Editorial on Special Topic: Sirtuins in Metabolism, Aging, and Disease

The sirtuin family of NAD+-dependent enzymes has received much of attention in recent years due to their diverse physiological functions in metabolism, aging, and age-related human diseases. The mammalian sirtuins (SIRT1-7) act as NAD+-dependent protein deacetylases and weak mono-ADP-ribosyl transferases on a variety of targets, including histones, transcription factors, and apoptotic modulators. The sirtuins appear to be the key sensors for available energy stores, which function as molecular switch between protein acetylation and metabolism. Furthermore, it has been shown in a broad range of experimental disease models, from yeast to mouse models, that modulation of sirtuin activities, particularly that of the most studied SIRT1 protein, suppresses or ameliorates pathological states, and thus sirtuins constitute attractive novel therapeutic targets for many age-related disorders, for most metabolic disorders such as diabetes and obesity.