S4-3 - Proteasome activation as a novel anti-aging strategy

Abstract

Aging and longevity are two multifactorial biological phenomena whose knowledge at molecular level is still limited. We have studied proteasome function in replicative senescence and cell survival (Mol Aspects Med 35, 1-71, 2014). We have observed reduced levels of proteasome content and activities in senescent cells due to the down-regulation of the catalytic subunits of the 20S complex (J Biol Chem 278, 28026-28037, 2003). In support, partial inhibition of proteasomes in young cells by specific inhibitors induces premature senescence which is p53 dependent (Aging Cell 7, 717-732, 2008). Stable over-expression of catalytic subunits or POMP resulted in enhanced proteasome assembly and activities and increased cell survival following treatments with various oxidants. Importantly, the developed "proteasome activated" human fibroblasts cell lines exhibit a delay of senescence by approximately 15% (J Biol Chem 280, 11840-11850, 2005; J Biol Chem 284, 30076-30086, 2009). Our current work proposes that proteasome activation is an evolutionary conserved mechanism, as it can delay aging in various in vivo systems. Moreover, additional findings indicate that the recorded proteasome activation by many inducers is Nrf2-dependent (J Biol Chem 285, 8171-8184, 2010). Finally, we have studied the proteolysis processes of various age-related proteins and we have identified that CHIP is a major p53 E3 ligase in senescent fibroblasts (Free Rad Biol Med 50, 157-165, 2011).