Effect of calorie restriction and refeeding on skin wound healing in the rat

Age (Dordr). 2012 Dec;34(6):1453-8. doi: 10.1007/s11357-011-9321-6. Epub 2011 Oct 27.

Abstract

Calorie restriction (CR) is a reliable anti-aging intervention that attenuates the onset of a number of age-related diseases, reduces oxidative damage, and maintains function during aging. In the current study, we assessed the effects of CR and other feeding regimens on wound healing in 7-month-old Fischer-344 rats from a larger cohort of rats that had been fed either ad libitum (AL) or 40% calorie restricted based on AL consumption. Rats were assigned to one of three diet groups that received three skin punch wounds along the dorsal interscapular region (12-mm diameter near the front limbs) of the back as follows: (1) CR (n = 8) were wounded and maintained on CR until they healed, (2) AL (n = 5) were wounded and maintained on AL until wound closure was completed, and (3) CR rats were refed (RF, n = 9) AL for 48 h prior to wounding and maintained on AL until they healed. We observed that young rats on CR healed more slowly while CR rats refed for 48 h prior to wounding healed as fast as AL fed rats, similar to a study reported in aged CR and RF mice (Reed et al. 1996). Our data suggest that CR subjects, regardless of age, fail to heal well and that provision of increased nutrition to CR subjects prior to wounding enhances the healing process.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Intramural

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Energy Intake / genetics
  • Energy Intake / physiology*
  • Energy Metabolism / genetics
  • Energy Metabolism / physiology
  • Extracellular Matrix / genetics
  • Extracellular Matrix / physiology
  • Food Deprivation / physiology*
  • Ion Channels / genetics
  • Ion Channels / physiology
  • Male
  • Mitochondrial Proteins / genetics
  • Mitochondrial Proteins / physiology
  • Oxidative Stress / genetics
  • Oxidative Stress / physiology
  • Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor Gamma Coactivator 1-alpha
  • RNA-Binding Proteins / genetics
  • RNA-Binding Proteins / physiology
  • Rats
  • Rats, Inbred F344
  • Sirtuin 1 / genetics
  • Sirtuin 1 / physiology
  • Skin / injuries*
  • Trans-Activators / genetics
  • Transcription Factors / genetics
  • Transcription Factors / physiology
  • Uncoupling Protein 1
  • Wound Healing / genetics
  • Wound Healing / physiology*

Substances

  • Ion Channels
  • Mitochondrial Proteins
  • Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor Gamma Coactivator 1-alpha
  • Ppargc1a protein, rat
  • RNA-Binding Proteins
  • Trans-Activators
  • Transcription Factors
  • Uncoupling Protein 1
  • Sirt1 protein, rat
  • Sirtuin 1