Title: The role of SIRT1 in preventing mitochondrial dysfunction with obesity and aging
Description: Mitochondrial function declines with aging and obesity, and has been implicated in the development of many age-related diseases. Caloric restriction (CR) prevents aging and has been shown to induce mitochondrial biogenesis and improve mitochondrial function. These effects may involve increased activity of the NAD+-dependent deacetylase SIRT1. Indeed, overexpression of SIRT1 reproduces many of the health benefits of CR including induction of mitochondrial biogenesis by deacetylation and activation of the transcriptional co-activator PGC-1&#945;. Because mitochondria regulate cellular functions important for aging, including, cellular energy production, ROS generation, and apoptosis, determining why mitochondrial function declines with age will improve our understanding of the underlying forces that drive organismal aging.