Biology of Reproduction, Vol 32, 515-522, Copyright © 1985 by Society for the Study of Reproduction

ARTICLES

Effect of dietary restriction on estrous cyclicity and follicular reserves in aging C57BL/6J mice

JF Nelson, RG Gosden and LS Felicio

Restricting the food intake of female mice by alternating days of feeding and fasting delayed the age-related loss of estrous cycling potential and retarded the rate of follicular depletion, as determined after reinstatement of ad libitum (AL) feeding. During the period of food restriction (FR; 3.5-10.5 mo), food intake and body weight were about 80% of AL values. Mice were acyclic and predominantly in a state of diestrus during FR, but after reinstatement of an AL diet at 10.5 mo all FR mice resumed cycling regularly. By contrast, 80% of AL controls had become acyclic by this age, and the cycles of the remaining mice were significantly longer than those of the reinstated FR mice. Follicular reserves of 12.5-mo-old FR mice were twice those of age- matched AL controls. Cycling performance of reinstated FR mice, measured by cycle length and the proportion of mice still cycling, was equivalent to that of AL mice when the latter were 2-5 mo younger. Ovarian age, measured by the size of the follicular reserve, was similarly retarded in FR mice. Based on these data and previous evidence that follicular depletion plays a major role in the cessation of cyclicity in this strain, we hypothesize that the delayed loss of estrous cyclicity in aging FR mice is mediated at least in part by the retarding effect of dietary restriction on the rate of follicular depletion.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				J. L. Tilly, Y. Niikura, and B. R. Rueda The Current Status of Evidence for and Against Postnatal Oogenesis in Mammals: A Case of Ovarian Optimism Versus Pessimism? Biol Reprod, January 1, 2009; 80(1): 2 - 12. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				G. B John, L. J Shirley, T. D Gallardo, and D. H Castrillon Specificity of the requirement for Foxo3 in primordial follicle activation Reproduction, May 1, 2007; 133(5): 855 - 863. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. M. Wu, M. B. Zelinski, D. K. Ingram, and M. A. Ottinger Ovarian Aging and Menopause: Current Theories, Hypotheses, and Research Models Experimental Biology and Medicine, December 1, 2005; 230(11): 818 - 828. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				N. J. Place, C. R. Tuthill, E. E. Schoomer, A. D. Tramontin, and I. Zucker Short Day Lengths Delay Reproductive Aging Biol Reprod, September 1, 2004; 71(3): 987 - 992. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. N. Austad Does Caloric Restriction in the Laboratory Simply Prevent Overfeeding and Return House Mice to Their Natural Level of Food Intake? Sci. Aging Knowl. Environ., November 7, 2001; 2001(6): pe3 - 3. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				C. R. Anzalone, L.-S. Hong, J. K.H. Lu, and P. S. LaPolt Influences of Age and Ovarian Follicular Reserve on Estrous Cycle Patterns, Ovulation, and Hormone Secretion in the Long-Evans Rat Biol Reprod, April 1, 2001; 64(4): 1056 - 1062. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				M. A. Lane, A. Black, A. M. Handy, S. A. Shapses, E. M. Tilmont, T. L. Kiefer, D. K. Ingram, and G. S. Roth Energy Restriction Does Not Alter Bone Mineral Metabolism or Reproductive Cycling and Hormones in Female Rhesus Monkeys J. Nutr., March 1, 2001; 131(3): 820 - 827. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				A Turturro, B S Hass, and R W Hart Does caloric restriction induce hormesis? Human and Experimental Toxicology, June 1, 2000; 19(6): 320 - 329. [Abstract] [PDF]

				K P Keenan BSELLE newsletter commentary: does caloric restriction induce hormesis? Human and Experimental Toxicology, June 1, 2000; 19(6): 335 - 337. [PDF]