Reproduction, fat metabolism, and life span: what is the connection?

Reduced reproduction is associated with increased fat storage and prolonged life span in multiple organisms, but the underlying regulatory mechanisms remain poorly understood. Recent studies in several species provide evidence that reproduction, fat metabolism, and longevity are directly coupled. For instance, germline removal in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans promotes longevity in part by modulating lipid metabolism through effects on fatty acid desaturation, lipolysis, and autophagy. Here, we review these recent studies and discuss the mechanisms by which reproduction modulates fat metabolism and life span. Elucidating the relationship between these processes could contribute to our understanding of age-related diseases including metabolic disorders

Fatty Acid Desaturation Links Germ Cell Loss to Longevity Through NHR-80/HNF4 in C. elegans

Lifespan extension induced by germline ablation in C. elegans is regulated by the nuclear hormone receptor NHR-80 in a process that requires the production of oleic acid by activation of the lipid desaturase FAT-6/SCD1

On protein oxidation, lifespan and aging in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

In this thesis, we have investigated the physiology of protein oxidation and its possible role in the aging of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. There are two ways to measure yeast aging. First, they can only divide a finite number of times even when all nutrients necessary for division are provided. This is replicative aging. Alternatively, when cells are limited with a nutrient, they exit the cell cycle and enter a G0 phase. Over time, these cells will die. This is conditional senescence or chronological aging. Thus replicative and chronological aging are two very distinct phenomena. We demonstrated that exiting the cell cycle led to a sudden increase in protein oxidation. This increase is associated with a shift in respiratory state i.e. the amount of oxygen consumption that can be attribute to ADP phosphorylations by the ATP synthase complex is greatly reduced. Residual respiration is due to the proton conductance through the mitochondria inner membrane. In addition, we found that a mutant with a constitutive high RAS/cAMP/Protein Kinase A activity was constitutively respiring with a respiratory state close to state 4 (non-phosphorylating). This mutant clearly exerted two distinct sets of phenotypes. Some were suppressible by lowering the protein Kinase A activity as others were not. PKA independent phenotypes include a respiratory state with altered ADP phosphorylating activity. This type of respiration is often associated with high free radicals production. Indeed, this mutant also exhibited elevated level of oxygen free radicals and protein oxidation. The respiratory state deficiency was suppressed by ectopic expression of the mammalian uncoupling protein 1. This latter observation remains unexplained to date. Finally, we developed a new technique that allowed us to visualize carbonylated proteins in situ. This technique was successfully used in yeast, bacteria and stem cells. In yeast, we showed that oxidatively damaged proteins are inherited asymmetrically at the time of mitotic cell division. This phenomenon is a hitherto unknown mechanism for defence against oxidative damage. In addition we show that the asymmetric inheritance of oxidized proteins is dependent on the presence of the Silencing Information Regulator Sir2p, a key determinant of replicative lifespan in yeast. We also found that an intact actin cytoskeleton is necessary for proper segregation of damaged proteins

On protein oxidation, lifespan and aging in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

In this thesis, we have investigated the physiology of protein oxidation and its possible role in the aging of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. There are two ways to measure yeast aging. First, they can only divide a finite number of times even when all nutrients necessary for division are provided. This is replicative aging. Alternatively, when cells are limited with a nutrient, they exit the cell cycle and enter a G0 phase. Over time, these cells will die. This is conditional senescence or chronological aging. Thus replicative and chronological aging are two very distinct phenomena. We demonstrated that exiting the cell cycle led to a sudden increase in protein oxidation. This increase is associated with a shift in respiratory state i.e. the amount of oxygen consumption that can be attribute to ADP phosphorylations by the ATP synthase complex is greatly reduced. Residual respiration is due to the proton conductance through the mitochondria inner membrane. In addition, we found that a mutant with a constitutive high RAS/cAMP/Protein Kinase A activity was constitutively respiring with a respiratory state close to state 4 (non-phosphorylating). This mutant clearly exerted two distinct sets of phenotypes. Some were suppressible by lowering the protein Kinase A activity as others were not. PKA independent phenotypes include a respiratory state with altered ADP phosphorylating activity. This type of respiration is often associated with high free radicals production. Indeed, this mutant also exhibited elevated level of oxygen free radicals and protein oxidation. The respiratory state deficiency was suppressed by ectopic expression of the mammalian uncoupling protein 1. This latter observation remains unexplained to date. Finally, we developed a new technique that allowed us to visualize carbonylated proteins in situ. This technique was successfully used in yeast, bacteria and stem cells. In yeast, we showed that oxidatively damaged proteins are inherited asymmetrically at the time of mitotic cell division. This phenomenon is a hitherto unknown mechanism for defence against oxidative damage. In addition we show that the asymmetric inheritance of oxidized proteins is dependent on the presence of the Silencing Information Regulator Sir2p, a key determinant of replicative lifespan in yeast. We also found that an intact actin cytoskeleton is necessary for proper segregation of damaged proteins

Carbonylated proteins are eliminated during reproduction in C. elegans

Publication Inra prise en compte dans l'analyse bibliométrique des publications scientifiques mondiales sur les Fruits, les Légumes et la Pomme de terre. Période 2000-2012. http://prodinra.inra.fr/record/256699Oxidatively damaged proteins accumulate with age in many species (Stadtman (1992) Science257, 1220-1224). This means that damage must be reset at the time of reproduction. To visualize this resetting in the roundworm Caenorhabditis elegans, a novel immunofluorescence technique that allows the detection of carbonylated proteins in situ was developed. The application of this technique revealed that carbonylated proteins are eliminated during C. elegans reproduction. This purging occurs abruptly within the germline at the time of oocyte maturation. Surprisingly, the germline was markedly more oxidized than the surrounding somatic tissues. Because distinct mechanisms have been proposed to explain damage elimination in yeast and mice (Aguilaniu et al. (2003) Science299, 1751-1753; Hernebring et al. (2006) Proc Natl Acad Sci USA103, 7700-7705), possible common mechanisms between worms and one of these systems were tested. The results show that, unlike in yeast (Aguilaniu et al. (2003) Science299, 1751-1753; Erjavec et al. (2008) Proc Natl Acad Sci USA105, 18764-18769), the elimination of carbonylated proteins in worms does not require the presence of the longevity-ensuring gene, SIR-2.1. However, similar to findings in mice (Hernebring et al. (2006) Proc Natl Acad Sci USA103, 7700-7705), proteasome activity in the germline is required for the resetting of carbonylated proteins during reproduction in C. elegans. Thus, oxidatively damaged proteins are eliminated during reproduction in worms through the proteasome. This finding suggests that the resetting of damaged proteins during reproduction is conserved, therefore validating the use of C. elegans as a model to study the molecular basis of damage elimination

Étude des mécanismes moléculaires liant la lignée germinale au vieillissement chez Caenorhabditis elegans

Un nouveau gène de la longévité ouvre de nouvelles pistes pour vieillir mieux. L'accroissement de la longévité induit par la suppression des tissus reproducteurs a été observé chez la drosophile et chez le ver. Chez ce dernier, l'opération lui donne 60% de vie en plus et lui permet un vieillissement harmonieux et en bonne santé. Les mécanismes moléculaires qui induisent cette réponse font l'objet d'intenses recherches. Certains gènes étaient déjà connus pour être associés à l'accroissement de la longévité des vers sans lignée germinale, et nous avons démontré l'existence d'une nouvelle voie impliquant le récepteur nucléaire NHR-80. Les nématodes dépourvus de lignée germinale et dont nhr-80 est muté ne voient pas leur longévité augmenter. En outre, la surexpression du gène allonge davantage leur durée de vie: elle est 150% plus longue que celle de leurs congénères sauvages. Cela démontre l'importance de ce récepteur nucléaire dont l'activation par une hormone encore inconnue enclenche l'expression ou la mise sous silence de centaines d'autres gènes. Notamment, nous avons montré que l'une des cibles de NHR-80, l'enzyme FAT-6 qui transforme l'acide stéarique en acide oléique est fondamentale, puisque les vers dépourvus de lignée germinale ne présentent plus aucun gain en longévité en l'absence de FAT-6. À terme, nous espérons pouvoir récapituler les effets de l'ablation de la lignée germinale chez un organisme fertile, c'est à dire, d'induire les réarrangements métaboliques qui ont lieu suite à cette opération afin d'en tirer les effets positifs sur la santé, sans affecter la reproduction.Discovery of a key longevity gene opens new perspectives for healthy aging.Increased longevity induced by reproductive tissues removal (germline ablation) is observed in the fly Drosophila melanogaster and in the worm Caenorhabditis elegans. In the latter, the operation increases lifespan by 60%, and enables the nematode to age harmoniously and in good health. The molecular mechanisms that induce this response are subject of intensive research. Our study reveals the existence of a new powerful longevity gene, nhr-80, which mediates this longevity effect. We have shown that inactivation of nhr-80 prevents lifespan increase. Furthermore, nhr-80 overexpression lengthens the nematodes' lifespan by 150%! nhr-80 encodes a nuclear receptor, which activation by a still unknown hormone controls the expression of hundreds of other genes. We showed that one of the critical NHR-80 targets, the enzyme FAT-6, which transforms stearic acid into oleic acid, is necessary to prolong lifespan since a mutation of the fat-6 gene suppresses the effects of germline ablation on longevity. The next step will be to determine how an increase in the level of oleic acid induces an adaptive response resulting in increased longevity. This research may lead to the exciting possibility of recapitulating the benefits of germline ablation in fertile animals; in other words, to activate the longevity effects normally triggered by germline ablation in order to fight, in one go, a host of diseases associated with aging, without affecting reproduction.LYON-ENS Sciences (693872304) / SudocSudocFranceF

Rôles de la Sphingosine kinase dans le vieillissement et la longévité chez Caenorhabditis elegans et dans la dégénérescence neuronale chez les souris

Le vieillissement et les maladies associées constituent une préoccupation croissante des sociétés modernes. En effet, l'espérance de vie augmente rapidement et ceci n'est pas accompagné par une fécondité accrue. Par conséquent, la proportion de personnes âgées augmente et la science doit fournir des solutions pour traiter les maladies liées à l'âge. Dans ce travail, nous avons étudié une partie du réseau génétique qui a un impact sur la durée de vie par le biais du régime alimentaire. Nous nous sommes concentrés en particulier sur le rôle d'un gène conservé qui code pour la sphingosine kinase (SPHK), et nous décrivons ici pour la première fois son rôle dans la longévité induite par la restriction alimentaire. Cette thèse se compose de deux parties. Dans la première partie, C. elegans a été utilisé pour comprendre le rôle que la sphingosine kinase (sphk-1) joue dans le vieillissement. Nous rapportons que les vers porteur d'une mutation dans le gène sphk-1 vivent plus longtemps que des vers sauvages et ne répondent pas à une restriction alimentaire (RA) et ressemblent à des animaux sauvages soumis à RA. De plus, nos données suggèrent que la longévité causée par une mutation du gène sphk-1 nécessite la présence du facteur de transcription SKN-1b, connue pour son rôle dans la RA. De plus, sphk-1 et skn-1b sont tout deux exprimés dans les neurones de la tête. Nos travaux suggèrent également que la voie TOR/autophagie est impliquée dans la longévité de sphk-1 mutants. Nous avons également montré que d'autres gènes dans la voie de synthèse des céramides ont un effet similaire sur la longévité suggérant que cette voie toute entière est capable d affecter la longévité.La deuxième partie de ce travail a été réalisée sur un modèle de souris de la maladie d Alzheimer (MA) pour tester le rôle des gènes SPHK dans la MA et la dégénérescence neuronale. Nous avons constaté que le niveau d'expression de SPHK était significativement augmenté dans nos modèles de souris par rapport à leurs contrôles de la même portée dès l âge de 6 mois. Un inhibiteur de la SPHK (SKI-II) a été administré à ces souris et ce traitement a permis une amélioration des performances des souris dans des tests de marche sur balancier et une augmentation du poids de cerveau, mais pas d'amélioration de la mémoire dépendante de l'hippocampe. Un autre traitement de SKI-II sur des souris de type sauvage n'a pas montré d amélioration significative, mais la restriction calorique (RC) a réduit les niveaux de SPHK chez les souris sauvage, ce qui suggère que la sphingosine kinase a des fonctions conservées dans les voie de signalisation liés au sensing des nutriments.Advances in medical technology and hygiene standards have increased human life expectancy at unprecedented rates worldwide. Nevertheless, one of the consequences of a growing elderly population is an increased prevalence of age-related disease. A scientific understanding of the underlying biological mechanisms of aging is essential to develop effective treatments for age-related diseases and to provide adequate health care to the elderly. In this study, we investigated part of the genetic network that mediates lifespan extension resulting from dietary restriction. We focused on the contribution of a conserved gene encoding the enzyme sphingosine kinase, and describe for the first time its role in diet-mediated longevity.This thesis is composed of two parts. In the first part, we used the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans as a model organism to investigate the role of the sphingosine kinase gene (sphk-1) in aging. We found that worms carrying a sphk-1 null mutation (sphk-1(ok1097)) are long-lived and do not benefit from further lifespan extension upon dietary restriction (DR), a regimen that extends the lives of wild-type worms. sphk-1(ok1097) animals exhibit many phenotypes displayed by animals subjected to DR, suggesting that sphk-1(ok1097) acts through the DR longevity pathway. In support of this, sphk-1(ok1097)-mediated lifespan extension requires the essential DR regulator, SKN-1b, and, similar to SKN-1b, sphk-1 is expressed in head neurons. A search for possible sphk-1(ok1097)-associated longevity determinants suggested the involvement of the TOR/autophagy pathway. Moreover, we found that mutations in ceramide pathway genes other than sphk-1 have similar effects on longevity. Finally, we discovered that sphk-1 mutants fail to reduce germ cell numbers in response to DR. Because such a reduction appears to be an essential feature of DR-mediated lifespan extension, we propose that this failure to reduce germ cell numbers may explain why sphk-1(ok1097) mutant longevity is not extended when nutrient levels are low.The second part of this study investigated the role of sphingosine kinase in brain function during normal and pathologic aging. We examined the expression of sphingosine kinase genes in wild-type mice and in a mouse model of Alzheimer s disease (AD)-like neurodegeneration. Expression of both mouse SphK genes was increased in the brains of AD-like mice as early as 6 months of age. Chronic administration of an SphK inhibitor elevated the brain weight of AD-like mice and improved their performance in the beam walking test, but not in hippocampus-dependent memory tasks. Treatment of wild-type mice with SKI-II had little effect, but calorie restriction reduced the expression of SphK mRNA in the brain, suggesting that sphingosine kinase may play some conserved roles in nutrient sensing pathways.LYON-ENS Sciences (693872304) / SudocSudocFranceF

Reproduction, Fat Metabolism, and Lifespan – What Is the Connection?

International audienceReduced reproduction is associated with increased fat storage and prolonged lifespan in multiple organisms, but the underlying regulatory mechanisms remain poorly understood. Recent studies in several species provide evidence that reproduction, fat metabolism, and longevity are directly coupled. For instance, germline removal in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans promotes longevity in part by modulating lipid metabolism through effects on fatty acid desaturation, lipolysis, and autophagy. Here, we review these recent studies and discuss the mechanisms by which reproduction modulates fat metabolism and lifespan. Elucidating the relationship between these processes could contribute to our understanding of age-related diseases, including metabolic disorders