Cellular and molecular effects of sirtuins in health and disease

Sirtuins are NAD -dependent protein deacetylases that are broadly conserved from bacteriato humans. Because sirtuins extend the lifespan of yeast, worms and flies, much attention hasbeen paid to their mammalian homologues. Recent studies have revealed diverse physiologicalfunctions of sirtuins that are essentially similar to those of their yeast homologue, Sir2 (silentinformation regulator 2). Sirtuins are implicated in the pathology of many diseases, for which sirtuinactivators such as resveratrol have great promise as potential treatments. In the present review, we describe the functions of sirtuins in cell survival, inflammation, energy metabolism, cancerand differentiation, and their impact on diseases. We also discuss the organ-specific functions ofsirtuins, focusing on the brain and blood vessels. © The Authors Journal compilation. © 2011 Biochemical Society.