Oliver's mTOR Atlas Evidence Platform
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Rapamycin fed late in life extends lifespan in genetically heterogeneous mice

Harrison DE, Strong R, Sharp ZD, Nelson JF, Astle CM, Flurkey K, Nadon NL, Wilkinson JE, Frenkel K, Carter CS, Pahor M, …, Miller RA · 2009 · Nature · Atlas ID HAR2009

What this study shows

Rapamycin fed from 600 days of age extended median and maximal lifespan in both sexes; age at 90% mortality rose 14% in females and 9% in males.

Abstract

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Inhibition of the TOR signalling pathway by genetic or pharmacological intervention extends lifespan in invertebrates, including yeast, nematodes and fruitflies; however, whether inhibition of mTOR signalling can extend lifespan in a mammalian species was unknown. Here we report that rapamycin, an inhibitor of the mTOR pathway, extends median and maximal lifespan of both male and female mice when fed beginning at 600 days of age. On the basis of age at 90% mortality, rapamycin led to an increase of 14% for females and 9% for males.

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At a glance

Evidence type A Animal model Marked A because it is an animal intervention or observation study measuring an organismal outcome (model: Mouse (genetically heterogeneous, 3 sites)); the code names the system studied -- animal work can be rigorous and still not be human data.
Study type4 - Animal Study
Model systemMouse (genetically heterogeneous, 3 sites)
JournalNature
Year2009
Peer reviewedYes
Record last updated2026-10-01
SourceDOI 10.1038/nature08221 · PMID 19587680 · Free full text (PMC2786175)

Extracted findings

These fields were extracted from the paper with AI assistance and have not been checked against the source. Read them as a pointer into the paper, not as curated claims; where they disagree with the curated summary above, the curated summary stands.

InterventionRapamycin (late-life feeding)
TargetmTOR
ModelMouse (genetically heterogeneous, 3 sites)
EffectRapamycin fed from 600 days extended median and maximal lifespan in both sexes – first pharmacological lifespan extension in a mammal
DoseDietary encapsulated rapamycin, initiated at 600 days of age (or 270 days in a separate study), resulting in blood levels of 60-70 ng/ml.
Sample size1901 mice (38 still alive at analysis date).
Effect sizePooled mean lifespan increased by 9% for males and 13% for females; life expectancy at 600 days increased by 28% for males and 38% for females (p < 0.0001).
LimitationsImproved survival among males at UT and UM might reflect pre-treatment nutritional/health differences, not solely rapamycin effects; additional data needed for accurate effect size and maximal longevity for 270-day start.

In the Atlas

Related topics

LongevityRapamycinmTORmTORC1

Links in the pathway map

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Cite this paper

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Harrison, D. E., Strong, R., Sharp, Z. D., Nelson, J. F., Astle, C. M., Flurkey, K., Nadon, N. L., Wilkinson, J. E., Frenkel, K., Carter, C. S., Pahor, M., Javors, M. A., Fernandez, E., & Miller, R. A. (2009). Rapamycin fed late in life extends lifespan in genetically heterogeneous mice. Nature. https://doi.org/10.1038/nature08221

@article{HAR2009,
  author       = {Harrison, D. E. and Strong, R. and Sharp, Z. D. and Nelson, J. F. and Astle, C. M. and Flurkey, K. and Nadon, N. L. and Wilkinson, J. E. and Frenkel, K. and Carter, C. S. and Pahor, M. and Javors, M. A. and Fernandez, E. and Miller, R. A.},
  title        = {{Rapamycin fed late in life extends lifespan in genetically heterogeneous mice}},
  journal      = {Nature},
  year         = {2009},
  doi          = {10.1038/nature08221},
  note         = {PMID: 19587680},
}

Cite this Atlas record

The record is the Atlas's own work — the evidence label, the extracted findings and the links. It is cited as part of the dataset, not as the paper. 

Barton, O. (2026). Oliver's mTOR Atlas (record HAR2009) [Data set]. https://mtor-atlas.org/study/HAR2009/ · Dataset DOI 10.5281/zenodo.22059963

@misc{atlas_HAR2009,
  author       = {Barton, Oliver},
  title        = {{Oliver's mTOR Atlas}, record HAR2009},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  year         = {2026},
  url          = {https://mtor-atlas.org/study/HAR2009/},
  doi          = {10.5281/zenodo.22059963}
}
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