ABSTRACT As humans age, changes affecting nutrient utilization and storage often result in health complications, leading to obesity, diabetes mellitus (DM), cardiovascular disease (CVD) and hepatic complications. These health complications are more prominent with earlier onset when individuals were exposed to maternal obesity (MO) or reduced nutrients during their own fetal development resulting in intra-uterine growth restriction (IUGR). The baboon is a well-characterized nonhuman primate (NHP) model to study human dyslipidemia and other metabolic abnormalities such as insulin resistance and DM. Age-related co-morbidities develop in baboons as in humans. We have developed a unique colony normal life course (NLC), IUGR and MO baboons. Our scientific premises are: 1. Aging-related metabolic changes can be detected early in life. 2. Interactions between developmental programming and aging are major determinants of metabolic control and energy management. 3. Normative data and results from interventions addressing mechanisms of programming and aging in NHP models are essential for translation of research findings to humans to develop therapies to extend health span. We hypothesize that: Characteristic molecular signatures are predictive of metabolic changes caused by perinatal programming (MO, IUGR, and cortisol replacement intervention (CRI) accelerates age-related metabolic complications. We have 3 aims to address this hypothesis: Aim 1: Characterize NLC aging in baboons ranging from young adult to middle-age adult (6-148 years; human equivalent 18-90 years). We will use integrated omic approaches with cellular and physiological measurements to quantify normal aging-related changes in liver, skeletal muscle, and blood. Aim 2: Determine how in utero stresses impact metabolic aging. We will measure parameters described in Aim 1 in IUGR and MO baboons. Aim 3: Determine whether CRI alters the trajectory of metabolic changes that occur with age. We will administer cortisol to NLC baboons for 4 years to determine whether CRI results in age-related metabolic dysfunction. Project 3 is synergistic with integration of our findings and other organ systems (Project 1 – brain; Project 2 – heart and vessels) towards the U19 goal of deriving a comprehensive model for development and prediction of age-related health complications using our unique baboon models, identify predictive molecular signatures, and explore interventions to delay metabolic aging. Project 3 is innovative by integrating metabolic challenges, physiological measures, and cell bioenergetics with comprehensive omic analyses to construct detailed molecular networks that change in normal aging in metabolic tissues and are impacted by in utero stress and cortisol replacement intervention.

As humans age, nutrients are used and stored inefficiently, often resulting in obesity, diabetes, heart disease and liver disease. We will develop a novel non-human primate (NHP) model, the baboon, to study aging, and to identify molecular changes in the liver that are better predictors of these inefficiencies than commonly used clinical measures providing earlier diagnoses and interventions for liver disease, diabetes, or heart disease.