Changes in protein turnover and growth of the rat lung in response to ageing and long-term dietary restriction.

The wet weight, protein, RNA and DNA contents of the lung were studied during normal ageing and chronic dietary restriction. The rate of normal lung growth gradually decreased between weaning and old age (105 weeks). However, unlike many other body tissues, there was little or no post-natal decline in the fractional rates of protein synthesis and breakdown. Dietary intervention severely retarded lung growth, particularly at the earliest stage (i.e. 4 weeks), studied. Here the suppression of protein synthesis was due to the combined effects of piece-meal feeding and the long-term effects of the reduced food supply.