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Circadian rhythms of body temperature and locomotor activity in aging BALB/c mice: early and late life span predictors

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Abstract

Impairment of one or more parameters of circadian rhythms (CR) of body temperature (BT) and locomotor activity (LMA) are considered among the hallmarks of mammalian aging. These alterations are frequently used as markers for imminent death in laboratory mice. However, there are still contradictory data for particular strains and it is also uncertain which changes might predict senescence changes later in life, including the force of mortality. In the present paper we use telemetry to study LMA and CR of BT during aging of BALB/c mice. At our knowledge this is the first time that CR of BT and LMA are investigated in this strain in a range of age covering the whole lifespan, from young adult up to very old age. CR of BT was analyzed with a cosine model using a cross sectional approach and follow-up measurements. The results show that BT, LMA, amplitude, goodness-of-fit (GoF) to circadian cycle of temperature decrease with different shapes during chronological age. Moreover, we found that the % change of amplitude and BT in early life (5–19 months) can predict the remaining lifespan of the mice. Later in life (22–32 months), best predictors are single measurements of LMA and GoF. The results of this study also offer potential measures to rapidly identifying freely unrestrained mice with the worst longitudinal outcome and against which existing or novel biomarkers and treatments may be assessed.

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Acknowledgments

The authors thanks Dr. Tiziana Casoli and Dr. Anna Piantanelli for kindly reading the manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Nutrition and Aging Centre, Scientific and Technological Pole – INRCA – National Institute of Health and Sciences on Ageing, Via Birarelli 8, 60121, Ancona, Italy

    Andrea Basso, Giovanna Del Bello, Francesco Piacenza, Robertina Giacconi, Laura Costarelli & Marco Malavolta

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  1. Andrea Basso
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  2. Giovanna Del Bello
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  3. Francesco Piacenza
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  4. Robertina Giacconi
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  5. Laura Costarelli
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Correspondence to Marco Malavolta.

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Basso, A., Del Bello, G., Piacenza, F. et al. Circadian rhythms of body temperature and locomotor activity in aging BALB/c mice: early and late life span predictors. Biogerontology 17, 703–714 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10522-016-9635-y

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