The Impact of Intermittent Fasting Intervals on Autophagy: A Quantitative Analysis of Microtubule-Associated Protein Light Chain 3B (LC3) Expression
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Authors
Graham, Daxon
Peck, Hunter
Date of Issue
2025-04-25
Type
Presentation
Language
en_US
Subject Keywords
Other Titles
Abstract
Humans in modern society typically consume food at least three times daily. Intermittent fasting (IF) is a dietary strategy implemented to break the typical human eating pattern. During IF, individuals go for extended time periods with no food. Autophagy, derived from Latin for “self-consume”, is a cellular mechanism that involves the breakdown and recycling of damaged or dysfunctional cellular components, including proteins, lipids, and organelles. This process helps to conserve energy and raw materials during nutrient deprivation in order to sustain the fitness of cells. Research in mice has demonstrated that starvation can upregulate autophagy in cells. In order to test whether or not scheduled fasting periods lead to increased autophagy, three groups of mice consisting of short fasting (4 hours), long fasting (8 hours), and no fasting (ad libitum food) will be used. At the end of the three weeks, the liver and cardiac tissues of each mouse will be analyzed for concentration of light chain 3B (LC3), a microtubule associated protein that plays a critical role in autophagy. LC3 is responsible for the formation and function of autophagosomes, intracellular transport vesicles bound to lysosomes, which are upregulated during autophagy. We hypothesize that extended fasting durations will lead to a significant upregulation of LC3, potentially enhancing autophagic processes as a cellular response to nutrient deprivation. Determining whether or not IF upregulates autophagy is essential for elucidating its therapeutic potential in the prevention and management of diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and cardiovascular pathology.