Deconstructing adipocyte heterogeneity and its impact on calorie restriction mediated anti-aging benefits
Limiting daily calorie intake is a well-established anti-aging intervention. One of the organs significantly affected by calorie restriction (CR) is fat tissue. Not only does CR reduce fat mass but it also changes how it functions. CR reprograms fat tissue metabolism to increase lipid breakdown and usage as an adaptive strategy to support whole-body metabolic needs during energy deficiency. These adaptive changes in fat metabolism likely contribute to the anti-aging benefits of CR. Understanding the mechanisms through which CR reprograms fat tissue metabolism and phenotype will inform strategies for healthy aging. Specifically, Dr. Balusubramanian plans to investigate if the breakdown of stored lipids in the fat tissue is a key initial step required for the metabolic benefits of CR. Further, she will investigate how the products of lipid breakdown (free fatty acids) regulate functionally different subpopulations of white fat cells in CR.
