Source Paper
Frauke Neff, Diana Flores-Dominguez, Devon P. Ryan, Marion Horsch, Susanne Schröder et al.
Journal of Clinical Investigation • 2013
Aging is a major risk factor for a large number of disorders and functional impairments. Therapeutic targeting of the aging process may therefore represent an innovative strategy in the quest for novel and broadly effective treatments against age-related diseases. The recent report of lifespan extension in mice treated with the FDA-approved mTOR inhibitor rapamycin represented the first demonstration of pharmacological extension of maximal lifespan in mammals. Longevity effects of rapamycin may, however, be due to rapamycin's effects on specific life-limiting pathologies, such as cancers, and it remains unclear if this compound actually slows the rate of aging in mammals. Here, we present results from a comprehensive, large-scale assessment of a wide range of structural and functional aging phenotypes, which we performed to determine whether rapamycin slows the rate of aging in male C57BL/6J mice. While rapamycin did extend lifespan, it ameliorated few studied aging phenotypes. A subset of aging traits appeared to be rescued by rapamycin. Rapamycin, however, had similar effects on many of these traits in young animals, indicating that these effects were not due to a modulation of aging, but rather related to aging-independent drug effects. Therefore, our data largely dissociate rapamycin's longevity effects from effects on aging itself.
Objective: Comprehensive evaluation of structural and functional aging phenotypes across multiple physiological systems to determine whether rapamycin slows the rate of aging in mice
This is a Aging Phenotype Assessment protocol using mouse as the model organism. The procedure involves 4 procedural steps. Extracted from a 2013 paper published in Journal of Clinical Investigation.
Model and subjects
mouse • C57BL/6J • male • Not specified in provided text • Not specified in provided text
Study window
Estimated timing pending
Core workflow
Study Design Setup • Treatment Administration • Phenotype Assessment
Primary readouts
Key equipment and reagents
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Comprehensive, large-scale assessment of a wide range of structural and functional aging phenotypes was performed on male C57BL/6J mice
Note: Study included both young and aged animals to determine if rapamycin effects were aging-dependent or aging-independent
“comprehensive, large-scale assessment of a wide range of structural and functional aging phenotypes, which we performed to determine whether rapamycin slows the rate of aging in male C57BL/6J mice”
Rapamycin (FDA-approved mTOR inhibitor) was administered to mice as part of the intervention
Note: Rapamycin is an mTOR inhibitor that was previously reported to extend lifespan in mammals
“The recent report of lifespan extension in mice treated with the FDA-approved mTOR inhibitor rapamycin represented the first demonstration of pharmacological extension of maximal lifespan in mammals”
Multiple aging phenotypes were evaluated across structural and functional domains
Note: Assessment included evaluation of aging traits to determine if rapamycin ameliorated aging phenotypes
“While rapamycin did extend lifespan, it ameliorated few studied aging phenotypes. A subset of aging traits appeared to be rescued by rapamycin”
Comparison of rapamycin effects in young versus aged animals to distinguish aging-dependent from aging-independent drug effects
Note: Rapamycin had similar effects on many traits in young animals, indicating effects were not due to modulation of aging but rather aging-independent drug effects
“Rapamycin, however, had similar effects on many of these traits in young animals, indicating that these effects were not due to a modulation of aging, but rather related to aging-independent drug effects”
This section explains what the experiment is doing, which readouts matter, what the data artifacts usually look like, and how the analysis should flow from raw capture to reported result.
Comprehensive evaluation of structural and functional aging phenotypes across multiple physiological systems to determine whether rapamycin slows the rate of aging in mice
Objective
Comprehensive evaluation of structural and functional aging phenotypes across multiple physiological systems to determine whether rapamycin slows the rate of aging in mice
Subjects
From papermouse • C57BL/6J • male • Not specified in provided text • Not specified in provided text
Cohort notes
From paperStudy included young and aged animals to assess aging-independent drug effects
Study Design Setup (Not specified)
Treatment Administration (Not specified)
Phenotype Assessment (Not specified)
Age-Dependent Effect Analysis (Not specified)
Lifespan extension
From paperNot specified in provided text
Artifact type
Endpoint measurements summarized by group or timepoint
Comparison focus
Compare endpoint magnitude between groups, timepoints, or both
Structural aging phenotypes
From paperNot specified in provided text
Artifact type
Endpoint measurements summarized by group or timepoint
Comparison focus
Compare endpoint magnitude between groups, timepoints, or both
Functional aging phenotypes
From paperNot specified in provided text
Artifact type
Endpoint measurements summarized by group or timepoint
Comparison focus
Compare endpoint magnitude between groups, timepoints, or both
Age-related pathologies including cancers
From paperNot specified in provided text
Artifact type
Endpoint measurements summarized by group or timepoint
Comparison focus
Compare endpoint magnitude between groups, timepoints, or both
Lifespan extension
From paperRaw artifact
Per-sample or per-animal endpoint measurements collected during the experiment
Processed artifact
Structured table with cleaned measurements ready for comparison
Final reported form
Summary statistics and between-group or across-timepoint comparisons
Structural aging phenotypes
From paperRaw artifact
Per-sample or per-animal endpoint measurements collected during the experiment
Processed artifact
Structured table with cleaned measurements ready for comparison
Final reported form
Summary statistics and between-group or across-timepoint comparisons
Functional aging phenotypes
From paperRaw artifact
Per-sample or per-animal endpoint measurements collected during the experiment
Processed artifact
Structured table with cleaned measurements ready for comparison
Final reported form
Summary statistics and between-group or across-timepoint comparisons
Age-related pathologies including cancers
From paperRaw artifact
Per-sample or per-animal endpoint measurements collected during the experiment
Processed artifact
Structured table with cleaned measurements ready for comparison
Final reported form
Summary statistics and between-group or across-timepoint comparisons
Acquisition
Collect raw experimental outputs with enough metadata to preserve sample identity, condition, and timing.
Preprocessing / cleaning
Not specified in provided text
Scoring or quantification
Quantify the primary readouts for this experiment: Lifespan extension; Structural aging phenotypes; Functional aging phenotypes; Age-related pathologies including cancers.
Statistical comparison
Statistical method not yet structured for this page.
Reporting output
Report representative outputs alongside summary comparisons for Lifespan extension, Structural aging phenotypes, Functional aging phenotypes, Age-related pathologies including cancers.
Source links and direct wording from the methods section for validation and deeper review.
Citation
Frauke Neff et al. (2013). Rapamycin extends murine lifespan but has limited effects on aging. Journal of Clinical Investigation
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