (EGb 761 50 mg/day) 15+ 0 ?
30 lard 25% ? -9 -47
11 melatonin (night time) 19+ 17 -15
6 2-mercaptoethylamine HCL 1% 10+ 0 -12
6 1% 10+ 0 -18
9 methionine 50 mM 1.4+ ~-17 ~-26
9 50 mM 19.4+ ~0 ~-27
2 pantothenic acid 0.3 mg/day 1+ 18 -36
0.3 mg/day 1+ 20 -37
11 pineal grafting 16+ ~24 ~-24
12 protein 4 to 24% 25+ ~0 ~-15
22 -85% PR 1+ ~19 ~-18
3 pyridoxine HCL 100 mg/kg/day 18+ 11 ?
10 thiazolidine-4-carboxylate 23+ ~9 ~-9
-magnesium 0.07%
12 vitamin level NRC 4X 1+ 19 -28
12 4X 12+ 0 -22
12 4X 17+ 2 -19
12 4X 20+ 0 -24
12 vitamin level NRC 0.5X 1+ -57 -74
12 0.5X 12+ -23 -41
12 0.5X 17+ -18 -34
12 0.5X 20+ 1 -23
31 x-rays 4+ decreases

SPECULATION:

An outstanding effort (reference 26) by a research group led by Akio
Koizumi has finally elucidated the primary mechanism for the life span
increases associated with caloric restriction in C57BL/6J mice. Unlike
humans who suffer greatly from the vissitudes associated with
cardiovascular disease, C57BL/6J mice die primarily of lymphoma cancer.
Also unlike humans, these mice readily experience torpor, especially when
calorically restricted. These reductions in body temperature can be
prevented by housing the mice at 30 C. Doing this virtually eliminates
both the anti-lymphoma effect of caloric restriction, and its associated
life span increases. Stated otherwise, it is body temperature that is the
key determinate of longevity in C57BL/6J mice. (Please note that in order
to equalize body weights the mice housed at 30 C had to have their food
ration slightly reduced: -66% versus -54%.)
The life span of the control groups varies widely, with the LLC group
living longer than virtually all of the calorically restricted groups. It
is apparent that calories are not the only factor influencing torpor. I
speculate that small reductions in housing temperature while the animals
are asleep may promote torpor, independantly of caloric intake.
It would be interesting to see the results of chemically blocking
cancer development in C57BL/6J mice, by adding powerful anticarcinogens
such as curcumin to mouse chow.

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Mechanisms of Ageing and Development 45: 145-156 1988
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Journal of Gerontology 37(2): 161-168 1982
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by a High Housing Temperature Through Deprivation of Torpor"
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27 "Effect of Long-Term Treatment With EGb 761 on Age-Dependent
Structural Changes in the Hippocampi of Three Inbred Mouse
Strains"
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28 "Effect of Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate on Life-Span of
Normally Fed and Calorically restricted C57BL/6 Mice"
The Gerontologist 37(1): 7 1997
29 "The Prolongation of Survival in Mice by Dietary Antioxidents
Depends on Their Age by the Start of Feeding This Diet"
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Vegetable Fat"
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Life Shortening"
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