Influence of caloric restriction on aging immune system.

Nutrition has been shown to have a significant impact on aging. Caloric Restriction (CR), i.e., undernutrition not malnutrition, significantly increases the survival of laboratory animals by retarding/delaying the aging process. CR has beneficial effects on various physiological systems, including the immune system. Overall, the immunological status of rodents fed a restricted diet is superior to the immunological status of the non-restricted animals. It is believed that CR might retard aging and immunosenescence through a mechanism involving changes in signal transduction and gene expression. Recent studies from our laboratory support the view that the mechanism of CR involves changes in the activation of the upstream signaling molecules and cytokine gene expression that are altered with age.