Nicotinamide Riboside Rejuvenates Aging Gut Stem Cells: Preclinical Findings

Synopsis

Aging leads to tissue decline partly due to reduced function of adult stem cells. In the intestine, the number and activity of intestinal stem cells (ISCs) decrease with age, while Paneth cells remain unchanged. Levels of SIRT1 and mTORC1 activity also drop during aging. Supplementing with the NAD+ precursor nicotinamide riboside (NR) rejuvenates ISCs in aged mice and restores their ability to repair gut damage. This benefit is blocked when mTORC1 or SIRT1 is inhibited. These results suggest that targeting the NAD/SIRT1/mTORC1 pathway with small molecules like NR may help maintain intestinal health during aging.

Journal

Aging Cell