Drug repurposing for aging research using model organisms

Many increasingly prevalent diseases share a common risk factor: age. However, little is known about pharmaceutical interventions against aging, despite many genes and pathways shown to be important in the aging process and numerous studies demonstrating that genetic interventions can lead to a healthier aging phenotype. An important challenge is to assess the potential to repurpose existing drugs for initial testing on model organisms, where such experiments are possible. To this end, we present a new approach to rank drug‐like compounds with known mammalian targets according to their likelihood to modulate aging in the invertebrates Caenorhabditis elegans and Drosophila. Our approach combines information on genetic effects on aging, orthology relationships and sequence conservation, 3D protein structures, drug binding and bioavailability. Overall, we rank 743 different drug‐like compounds for their likelihood to modulate aging. We provide various lines of evidence for the successful enrichment of our ranking for compounds modulating aging, despite sparse public data suitable for validation. The top ranked compounds are thus prime candidates for in vivo testing of their effects on lifespan in C. elegans or Drosophila. As such, these compounds are promising as research tools and ultimately a step towards identifying drugs for a healthier human aging.     

Genetic interaction with temperature is an important determinant of nematode longevity

As in other poikilotherms, longevity in C. elegans varies inversely with temperature; worms are longer‐lived at lower temperatures. While this observation may seem intuitive based on thermodynamics, the molecular and genetic basis for this phenomenon is not well understood. Several recent reports have argued that lifespan changes across temperatures are genetically controlled by temperature‐specific gene regulation. Here, we provide data that both corroborate those studies and suggest that temperature‐specific longevity is more the rule than the exception. By measuring the lifespans of worms with single modifications reported to be important for longevity at 15, 20, or 25 °C, we find that the effect of each modification on lifespan is highly dependent on temperature. Our results suggest that genetics play a major role in temperature‐associated longevity and are consistent with the hypothesis that while aging in C. elegans is slowed by decreasing temperature, the major cause(s) of death may also be modified, leading to different genes and pathways becoming more or less important at different temperatures. These differential mechanisms of age‐related death are not unlike what is observed in humans, where environmental conditions lead to development of different diseases of aging.     

Drosophila insulin‐like peptide dilp1 increases lifespan and glucagon‐like Akh expression epistatic to dilp2

Insulin/IGF signaling (IIS) regulates essential processes including development, metabolism, and aging. The Drosophila genome encodes eight insulin/IGF‐like peptide (dilp) paralogs, including tandem‐encoded dilp1 and dilp2. Many reports show that longevity is increased by manipulations that decrease DILP2 levels. It has been shown that dilp1 is expressed primarily in pupal stages, but also during adult reproductive diapause. Here, we find that dilp1 is also highly expressed in adult dilp2 mutants under nondiapause conditions. The inverse expression of dilp1 and dilp2 suggests these genes interact to regulate aging. Here, we study dilp1 and dilp2 single and double mutants to describe epistatic and synergistic interactions affecting longevity, metabolism, and adipokinetic hormone (AKH), the functional homolog of glucagon. Mutants of dilp2 extend lifespan and increase Akh mRNA and protein in a dilp1‐dependent manner. Loss of dilp1 alone has no impact on these traits, whereas transgene expression of dilp1 increases lifespan in dilp1 ? dilp2 double mutants. On the other hand, dilp1 and dilp2 redundantly or synergistically interact to control circulating sugar, starvation resistance, and compensatory dilp5 expression. These interactions do not correlate with patterns for how dilp1 and dilp2 affect longevity and AKH. Thus, repression or loss of dilp2 slows aging because its depletion induces dilp1, which acts as a pro‐longevity factor. Likewise, dilp2 regulates Akh through epistatic interaction with dilp1. Akh and glycogen affect aging in Caenorhabditis elegans and Drosophila. Our data suggest that dilp2 modulates lifespan in part by regulating Akh, and by repressing dilp1, which acts as a pro‐longevity insulin‐like peptide.     

Clonal expansion of mitochondrial DNA deletions is a private mechanism of aging in long‐lived animals

Disruption of mitochondrial metabolism and loss of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) integrity are widely considered as evolutionarily conserved (public) mechanisms of aging (López‐Otín et al., Cell, 153, 2013 and 1194). Human aging is associated with loss in skeletal muscle mass and function (Sarcopenia), contributing significantly to morbidity and mortality. Muscle aging is associated with loss of mtDNA integrity. In humans, clonally expanded mtDNA deletions colocalize with sites of fiber breakage and atrophy in skeletal muscle. mtDNA deletions may therefore play an important, possibly causal role in sarcopenia. The nematode Caenorhabditis elegans also exhibits age‐dependent decline in mitochondrial function and a form of sarcopenia. However, it is unclear if mtDNA deletions play a role in C. elegans aging. Here, we report identification of 266 novel mtDNA deletions in aging nematodes. Analysis of the mtDNA mutation spectrum and quantification of mutation burden indicates that (a) mtDNA deletions in nematode are extremely rare, (b) there is no significant age‐dependent increase in mtDNA deletions, and (c) there is little evidence for clonal expansion driving mtDNA deletion dynamics. Thus, mtDNA deletions are unlikely to drive the age‐dependent functional decline commonly observed in C. elegans. Computational modeling of mtDNA dynamics in C. elegans indicates that the lifespan of short‐lived animals such as C. elegans is likely too short to allow for significant clonal expansion of mtDNA deletions. Together, these findings suggest that clonal expansion of mtDNA deletions is likely a private mechanism of aging predominantly relevant in long‐lived animals such as humans and rhesus monkey and possibly in rodents.     

Loss of the Birt–Hogg–Dubé gene product folliculin induces longevity in a hypoxia‐inducible factor–dependent manner

Signaling through the hypoxia‐inducible factor hif‐1 controls longevity, metabolism, and stress resistance in Caenorhabditis elegans. Hypoxia‐inducible factor (HIF) protein levels are regulated through an evolutionarily conserved ubiquitin ligase complex. Mutations in the VHL gene, encoding a core component of this complex, cause a multitumor syndrome and renal cell carcinoma in humans. In the nematode, deficiency in vhl‐1 promotes longevity mediated through HIF‐1 stabilization. However, this longevity assurance pathway is not yet understood. Here, we identify folliculin (FLCN) as a novel interactor of the hif‐1/vhl‐1 longevity pathway. FLCN mutations cause Birt–Hogg–Dubé syndrome in humans, another tumor syndrome with renal tumorigenesis reminiscent of the VHL disease. Loss of the C. elegans ortholog of FLCN F22D3.2 significantly increased lifespan and enhanced stress resistance in a hif‐1‐dependent manner. F22D3.2, vhl‐1, and hif‐1 control longevity by a mechanism distinct from insulin‐like signaling. Daf‐16 deficiency did not abrogate the increase in lifespan mediated by flcn‐1. These findings define FLCN as a player in HIF‐dependent longevity signaling and connect organismal aging, stress resistance, and regulation of longevity with the formation of renal cell carcinoma.     

A dual role for integrin‐linked kinase and β1‐integrin in modulating cardiac aging

Cardiac performance decreases with age, which is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease and mortality in the aging human population, but the molecular mechanisms underlying cardiac aging are still poorly understood. Investigating the role of integrin‐linked kinase (ilk) and β1‐integrin (myospheroid, mys) in Drosophila, which colocalize near cardiomyocyte contacts and Z‐bands, we find that reduced ilk or mys function prevents the typical changes of cardiac aging seen in wildtype, such as arrhythmias. In particular, the characteristic increase in cardiac arrhythmias with age is prevented in ilk and mys heterozygous flies with nearly identical genetic background, and they live longer, in line with previous findings in Caenorhabditis elegans for ilk and in Drosophila for mys. Consistent with these findings, we observed elevated β1‐integrin protein levels in old compared with young wild‐type flies, and cardiac‐specific overexpression of mys in young flies causes aging‐like heart dysfunction. Moreover, moderate cardiac‐specific knockdown of integrin‐linked kinase (ILK)/integrin pathway‐associated genes also prevented the decline in cardiac performance with age. In contrast, strong cardiac knockdown of ilk or ILK‐associated genes can severely compromise cardiac integrity, including cardiomyocyte adhesion and overall heart function. These data suggest that ilk/mys function is necessary for establishing and maintaining normal heart structure and function, and appropriate fine‐tuning of this pathway can retard the age‐dependent decline in cardiac performance and extend lifespan. Thus, ILK/integrin‐associated signaling emerges as an important and conserved genetic mechanism in longevity, and as a new means to improve age‐dependent cardiac performance, in addition to its vital role in maintaining cardiac integrity.     

Effects and mechanisms of prolongevity induced by Lactobacillus gasseri SBT2055 in Caenorhabditis elegans

Lactic‐acid bacteria are widely recognized beneficial host associated groups of the microbiota of humans and animals. Some lactic‐acid bacteria have the ability to extend the lifespan of the model animals. The mechanisms behind the probiotic effects of bacteria are not entirely understood. Recently, we reported the benefit effects of Lactobacillus gasseriSBT2055 (LG2055) on animal and human health, such as preventing influenza A virus, and augmentation of IgA production. Therefore, it was preconceived that LG2055 has the beneficial effects on longevity and/or aging. We examined the effects of LG2055 on lifespan and aging of Caenorhabditis elegans and analyzed the mechanism of prolongevity. Our results demonstrated that LG2055 has the beneficial effects on longevity and anti‐aging of C. elegans. Feeding with LG2055 upregulated the expression of the skn‐1 gene and the target genes of SKN‐1, encoding the antioxidant proteins enhancing antioxidant defense responses. We found that feeding with LG2055 directly activated SKN‐1 activity via p38 MAPK pathway signaling. The oxidative stress response is elicited by mitochondrial dysfunction in aging, and we examined the influence of LG2055 feeding on the membrane potential of mitochondria. Here, the amounts of mitochondria were significantly increased by LG2055 feeding in comparison with the control. Our result suggests that feeding with LG2055 is effective to the extend lifespan in C. elegans by a strengthening of the resistance to oxidative stress and by stimulating the innate immune response signaling including p38MAPK signaling pathway and others.     

Temporal pattern of neuronal insulin release during Caenorhabditis elegans aging: Role of redox homeostasis

The insulin‐IGF‐1/DAF‐2 pathway has a central role in the determination of aging and longevity in Caenorhabditis elegans and other organisms. In this paper, we measured neuronal insulin secretion (using INS‐22::Venus) during C. elegans lifespan and monitored how this secretion is modified by redox homeostasis. We showed that INS‐22::Venus secretion fluctuates during the organism lifetime reaching maximum levels in the active reproductive stage. We also demonstrate that long‐lived daf‐2 insulin receptor mutants show remarkable low levels of INS‐22::Venus secretion. In contrast, we found that short‐lived mutant worms that lack the oxidation repair enzyme MSRA‐1 show increased levels of INS‐22::Venus secretion, specifically during the reproductive stage. MSRA‐1 is a target of the insulin‐IGF‐1/DAF‐2 pathway, and the expression of this antioxidant enzyme exclusively in the nervous system rescues the mutant insulin release phenotype and longevity. The msra‐1 mutant phenotype can also be reverted by antioxidant treatment during the active reproductive stage. We showed for the first time that there is a pattern of neuronal insulin release with a noticeable increment during the peak of reproduction. Our results suggest that redox homeostasis can modulate longevity through the regulation of insulin secretion, and that the insulin‐IGF‐1/DAF‐2 pathway could be regulated, at least in part, by a feedback loop. These findings highlight the importance of timing for therapeutic interventions aimed at improving health span.