A study published in Nature Aging by Yale researchers suggests a potential pathway to harness some of the anti-aging benefits of calorie restriction without its adverse effects. The research identified complement component 3 (C3), an immune protein, as a key factor whose levels significantly decreased in humans following a moderate 11-14% calorie reduction over two years. This reduction in C3 was observed independently of weight loss, indicating a unique effect of calorie restriction on adipose tissue.

Further investigation in mice revealed that C3 expression increases with age, primarily produced by age-associated macrophages within visceral white adipose tissue—a finding that was unexpected given that C3 is typically synthesized in the liver. To explore whether the benefits of reduced C3 could be achieved without calorie restriction, the researchers used a drug to inhibit C3 activation in mice, resulting in decreased age-related inflammation. This suggests that targeting C3 with existing FDA-approved inhibitor drugs might offer a means to extend health span in humans by restoring a beneficial balance in the immune system, without compromising its essential infection-fighting functions. Source

This is a summary. Read the original at sciencedaily.com.