Key Papers
Midlife gene expressions identify modulators of aging through dietary interventions.
Dietary interventions are effective ways to extend or shorten lifespan. By examining midlife hepatic gene expressions in mice under different dietary conditions, which resulted in different lifespans and aging-related phenotypes, we were able to identify genes and pathways that modulate the aging process. We found that pathways transcriptionally correlated with diet-modulated lifespan and physiological changes were enriched for lifespan-modifying genes. Intriguingly, mitochondrial gene expressio...
Pten positively regulates brown adipose function, energy expenditure, and longevity.
Aging in worms and flies is regulated by the PI3K/Akt/Foxo pathway. Here we extend this paradigm to mammals. Pten(tg) mice carrying additional genomic copies of Pten are protected from cancer and present a significant extension of life span that is independent of their lower cancer incidence. Interestingly, Pten(tg) mice have an increased energy expenditure and protection from metabolic pathologies. The brown adipose tissue (BAT) of Pten(tg) mice is hyperactive and presents high levels of the un...
The microRNA miR-34 modulates ageing and neurodegeneration in Drosophila.
Human neurodegenerative diseases have the temporal hallmark of afflicting the elderly population. Ageing is one of the most prominent factors to influence disease onset and progression, yet little is known about the molecular pathways that connect these processes. To understand this connection it is necessary to identify the pathways that functionally integrate ageing, chronic maintenance of the brain and modulation of neurodegenerative disease. MicroRNAs (miRNA) are emerging as critical factors...
Meta-analyses identify 13 loci associated with age at menopause and highlight DNA repair and immune pathways.
To newly identify loci for age at natural menopause, we carried out a meta-analysis of 22 genome-wide association studies (GWAS) in 38,968 women of European descent, with replication in up to 14,435 women. In addition to four known loci, we identified 13 loci newly associated with age at natural menopause (at P < 5
Genetic signatures of exceptional longevity in humans.
Like most complex phenotypes, exceptional longevity is thought to reflect a combined influence of environmental (e.g., lifestyle choices, where we live) and genetic factors. To explore the genetic contribution, we undertook a genome-wide association study of exceptional longevity in 801 centenarians (median age at death 104 years) and 914 genetically matched healthy controls. Using these data, we built a genetic model that includes 281 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and discriminated bet...
Heterochromatin formation promotes longevity and represses ribosomal RNA synthesis.
Organismal aging is influenced by a multitude of intrinsic and extrinsic factors, and heterochromatin loss has been proposed to be one of the causes of aging. However, the role of heterochromatin in animal aging has been controversial. Here we show that heterochromatin formation prolongs lifespan and controls ribosomal RNA synthesis in Drosophila. Animals with decreased heterochromatin levels exhibit a dramatic shortening of lifespan, whereas increasing heterochromatin prolongs lifespan. The cha...
Motility and segregation of hsp104-associated protein aggregates in budding yeast.
During yeast cell division, aggregates of damaged proteins are segregated asymmetrically between the bud and the mother. It is thought that protein aggregates are cleared from the bud via actin cable-based retrograde transport toward the mother and that Bni1p formin regulates this transport. Here, we examined the dynamics of Hsp104-associated protein aggregates by video microscopy, particle tracking, and image correlation analysis. We show that protein aggregates undergo random walk without dire...
Absence of effects of Sir2 overexpression on lifespan in C. elegans and Drosophila.
Overexpression of sirtuins (NAD(+)-dependent protein deacetylases) has been reported to increase lifespan in budding yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae), Caenorhabditis elegans and Drosophila melanogaster. Studies of the effects of genes on ageing are vulnerable to confounding effects of genetic background. Here we re-examined the reported effects of sirtuin overexpression on ageing and found that standardization of genetic background and the use of appropriate controls abolished the apparent effec...
Temporal dynamics of bacterial aging and rejuvenation.
Single-celled organisms dividing by binary fission were thought not to age [1-4]. A 2005 study by Stewart et
Rejuvenating senescent and centenarian human cells by reprogramming through the pluripotent state.
Direct reprogramming of somatic cells into induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) provides a unique opportunity to derive patient-specific stem cells with potential applications in tissue replacement therapies and without the ethical concerns of human embryonic stem cells (hESCs). However, cellular senescence, which contributes to aging and restricted longevity, has been described as a barrier to the derivation of iPSCs. Here we demonstrate, using an optimized protocol, that cellular senescence ...
