Abstract
Spermidine is a natural polyamine involved in many important cellular functions, whose supplementation in food or water increases life span and stress resistance in several model organisms. In this work, we expand spermidine’s range of age-related beneficial effects by demonstrating that it is also able to improve locomotor performance in aged flies. Spermidine’s mechanism of action on aging has been primarily related to general protein hypoacetylation that subsequently induces autophagy. Here, we suggest that the molecular targets of spermidine also include lipid metabolism: Spermidine-fed flies contain more triglycerides and show altered fatty acid and phospholipid profiles. We further determine that most of these metabolic changes are regulated through autophagy. Collectively, our data suggests an additional and novel lipid-mediated mechanism of action for spermidine-induced autophagy.
Highlights
The understanding of the mechanisms underlying the aging process is of general interest; not least because it opens doors to modulate it and eventually postpone or prevent age-related pathologies and improve our health span
Aging research in the last three decades has elucidated a series of mutations in single genes that increase life span in many organisms [1]
Resveratrol, a naturally occurring phenol, increases the life span of mice kept on a high-fat diet [4]
Summary
The understanding of the mechanisms underlying the aging process is of general interest; not least because it opens doors to modulate it and eventually postpone or prevent age-related pathologies and improve our health span. Dietary restriction (DR) has advanced to be the most reliable means to increase life span and reduce age-related diseases in many organisms [2], the latest results from studies in non-human primates are not as promising as expected, at least in regard to life span [3]. Despite these findings, the most convenient method to counteract the detrimental effects of aging would be the simple ingestion of compounds with the ability to do so. The immunosuppressant drug rapamycin increases the life span of rodents [5,6], but shows inconclusive effects in the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster and – being an immunosuppressant - its actual use for humans remains doubtful [7,8]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
