Aging is a complex biological process, involving all tissues of the body and their interactions through metabolism and genetic biology. It has been known for some time that reducing caloric intake can promote extension of median and maximal lifespan across a broad range of eukaryotic organisms from yeast, through insects, worms, rodents and nonhuman primates. There have been numerous controlled and uncontrolled studies of the effects of caloric restriction on surrogate biomarkers of aging lasting up to six months, but the effects of longer term calorie restriction notably have been absent until the inception of the CALERIE study. The CALERIE study was designed to assess the effects of two years of sustained and significant caloric restriction without enforced changes of dietary composition in human subjects in a randomized controlled trial. The duration of the intervention and the randomized nature of the treatment assignment had never previously been attempted in a human study. These factors, combined with the substantial size of the study, the careful attention to detail in the physiologic assessments, careful collection of extensive clinical data, and the extensive biorepository of samples collected from study participants, make the biorepository an invaluable resource for the investigation of the systematic molecular biological effects of medium term caloric restriction in human subjects. With this award, we will support the following projects for five years: maintenance of the data repository at Duke University, maintenance of the biorepository at the University of Vermont, the ability to link clinical data wih biological samples, and the committee of CALERIE investigators who steward use of the samples. This repository will provide access to collected data and samples to present and future investigators investigating caloric restriction in humans. In addition, we will conduct preliminary systems biological investigations of the effects of caloric restriction using the biorepository samples.
The Specific Aims are: 1) Maintenance of the CALERIE Data Repository and Biological Sample Repository; 2) Stewardship of applications for use of the CALERIE Sample Repository; 3) Address secondary questions regarding the biology of calorie restriction in humans. of current CALERIE data; 4) Curation of the CALERIE Database with molecular studies to promote a systems biology approach to the understanding of calorie restriction in humans. At the end of this funding period we will have available a rich biological and clinical data repository available to the scientific community for the investigation of innumerable hypotheses about the role of calorie restriction on the human aging biology.

Public Health Relevance

The CALERIE study was designed to assess the effects of two years of sustained and significant caloric restriction without enforced changes in dietary composition in human subjects in the setting of a randomized controlled trial. Both the duration of the intervention and the randomized nature of the treatment assignment had never previously been attempted in a human study. These factors, combined with the substantial size of the study, the careful attention to detail in the physiologic assessments, careful collection of extensive clinical data, and the extensive biorepository of samples collected from study participants, make the biorepository an invaluable resource for the investigation of the systematic molecular biological effects of medium term caloric restriction in human subjects. With this award, we will support the following projects for five years: maintenance of the data repository at Duke University, maintenance of the biorepository at the University of Vermont, the ability to link clinical data with biological samples, and the committee of CALERIE investigators who steward use of the samples. This repository will provide access to collected data and samples to present and future investigators investigating caloric restriction in humans. In addition, we will conduct preliminary systems biological investigations of the effects of caloric restriction using the biorepository samples.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute on Aging (NIA)
Type
Resource-Related Research Projects--Cooperative Agreements (U24)
Project #
1U24AG047121-01A1
Application #
8845991
Study Section
Special Emphasis Panel (ZAG1-ZIJ-9 (A3))
Program Officer
Dutta, Chhanda
Project Start
2015-07-15
Project End
2019-05-30
Budget Start
2015-07-15
Budget End
2016-05-30
Support Year
1
Fiscal Year
2015
Total Cost
$803,334
Indirect Cost
$289,148
Name
Duke University
Department
Internal Medicine/Medicine
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
044387793
City
Durham
State
NC
Country
United States
Zip Code
27705
Das, Sai Krupa; Roberts, Susan B; Bhapkar, Manjushri V et al. (2017) Body-composition changes in the Comprehensive Assessment of Long-term Effects of Reducing Intake of Energy (CALERIE)-2 study: a 2-y randomized controlled trial of calorie restriction in nonobese humans. Am J Clin Nutr 105:913-927
Racette, Susan B; Rochon, James; Uhrich, Mary L et al. (2017) Effects of Two Years of Calorie Restriction on Aerobic Capacity and Muscle Strength. Med Sci Sports Exerc 49:2240-2249
Villareal, Dennis T; Fontana, Luigi; Das, Sai Krupa et al. (2016) Effect of Two-Year Caloric Restriction on Bone Metabolism and Bone Mineral Density in Non-Obese Younger Adults: A Randomized Clinical Trial. J Bone Miner Res 31:40-51
Romashkan, Sergei V; Das, Sai Krupa; Villareal, Dennis T et al. (2016) Safety of two-year caloric restriction in non-obese healthy individuals. Oncotarget 7:19124-33
Fontana, Luigi; Villareal, Dennis T; Das, Sai K et al. (2016) Effects of 2-year calorie restriction on circulating levels of IGF-1, IGF-binding proteins and cortisol in nonobese men and women: a randomized clinical trial. Aging Cell 15:22-7
Ravussin, Eric; Redman, Leanne M; Rochon, James et al. (2015) A 2-Year Randomized Controlled Trial of Human Caloric Restriction: Feasibility and Effects on Predictors of Health Span and Longevity. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci 70:1097-104