Abstract
Histone modifications are key epigenetic regulators that control chromatin structure and gene transcription, thereby impacting on various important cellular phenotypes. Over the past decade, a growing number of studies have indicated that changes in various histone modifications have a significant influence on the aging process. Furthermore, it has been revealed that the abundance and localization of histone modifications are responsive to various environmental stimuli, such as diet, which can also affect gene expression and lifespan. This supports the notion that histone modifications can serve as a main cellular platform for signal integration. Hence, in this review we focus on the role of histone modifications during aging, report the data indicating that diet affects histone modification levels and explore the idea that histone modifications may function as an intersection through which diet regulates lifespan. A greater understanding of the epigenetic mechanisms that link environmental signals to longevity may provide new strategies for therapeutic intervention in age-related diseases and for promoting healthy aging.
Highlights
Biological aging or senescence is a multidimensional process that is manifested by degradation of biological function over time, which in the meantime confers susceptibility to different diseases (Catanaet al., 2018)
Below we briefly introduce nutrient-signaling pathways that feed into histone modifications and summarize the evidence which demonstrate that dietary interventions influence the occurrence of lifespan-associated histone modifications described above
Sir2/SIRT1 is the most studied sirtuin in aging, and it has been extensively reported that raising its activity by altering NAD+/NADH levels, genetic manipulation or chemical stimulation robustly extends lifespan in yeast, C. elegans, D. melanogaster and mammals (Guarente, 2013)
Summary
Biological aging or senescence is a multidimensional process that is manifested by degradation of biological function over time, which in the meantime confers susceptibility to different diseases (Catanaet al., 2018). Sir2/SIRT1 is the most studied sirtuin in aging, and it has been extensively reported that raising its activity by altering NAD+/NADH levels, genetic manipulation or chemical stimulation robustly extends lifespan in yeast, C. elegans, D. melanogaster and mammals (Guarente, 2013). CR has been shown to regulate the expression of stress response genes through changes in the modification of key histone residues.
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