Model
Digital Document
Publisher
Public Library of Science
Description
Restriction of dietary food without malnutrition robustly extends lifespan in more than
twenty species. It was also reported that fruit flies (Drosophila melanogaster) deficient in
olfactory function live longer and that the longevity induced by food restriction is partially
due to decreased olfaction. These observations suggest food assimilation through the gastrointestinal
tract and food smell detected by olfactory neurons influence lifespan. The
insulin growth factor signaling pathway is regulated by nutrient levels and has been shown
to mediate the lifespan extension conferred by food restriction and defective gustatory neurons
in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. However, the mechanism remains unclear.
Autophagy is a lysosomal degradation pathway and is sensitive to nutrient availability. We
found autophagy activity in the intestine and food sensory neurons acts in parallel to mediate
food restriction and insulin signaling regulated lifespan extension in Caenorhabditis elegans.
Moreover, intestinal and neuronal autophagy converge on unidentified neurons to
control the secretion of neuropeptides that regulate lifespan. These data suggest autophagy is an essential component in a neuroendocrine pathway that coordinates how environmental
food cues detected by sensory neurons and food nutrients assimilated by the intestine
influence lifespan. These findings may contribute to understanding the aging process in
mammals.
twenty species. It was also reported that fruit flies (Drosophila melanogaster) deficient in
olfactory function live longer and that the longevity induced by food restriction is partially
due to decreased olfaction. These observations suggest food assimilation through the gastrointestinal
tract and food smell detected by olfactory neurons influence lifespan. The
insulin growth factor signaling pathway is regulated by nutrient levels and has been shown
to mediate the lifespan extension conferred by food restriction and defective gustatory neurons
in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. However, the mechanism remains unclear.
Autophagy is a lysosomal degradation pathway and is sensitive to nutrient availability. We
found autophagy activity in the intestine and food sensory neurons acts in parallel to mediate
food restriction and insulin signaling regulated lifespan extension in Caenorhabditis elegans.
Moreover, intestinal and neuronal autophagy converge on unidentified neurons to
control the secretion of neuropeptides that regulate lifespan. These data suggest autophagy is an essential component in a neuroendocrine pathway that coordinates how environmental
food cues detected by sensory neurons and food nutrients assimilated by the intestine
influence lifespan. These findings may contribute to understanding the aging process in
mammals.
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