- Scheibye-Knudsen, Morten;
- Mitchell, Sarah J;
- Fang, Evandro F;
- Iyama, Teruaki;
- Ward, Theresa;
- Wang, James;
- Dunn, Christopher A;
- Singh, Nagendra;
- Veith, Sebastian;
- Hasan-Olive, Md Mahdi;
- Mangerich, Aswin;
- Wilson, Mark A;
- Mattson, Mark P;
- Bergersen, Linda H;
- Cogger, Victoria C;
- Warren, Alessandra;
- Le Couteur, David G;
- Moaddel, Ruin;
- Wilson, David M;
- Croteau, Deborah L;
- de Cabo, Rafael;
- Bohr, Vilhelm A
Cockayne syndrome (CS) is an accelerated aging disorder characterized by progressive neurodegeneration caused by mutations in genes encoding the DNA repair proteins CS group A or B (CSA or CSB). Since dietary interventions can alter neurodegenerative processes, Csb(m/m) mice were given a high-fat, caloric-restricted, or resveratrol-supplemented diet. High-fat feeding rescued the metabolic, transcriptomic, and behavioral phenotypes of Csb(m/m) mice. Furthermore, premature aging in CS mice, nematodes, and human cells results from aberrant PARP activation due to deficient DNA repair leading to decreased SIRT1 activity and mitochondrial dysfunction. Notably, β-hydroxybutyrate levels are increased by the high-fat diet, and β-hydroxybutyrate, PARP inhibition, or NAD(+) supplementation can activate SIRT1 and rescue CS-associated phenotypes. Mechanistically, CSB can displace activated PARP1 from damaged DNA to limit its activity. This study connects two emerging longevity metabolites, β-hydroxybutyrate and NAD(+), through the deacetylase SIRT1 and suggests possible interventions for CS.