Hutchinson-Gilford Progeria Syndrome (HGPS) is a rare, fatal genetic progeria  - a disease of rapid aging that has no effective treatment or cure. A new study will investigate specific dietary interventions in a mouse model of the disease to alter metabolism in a manner that researchers hope could slow progression of the condition. 

Dudley Lamming, PhD (pictured at upper right), assistant professor, Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism and co-investigator Timothy Hacker, PhD (not pictured), director, Cardiovascular Physiology Core Facility, have been awarded nearly $410,000 over 18 months (R21 award) from the National Institutes of Health-National Institute on Aging (NIH-NIA) for a proposal entitled "Intervention in progeria by alterations in dietary macronutrient composition." 

Collaborators on the study (not pictured) include Rozalyn Anderson, PhD, associate professor, Geriatrics and Gerontology, and Michelle Kimple, PhD, assistant professor, Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism.

Building on prior work by Dr. Lamming and colleagues indicating a key role for the protein kinase mTOR (mechanistic Target Of Rapamycin) in biological processes occurring in HGPS, researchers will develop dietary techniques to decrease signaling of mTOR complex 1 by altering abundance of specific amino acids. The project will test new ways to delay the progression of HGPS, an initial step toward developing treatments for the disease.

Resources: 

• Intervention in Progeria by Alterations in Dietary Macronutrient Composition - NIH Granteome