Age is the most important risk factor for human disease, as people age they become more susceptible to disease. Vascular aging is one of the most important parts of aging; with age vessels supplying different organs are more subject to aging and damage, this study was focused on vascular aging, what changes happen and how to prevent vascular aging exploring links between caloric restriction and delaying aging.
β-Hydroxybutyrate a small molecule produced during fasting or caloric restriction conditions which is a type of ketone body produced by the liver from fatty acids was identified to have vascular anti-aging ability. Delaying vascular aging providing a chemical link between caloric restriction, fasting, and the anti-aging effect through endothelial cells lining the interior surface of blood vessels and lymphatic vessels preventing senescence.
Senescent cells lose ability to multiple and divide, β-Hydroxybutyrate promotes cell division and prevents these cells from becoming old. As the molecule was produced during caloric restriction or fasting when people overeat or become obese the molecule may be suppressed which can accelerate aging. When β-Hydroxybutyrate binds to certain RNA binding proteins it increases activity of stem cell factor Octamer binding transcriptional factor in vascular smooth muscle and endothelial cells in mice, increasing important factors against DNA damage inducing senescence which helps to keep blood vessels young.
Octamer binding transcriptional stem cell factor may be target to help slow down and/or prevent aging. Should vascular systems becomes younger it would be less likely to develop cardiovascular disease, cancer, and Alzheimer’s disease, and other age related diseases.
