The short-lived fish Nothobranchius furzeri as a new model system for aging studies

Late-onset temperature reduction can retard the aging process in aged fish via a combined action of an anti-oxidant system and the insulin/insulin-like growth factor 1 signaling pathway

Two different mechanisms are considered to be related to aging. Cumulative molecular damage caused by reactive oxygen species (ROS), the by-products of oxidative phosphorylation, is one of these mechanisms (ROS concept). Deregulated nutrient sensing by the insulin/insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) signaling (IIS) pathway is the second mechanism (IIS concept). Temperature reduction (TR) is known to modulate aging and prolong life span in a variety of organisms, but the mechanisms remain poorly defined. Here we first demonstrate that late-onset TR from 26 °C to 22 °C extends mean life span and maximum life span by approximately 5.2 and 3 weeks, respectively, in the annual fish Nothobranchius guentheri. We then show that TR is able to decrease the accumulation of the histological aging markers senescence-associated β-galactosidase (SA-β-Gal) in the epithelium and lipofuscin (LF) in the liver and to reduce protein oxidation and lipid peroxidation levels in the muscle. We also show that TR can enhance the activities of catalase, glutathione peroxidase, and superoxide dismutase, and stimulate the synthesis of SirT1 and FOXO3A/FOXO1A, both of which are the downstream regulators of the IIS pathway. Taken together, our findings suggest that late-onset TR, a simple non-intrusion intervention, can retard the aging process in aged fish, resulting in their life span extension, via a synergistic action of an anti-oxidant system and the IIS pathway. This also suggests that combined assessment of the ROS and IIS concepts will contribute to providing a more comprehensive view of the anti-aging process.

The age related markers lipofuscin and apoptosis show different genetic architecture by QTL mapping in short-lived Nothobranchius fish

Annual fish of the genus Nothobranchius show large variations in lifespan and expression of age-related phenotypes between closely related populations. We studied N. kadleci and its sister species N. furzeri GRZ strain, and found that N.kadleci is longer-lived than the N. furzeri. Lipofuscin and apoptosis measured in the liver increased with age in N. kadleci with different profiles: lipofuscin increased linearly, while apoptosis declined in the oldest animals. More lipofuscin (P<0.001) and apoptosis (P<0.001) was observed in N. furzeri than in N. kadleci at 16w age. Lipofuscin and apoptotic cells were then quantified in hybrids from the mating of N. furzeri to N. kadleci. F₁individuals showed heterosis for lipofuscin but additive effects for apoptosis. These two age-related phenotypes were not correlated in F₂ hybrids. Quantitative trait loci analysis of 287 F₂ fish using 237 markers identified two QTL accounting for 10% of lipofuscin variance (P<0.001) with overdominance effect. Apoptotic cells revealed three significant- and two suggestive QTL explaining 19% of variance (P<0.001), showing additive and dominance effects, and two interacting loci. Our results show that lipofuscin and apoptosis are markers of different age-dependent biological processes controlled by different genetic mechanisms.

What is "phenoptosis" and how to fight it?

Phenoptosis is the death of an organism programmed by its genome. Numerous examples of phenoptosis are described in prokaryotes, unicellular eukaryotes, and all kingdoms of multicellular eukaryotes (animals, plants, and fungi). There are very demonstrative cases of acute phenoptosis when actuation of a specific biochemical or behavioral program results in immediate death. Rapid (taking days) senescence of semelparous plants is described as phenoptosis controlled by already known genes and mediated by toxic phytohormones like abscisic acid. In soya, the death signal is transmitted from beans to leaves via xylem, inducing leaf fall and death of the plant. Mutations in two genes of Arabidopsis thaliana, required for the flowering and subsequent formation of seeds, prevent senescence, strongly prolonging the lifespan of this small semelparous grass that becomes a big bush with woody stem, and initiate substitution of vegetative for sexual reproduction. The death of pacific salmon immediately after spawning is surely programmed. In this case, numerous typical traits of aging, including amyloid plaques in the brain, appear on the time scale of days. There are some indications that slow aging of higher animals and humans is also programmed, being the final step of ontogenesis. It is assumed that stepwise decline of many physiological functions during such aging increases pressure of natural selection on organisms stimulating in this way biological evolution. As a working hypothesis, the biochemical mechanism of slow aging is proposed. It is assumed that mitochondria-generated reactive oxygen species (ROS) is a tool to stimulate apoptosis, an effect decreasing with age the cell number (cellularity) of organs and tissues. A group of SkQ-type substances composed of plastoquinone and a penetrating cation were synthesized to target an antioxidant into mitochondria and to prevent the age-linked rise of the mitochondrial ROS level. Such targeting is due to the fact that mitochondria are the only cellular organelles that are negatively charged compared to the cytosol. SkQs are shown to strongly decrease concentration of ROS in mitochondria, prolong lifespan of fungi, invertebrates, fish, and mammals, and retard appearance of numerous traits of aging. Clinical trials of SkQ1 (plastoquinonyl decyltriphenylphosphonium) have been successfully completed so that the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation recommends drops of very dilute (0.25 µM) solution of this antioxidant as a medicine to treat the syndrome of dry eye, which was previously considered an incurable disease developing with age. These drops are already available in drugstores. Thus, SkQ1 is the first mitochondria-targeted drug employed in medical practice.

Characterization and modulation of human mesenchymal stem cell stress pathway response following hypothermic storage

Human mesenchymal stem cell (hMSC) research has grown exponentially in the last decade. The ability to process and preserve these cells is vital to their use in stem cell therapy. As such, understanding the complex, molecular-based stress responses associated with biopreservation is necessary to improve outcomes and maintain the unique stem cell properties specific to hMSC. In this study hMSC were exposed to cold storage (4°C) for varying intervals in three different media. The addition of resveratrol or salubrinal was studied to determine if either could improve cell tolerance to cold. A rapid elevation in apoptosis at 1h post-storage as well as increased levels of necrosis through the 24h of recovery was noted in samples. The addition of resveratrol resulted in significant improvements to hMSC survival while the addition of salubrinal revealed a differential response based on the media utilized. Decreases in both apoptosis and necrosis together with decreased cell stress/death signaling protein levels were observed following modulation. Further, ER stress and subsequent unfolded protein response (UPR) stress pathway activation was implicated in response to hMSC hypothermic storage. This study is an important first step in understanding hMSC stress responses to cold exposure and demonstrates the impact of targeted molecular modulation of specific stress pathways on cold tolerance thereby yielding improved outcomes. Continued research is necessary to further elucidate the molecular mechanisms involved in hypothermic-induced hMSC cell death. This study has demonstrated the potential for improving hMSC processing and storage through targeting select cell stress pathways.

Medaka fish exhibits longevity gender gap, a natural drop in estrogen and telomere shortening during aging: a unique model for studying sex-dependent longevity

Introduction

Females having a longer telomere and lifespan than males have been documented in many animals. Such linkage however has never been reported in fish. Progressive shortening of telomere length is an important aging mechanism. Mounting in vitro evidence has shown that telomere shortening beyond a critical length triggered replicative senescence or cell death. Estrogen has been postulated as a key factor contributing to maintenance of telomere and sex-dependent longevity in animals. This postulation remains unproven due to the lack of a suitable animal system for testing. Here, we introduce a teleost model, the Japanese medaka Oryzias latipes, which shows promise for research into the molecular mechanism(s) controlling sex difference in aging.

Results

Using the medaka, we demonstrate for the first time in teleost that (i) sex differences (female > male) in telomere length and longevity also exist in fish, and (ii) a natural, ‘menopause’-like decline of plasma estrogen was evident in females during aging. Estrogen levels significantly correlated with telomerase activity as well as telomere length in female organs (not in males), suggesting estrogen could modulate telomere length via telomerase activation in a sex -specific manner. A hypothetical in vivo ‘critical’ terminal restriction fragment (TRF, representing telomere) length of approximately 4 kb was deduced in medaka liver for prediction of organismal mortality, which is highly comparable with that for human cells. An age conversion model was also established to enable age translation between medaka (in months) and human (in years). These novel tools are useful for future research on comparative biology of aging using medaka.

Conclusion

The striking similarity in estrogen profile between aging female O. latipes and women enables studying the influence of “postmenopausal” decline of estrogen on telomere and longevity without the need of invasive ovariectomy. Medaka fish is advantageous for studying the direct effect of increased estrogen on telomere length and longevity without the breast cancer complications reported in rodents. The findings strongly support the notion that O. latipes is a unique non-mammalian model for validation of estrogenic influence on telomere and longevity in vertebrates. This laboratory model fish is of potential significance for deciphering the ostensibly conserved mechanism(s) of sex-associated longevity in vertebrates.

Beyond the zebrafish: diverse fish species for modeling human disease

In recent years, zebrafish, and to a lesser extent medaka, have become widely used small animal models for human diseases. These organisms have convincingly demonstrated the usefulness of fish for improving our understanding of the molecular and cellular mechanisms leading to pathological conditions, and for the development of new diagnostic and therapeutic tools. Despite the usefulness of zebrafish and medaka in the investigation of a wide spectrum of traits, there is evidence to suggest that other fish species could be better suited for more targeted questions. With the emergence of new, improved sequencing technologies that enable genomic resources to be generated with increasing efficiency and speed, the potential of non-mainstream fish species as disease models can now be explored. A key feature of these fish species is that the pathological condition that they model is often related to specific evolutionary adaptations. By exploring these adaptations, new disease-causing and disease-modifier genes might be identified; thus, diverse fish species could be exploited to better understand the complexity of disease processes. In addition, non-mainstream fish models could allow us to study the impact of environmental factors, as well as genetic variation, on complex disease phenotypes. This Review will discuss the opportunities that such fish models offer for current and future biomedical research.

Active avoidance learning in zebrafish (Danio rerio)--the role of sensory modality and inter-stimulus interval

The zebrafish (Danio rerio) promises to meet the growing need of a high throughput model in the fields of gerontological and neurobehavioral research by possessing highly conserved anatomy and physiology with vertebrates, while having low maintenance costs. Here we further explore the conditions of active avoidance learning in zebrafish. Two pairs of distinct aversive conditioning experiments using shuttle boxes were designed to compare the effects of sensory modality and conditioned-unconditioned stimulus interval (CS-US interval) upon memory formation and retention. We found that olfactory conditioning with phenylethyl alcohol as a CS was significantly more likely to produce a successful outcome than with a visual CS. Likewise a 10 s CS-US interval yielded significantly more successful memory formation than a 15 s interval. These conditions may further facilitate the use of zebrafish to explore the genetic and neuronal base of active avoidance learning and its neuropharmacological improvement.

Neural plasticity and stress coping in teleost fishes

Physiological and behavioural responses to environmental change are individually variable traits, which manifest phenotypically and are subject to natural selection as correlated trait-clusters (coping styles, behavioural syndromes, or personality traits). Comparative research has revealed a range of neuroendocrine-behavioural associations which are conserved throughout the vertebrate subphylum. Regulatory mechanisms universally mediate a switch between proactive (e.g. active/aggressive) and reactive (e.g. conservation/withdrawal) behaviour in response to unpredictable and uncontrollable events. Thresholds for switching from active coping to behavioural inhibition are individually variable, and depend on experience and genetic factors. Such factors affect physiological stress responses as well as perception, learning, and memory. Here we review the role of an important contributor to neural processing, the set of biochemical, molecular, and structural processes collectively referred to as neural plasticity. We will concentrate on work in teleost fishes, while also elucidating conserved aspects. In fishes, environmental and physiological control of brain cell proliferation and neurogenesis has received recent attention. This work has revealed that the expression of genes involved in CNS plasticity is affected by heritable variation in stress coping style, and is also differentially affected by short- and long-term stress. Chronic stress experienced by subordinate fish in social hierarchies leads to a marked suppression of brain cell proliferation. Interestingly, typically routine dependent and inflexible behaviour in proactive individuals is also associated with low transcription of neurogenesis related genes. The potential for these findings to illuminate stress-related neurobiological disorders in other vertebrates is also discussed.

Resveratrol extends lifespan and preserves glia but not neurons of the Nothobranchius guentheri optic tectum

Resveratrol is reported as having neuroprotective properties, however, much of this reputation has come from research using disease and injury models of neurodegeneration and not neurodegenerative-ageing. The results published here pertain to the affect resveratrol has on neurodegenerative-ageing. Resveratrol had previously been used to extend the lifespan of Nothobranchius furzeri wherein it preserved cognition and reduced ageing-associated neurodegeneration. No cell-type specific antibodies were then identified which could be used to investigate the nature of the neurodegeneration or resveratrols effect on CNS cells. Using wholemounts stained with SMI31 anti-phospho-neurolament, GA-5 and DAKO Z0334 anti-GFAP antibodies, E587 antiserum against NCAMs and anti-tenascin-R antibodies we determined what cellular changes occurred with age in the optic tectum of Nothobranchius guentheri. We show that resveratrol-treatment extended the lifespan of N. guentheri but did not preserve neuron density of the optic tectum stratum griseum superciale even though it did reduce the proportion of degenerate (SMI31 antigen accumulating) neurons in the optic tectum. Resveratrol-treatment did prevent the ageing-dependent loss of radial glia lining the optic tectum of N. guentheri. The ageing-related loss of NCAM expression and tenascin-R expressing perineuronal nets was also prevented by resveratrol-treatment. Glial and perineuronal density as well as NCAM expression appear to correlate well with age. These results suggest that the anti-ageing properties of resveratrol in vertebrates may be unrelated to the protection of neurons.

Absence of replicative senescence in cultured cells from the short-lived killifish Nothobranchius furzeri

A major challenge in age research is the absence of short-lived vertebrate model organisms. The turquoise killifish Nothobranchius furzeri has the shortest known lifespan of a vertebrate that can be bred in captivity. The short lived GRZ strain only reaches a maximum age of 3-4 months, whereas other strains (MZM) reach 6-10 months. Most importantly, the short lifespan is associated with typical signs of ageing. To find out more about possible cellular factors that might contribute to the short lifespan and to the difference in lifespan between strains, we analyzed the expression of markers for cellular senescence. Expression of Tp53, Cdkn1a and Cdkn2a/b in skin revealed no change in the short-lived GRZ but increased expression of the cell cycle inhibitors Cdkn1a and Cdkn2a/b in the long-lived MZM strain with age. This suggests that expression of distinct cell cycle inhibitors reflects rather chronological than biological age in N. furzeri. To study the relationship of organismal life span and in vitro life span of cells, we established a primary cell culture model. For both strains we demonstrate here the absence of replicative senescence as analysed by morphology, expression of Cdkn1a and Cdkn2a/b, population doubling times and γH2AFX in long-term and short-term cultured cells. We reason this to be on account of sustained telomerase activity and maintained telomeric length. Hence, we propose that differences in maximum life span of different N. furzeri strains is not reflected by differences in proliferation speed or replicative potential of the respective cultured cells.

Immunolocalization of S100-like protein in the brain of an emerging model organism: Nothobranchius furzeri

The S100 protein in nervous tissue appears to play important roles in regulating neuronal differentiation, glial proliferation, plasticity, development, axonal growth, and in neurogenetic processes. In fish, the adult neurogenic activity is much higher than in mammals. In this study, the localization of S100 protein was investigated in the brain of annual teleost fish, Nothobranchius furzeri, which is an emerging model organism for aging research. By immunohistochemical techniques, S100 immunoreactivity (IR) was detected in glial cells, small neurons, and fibers throughout all regions of central nervous system (CNS) with different pattern of distribution. In the telencephalon, S100 IR was seen in the olfactory bulbs and in different areas of the telencephalic hemispheres. In the diencephalon, S100 positivity was observed in the habenular nuclei of the epithalamus, in the cortical thalamic nucleus, in the dorsal, ventral and caudal portions, the latter with the posterior recessus nucleus, and in the diffuse inferior lobe of the hypothalamus, along the diencephalic ventricle and in the dorsal optic tract. In the mesencephalon, S100 IR was observed in the longitudinal tori, in the optic tectum, and along the mesencephalic ventricle. In the rhombencephalon, S100 IR was shown in valvula and body of the cerebellum, and in some nuclei of the medulla oblongata. The results suggest that S100 may play a key role in the maintenance of the CNS and in neurogenesis processes in the adulthood.

Mitochondrial DNA copy number and function decrease with age in the short-lived fish Nothobranchius furzeri

Among vertebrates that can be kept in captivity, the annual fish Nothobranchius furzeri possesses the shortest known lifespan. It also shows typical signs of aging and is therefore an ideal model to assess the role of different physiological and environmental parameters on aging and lifespan determination. Here, we used Nothobranchius furzeri to study whether aging is associated with mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) alterations and changes in mitochondrial function. We sequenced the complete mitochondrial genome of N. furzeri and found an extended control region. Large-scale mtDNA deletions have been frequently described to accumulate in other organisms with age, but there was no evidence for the presence of detectable age-related mtDNA deletions in N. furzeri. However, mtDNA copy number significantly decreased with age in skeletal muscle, brain, liver, skin and dorsal fin. Consistent with this finding, expression of Pgc-1α that encodes a transcriptional coactivator of mitochondrial biogenesis and expression of Tfam and mtSsbp both encoding mtDNA binding factors was downregulated with age. The investigation of possible changes in mitochondrial function revealed that the content of respiratory chain complexes III and IV was reduced in skeletal muscle with age. In addition, ADP-stimulated and succinate-dependent respiration was decreased in mitochondria of old fish. These findings suggest that despite the short lifespan, aging in N. furzeri is associated with a decline in mtDNA copy number, the downregulation of mtDNA-associated genes and an impairment of mitochondrial function.

Age structure of annual Nothobranchius fishes in Mozambique: is there a hatching synchrony?

The age structures of populations of African annual Nothobranchius spp. were examined for the first time. Daily increments in sagittal otoliths of Nothobranchius furzeri, Nothobranchius kadleci, Nothobranchius orthonotus and Nothobranchius rachovii from southern and central Mozambique were used for age determination. Four hypotheses were tested: (1) timing of hatching is consistent with the calendar onset of the rainy season, (2) hatching is synchronized within a population in a pool, (3) there is a difference in hatching date between geographical regions differing in mean total annual precipitation and (4) sympatric Nothobranchius spp. hatch at the same time. The results show that daily increment analysis represents an applicable method for age determination in Nothobranchius spp. Despite a significant positive relationship between age and size of fishes, a pronounced variation in fish size at an age precluded the use of fish size as a valid age marker. Timing of hatching was not consistent with the calendar onset of the rainy season. Interpopulation variability was observed in the degree of hatching date synchronization within a population. Hatching dates were relatively uniform in some populations, while there was considerable variability in others. Differences in timing of hatching date were found in only 1 of 2 years within the three regions investigated (Chefu, lower Limpopo and Sofala regions), each of which differed in mean total annual rainfall. The hatching dates of sympatric Nothobranchius spp. were marginally different, but further testing on a larger sample is needed for conclusive results.

Dynamic energy budget approaches for modelling organismal ageing

Ageing is a complex multifactorial process involving a progressive physiological decline that, ultimately, leads to the death of an organism. It involves multiple changes in many components that play fundamental roles under healthy and pathological conditions. Simultaneously, every organism undergoes accumulative 'wear and tear' during its lifespan, which confounds the effects of the ageing process. The scenario is complicated even further by the presence of both age-dependent and age-independent competing causes of death. Various manipulations have been shown to interfere with the ageing process. Calorie restriction, for example, has been reported to increase the lifespan of a wide range of organisms, which suggests a strong relation between energy metabolism and ageing. Such a link is also supported within the main theories for ageing: the free radical hypothesis, for instance, links oxidative damage production directly to energy metabolism. The Dynamic Energy Budgets (DEB) theory, which characterizes the uptake and use of energy by living organisms, therefore constitutes a useful tool for gaining insight into the ageing process. Here we compare the existing DEB-based modelling approaches and, then, discuss how new biological evidence could be incorporated within a DEB framework.

The short-lived annual fish Nothobranchius furzeri shows a typical teleost aging process reinforced by high incidence of age-dependent neoplasias

The annual fish Nothobranchius furzeri is the shortest-lived vertebrate which can be cultured in captivity. Here, we performed a histopathological analysis of age-related lesions in this species. Post-mortem analysis revealed lesions in liver (~90%), kidney (~75%), heart (~70%) and gonads (~40%) which are similar to those previously described in the small teleost Poecilia reticulata. In addition, a high incidence of neoplasias was observed in liver (~35%) and kidney (~25%). Different laboratory strains of N. furzeri show large genetic differences in longevity. Cross-sectional analysis revealed a clear age-dependent increase in the incidence of liver neoplasias which was accelerated in a short-lived strain. Cross-sectional analysis of gonads revealed sex-specific differences in the occurrence of lesions, with males being more severely affected than females. In conclusion, our analysis demonstrates that short life span in N. furzeri is a consequence of a typical teleost aging process which determines systemic failure of homeostasis functions rather than of a single organ or apparatus. Unlike other teleosts, however, this scenario is reinforced by high incidence of age-dependent neoplasias, making this species a promising model to analyze the molecular pathways of age-dependent spontaneous tumorigenesis.

Cats, "rats," and bats: the comparative biology of aging in the 21st century

Laboratory models have suggested a link between metabolism and life span in vertebrates, and it is well known that the evolution of specific life histories can be driven by metabolic factors. However, little is known regarding how the adoption of specific life-history strategies can shape aging and life span in populations facing different energetic demands from either a theoretical or a mechanistic viewpoint but significant insight can be gained by using a comparative approach. Comparative biology plays several roles in our understanding of the virtually ubiquitous phenomenon of aging in animals. First, it provides a critical evaluation of broad hypotheses concerning the evolutionary forces underlying the modulation of aging rate. Second, it suggests mechanistic hypotheses about processes of aging. Third, it illuminates particularly informative species because of their exceptionally slow or rapid aging rates to be interrogated about potentially novel mechanisms of aging. Although comparative biology has played a significant role in research on aging for more than a century, the new comparative biology of aging is poised to dwarf those earlier contributions, because: (1) new cellular and molecular techniques for investigating novel species are in place and more are being continually generated, (2) molecular systematics has resolved the phylogenetic relationships among a wide range of species, which allow for the implementation of analytic tools specialized for comparative biology, and (3) in addition to facilitating the construction of accurate phylogenies, the dramatic acceleration in DNA-sequencing technology is providing us with new tools for a comparative genomic approach to understanding aging.

Gender separation increases somatic growth in females but does not affect lifespan in Nothobranchius furzeri

According to life history theory, physiological and ecological traits and parameters influence an individual's life history and thus, ultimately, its lifespan. Mating and reproduction are costly activities, and in a variety of model organisms, a negative correlation of longevity and reproductive effort has been demonstrated. We are employing the annual killifish Nothobranchius furzeri as a vertebrate model for ageing. N. furzeri is the vertebrate displaying the shortest known lifespan in captivity with particular strains living only three to four months under optimal laboratory conditions. The animals show explosive growth, early sexual maturation and age-dependent physiological and behavioural decline. Here, we have used N. furzeri to investigate a potential reproduction-longevity trade-off in both sexes by means of gender separation. Though female reproductive effort and offspring investment were significantly reduced after separation, as investigated by analysis of clutch size, eggs in the ovaries and ovary mass, the energetic surplus was not reallocated towards somatic maintenance. In fact, a significant extension of lifespan could not be observed in either sex. This is despite the fact that separated females, but not males, grew significantly larger and heavier than the respective controls. Therefore, it remains elusive whether lifespan of an annual species evolved in periodically vanishing habitats can be prolonged on the cost of reproduction at all.

Suitability of the clonal marbled crayfish for biogerontological research: a review and perspective, with remarks on some further crustaceans

This article examines the suitability of the parthenogenetic marbled crayfish for research on ageing and longevity. The marbled crayfish is an emerging laboratory model for development, epigenetics and toxicology that produces up to 400 genetically identical siblings per batch. It is easily cultured, has an adult size of 4-9 cm, a generation time of 6-7 months and a life span of 2-3 years. Experimental data and biological peculiarities like isogenicity, direct development, indeterminate growth, high regeneration capacity and negligible senescence suggest that the marbled crayfish is particularly suitable to investigate the dependency of ageing and longevity from non-genetic factors such as stochastic developmental variation, allocation of metabolic resources, damage and repair, caloric restriction and social stress. It is also well applicable to examine alterations of the epigenetic code with increasing age and to identify mechanisms that keep stem cells active until old age. As a representative of the sparsely investigated crustaceans and of animals with indeterminate growth and extended brood care the marbled crayfish may even contribute to evolutionary theories of ageing and longevity. Some relatives are recommended as substitutes for investigation of topics, for which the marbled crayfish is less suitable like genetics of ageing and achievement of life spans of decades under conditions of low food and low temperature. Research on ageing in the marbled crayfish and its relatives is of practical relevance for crustacean fisheries and aquaculture and may offer starting points for the development of novel anti-ageing interventions in humans.

Sirtuin activators: designing molecules to extend life span

Resveratrol (RESV) exerts important pharmacological effects on human health: in addition to its beneficial effects on type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases, it also modulates neuronal energy homeostasis and shows antiaging properties. Although it clearly has free radical scavenger properties, the mechanisms involved in these beneficial effects are not fully understood. In this regard, one area of major interest concerns the effects of RESV on the activity of sirtuin 1 (SIRT1), an NAD(+)-dependent histone deacetylase that has been implicated in aging. Indeed, the role of SIRT1 is currently the subject of intense research due to the antiaging properties of RESV, which increases life span in various organisms ranging from yeast to rodents. In addition, when RESV is administered in experimental animal models of neurological disorders, it has similar beneficial effects to caloric restriction. SIRT1 activation could thus constitute a potential strategic target in neurodegenerative diseases and in disorders involving disturbances in glucose homeostasis, as well as in dyslipidaemias or cardiovascular diseases. Therefore, small SIRT1 activators such as SRT501, SRT2104, and SRT2379, which are currently undergoing clinical trials, could be potential drugs for the treatment of type 2 diabetes, obesity, and metabolic syndrome, among other disorders. This review summarises current knowledge about the biological functions of SIRT1 in aging and aging-associated diseases and discusses its potential as a pharmacological target.

Dose-dependency of resveratrol in providing health benefits

This review describes the dose-dependent health benefits of resveratrol, a polyphenolic antioxidant that is found in a variety of foods, especially grape skin and red wine. Resveratrol provides diverse health benefits including cardioprotection, inhibition of low-density lipoprotein, activation of nitric oxide (NO) production, hindering of platelet aggregation [32] A.A.E. Bertelli, D.E. Giovannini, R.L. Caterina, W. Bernini, M. Migliori and M. Fregoni et al., Antiplatelet activity of cis-resveratrol, Drugs Exp Clin Res 22 (1996), pp. 61-63. View Record in Scopus | Cited By in Scopus (111) and promotion of anti-inflammatory effects. Studies have shown that at a lower dose, resveratrol acts as an anti-apoptotic agent, providing cardioprotection as evidenced by increased expression in cell survival proteins, improved postischemic ventricular recovery and reduction of myocardial infarct size and cardiomyocyte apoptosis and maintains a stable redox environment compared to control. At higher dose, resveratrol acts as a pro-apoptotic compound, inducing apoptosis in cancer cells by exerting a death signal. At higher doses, resveratrol depresses cardiac function, elevates levels of apoptotic protein expressions, results in an unstable redox environment, increases myocardial infarct size and number of apoptotic cells. At high dose, resveratrol not only hinders tumor growth but also inhibits the synthesis of RNA, DNA and protein, causes structural chromosome aberrations, chromatin breaks, chromatin exchanges, weak aneuploidy, higher S-phase arrest, blocks cell proliferation, decreases wound healing, endothelial cell growth by fibroblast growth factor-2 (FGF-2) and vascular endothelial growth factor, and angiogenesis in healthy tissue cells leading to cell death. Thus, at lower dose, resveratrol can be very useful in maintaining the human health whereas at higher dose, resveratrol has pro-apoptotic actions on healthy cells, but can kill tumor cells.

Resveratrol: An Antiaging Drug with Potential Therapeutic Applications in Treating Diseases

The prevention of aging is one of the most fascinating areas in biomedicine. The first step in the development of effective drugs for aging prevention is a knowledge of the biochemical pathways responsible for the cellular aging process. In this context it seems clear that free radicals play a key role in the aging process. However, in recent years it has been demonstrated that the families of enzymes called sirtuins, specifically situin 1 (SIRT1), have an anti-aging action. Thus, the natural compound resveratrol is a natural compound that shows a very strong activation of SIRT1 and also shows antioxidant effects. By activating sirtuin 1, resveratrol modulates the activity of numerous proteins, including peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor coactivator-1α (PGC-1 alpha), the FOXO family, Akt (protein kinase B) and NFκβ. In the present review, we suggest that resveratrol may constitute a potential drug for prevention of ageing and for the treatment of several diseases due to its antioxidant properties and sirtuin activation.

Effects of dietary restriction on mortality and age-related phenotypes in the short-lived fish Nothobranchius furzeri

The short-lived annual fish Nothobranchius furzeri shows extremely short captive life span and accelerated expression of age markers, making it an interesting model system to investigate the effects of experimental manipulations on longevity and age-related pathologies. Here, we tested the effects of dietary restriction (DR) on mortality and age-related markers in N. furzeri. DR was induced by every other day feeding and the treatment was performed both in an inbred laboratory line and a longer-lived wild-derived line. In the inbred laboratory line, DR reduced age-related risk and prolonged maximum life span. In the wild-derived line, DR induced early mortality, did not reduce general age-related risk and caused a small but significant extension of maximum life span. Analysis of age-dependent mortality revealed that DR reduced demographic rate of aging, but increased baseline mortality in the wild-derived strain. In both inbred- and wild-derived lines, DR prevented the expression of the age markers lipofuscin in the liver and Fluoro-Jade B (neurodegeneration) in the brain. DR also improved performance in a learning test based on conditioning (active avoidance in a shuttle box). Finally, DR induced a paradoxical up-regulation of glial fibrillary acidic protein in the brain.

The outflow tract of the heart in fishes: anatomy, genes and evolution

A large number of congenital heart defects associated with mortality in humans are those that affect the cardiac outflow tract, and this provides a strong imperative to understand its development during embryogenesis. While there is wide phylogenetic variation in adult vertebrate heart morphology, recent work has demonstrated evolutionary conservation in the early processes of cardiogenesis, including that of the outflow tract. This, along with the utility and high reproductive potential of fish species such as Danio rerio, Oryzias latipes etc., suggests that fishes may provide ideal comparative biological models to facilitate a better understanding of this poorly understood region of the heart. In this review, the authors present the current understanding of both phylogeny and ontogeny of the cardiac outflow tract in fishes and examine how new molecular studies are informing the phylogenetic relationships and evolutionary trajectories that have been proposed. The authors also attempt to address some of the issues of nomenclature that confuse this area of research.

Expression of the longevity proteins by both red and white wines and their cardioprotective components, resveratrol, tyrosol, and hydroxytyrosol

Resveratrol increases longevity through SirT1, which is activated with NAD(+) supplied by an anti-aging enzyme PBEF. SirT1 interacts with an anti-aging transcription factor, FoxO1, which is negatively regulated by Akt. Since white wine could have similar health benefits as red wine, we determined if white wine and its cardioprotective components possess anti-aging properties by feeding rats with these compounds. The hearts expressed SirT, FoxO, and PBEF in the order of white wine>resveratrol>tyrosol>hydroxytyrosol>red wine, while cardioprotection shown by reduction of infarct size and cardiomyocyte apoptosis followed a different pattern: resveratrol>red wine>hydroxytyrosol>white wine>tyrosol, suggesting the existence of different signaling mechanisms for the induction of longevity and survival.

High tandem repeat content in the genome of the short-lived annual fish Nothobranchius furzeri: a new vertebrate model for aging research

BACKGROUND

The annual fish Nothobranchius furzeri is the vertebrate with the shortest known life span in captivity. Fish of the GRZ strain live only three to four months under optimal laboratory conditions, show explosive growth, early sexual maturation and age-dependent physiological and behavioral decline, and express aging related biomarkers. Treatment with resveratrol and low temperature significantly extends the maximum life span. These features make N. furzeri a promising new vertebrate model for age research.

RESULTS

To contribute to establishing N. furzeri as a new model organism, we provide a first insight into its genome and a comparison to medaka, stickleback, tetraodon and zebrafish. The N. furzeri genome contains 19 chromosomes (2n = 38). Its genome of between 1.6 and 1.9 Gb is the largest among the analyzed fish species and has, at 45%, the highest repeat content. Remarkably, tandem repeats comprise 21%, which is 4-12 times more than in the other four fish species. In addition, G+C-rich tandem repeats preferentially localize to centromeric regions. Phylogenetic analysis based on coding sequences identifies medaka as the closest relative. Genotyping of an initial set of 27 markers and multi-locus fingerprinting of one microsatellite provides the first molecular evidence that the GRZ strain is highly inbred.

CONCLUSIONS

Our work presents a first basis for systematic genomic and genetic analyses aimed at understanding the mechanisms of life span determination in N. furzeri.

Distribution, colour polymorphism and habitat use of the African killifish Nothobranchius furzeri, the vertebrate with the shortest life span

Intensive collection in southern Mozambique across and outside the potential range of Nothobranchius furzeri, the species with the shortest recorded life span among vertebrates used as a model in ageing research, revealed that, contrary to previous data, it is a widespread species. It occurs in small freshwater pools south of the Save River and north of the Incomati River, including basins of the Limpopo, Changane, Chefu, Mazimechopes and Vaneteze Rivers. During collection in February 2008 (the second part of the rainy season), populations were strongly female biased (mean, 28% of males across 19 populations), and there was a spatial pattern in female bias among metapopulations. Populations varied in the proportion of male colour morphs. Fourteen populations were composed exclusively of the red male phenotype, three populations of the yellow male phenotype and 12 populations were mixed. Overall, the red phenotype was more common, but there was strong geographical variation in morph proportion, with yellow males more abundant at the periphery and red male dominance in the centre of the range of N. furzeri in the Limpopo basin. Nothobranchius furzeri was sympatric with Nothobranchius orthonotus (35% of investigated pools) and Nothobranchius rachovii (27% of sites). Analysis of habitat use of N. furzeri is presented; N. furzeri was associated with pools containing a soft muddy substratum and turbid water.

Large differences in aging phenotype between strains of the short-lived annual fish Nothobranchius furzeri

Background

A laboratory inbred strain of the annual fish Nothobranchius furzeri shows exceptionally short life expectancy and accelerated expression of age markers. In this study, we analyze new wild-derived lines of this short-lived species.

Methodology/Principal Findings

We characterized captive survival and age-related traits in F1 and F2 offspring of wild-caught N. furzeri. Wild-derived N. furzeri lines showed expression of lipofuscin and neurodegeneration at age 21 weeks. Median lifespan in the laboratory varied from to 20 to 23 weeks and maximum lifespan from 25 to 32 weeks. These data demonstrate that rapid age-dependent decline and short lifespan are natural characteristics of this species. The N. furzeri distribution range overlaps with gradients in altitude and aridity. Fish from more arid habitats are expected to experience a shorter survival window in the wild. We tested whether captive lines stemming from semi-arid and sub-humid habitats differ in longevity and expression of age-related traits. We detected a clear difference in age-dependent cognitive decline and a slight difference in lifespan (16% for median, 15% for maximum lifespan) between these lines. Finally, we observed shorter lifespan and accelerated expression of age-related markers in the inbred laboratory strain compared to these wild-derived lines.

Conclusions/Significance

Owing to large differences in aging phenotypes in different lines, N. furzeri could represent a model system for studying the genetic control of life-history traits in natural populations.

Regulation of cellular signals from nutritional molecules: a specific role for phytochemicals, beyond antioxidant activity

Phytochemicals (PhC) are a ubiquitous class of plant secondary metabolites. A "recommended" human diet should warrant a high proportion of energy from fruits and vegetables, therefore providing, among other factors, a huge intake of PhC, in general considered "health promoting" by virtue of their antioxidant activity and positive modulation, either directly or indirectly, of the cellular and tissue redox balance. Diet acts through multiple pathways and the association between the consumption of specific food items and the risk of degenerative diseases is extremely complex. Recent literature suggests that molecules having a chemical structure compatible with a putative antioxidant capacity can actually "perform" activities and roles independent of such capacity, interacting with cellular functions at different levels, such as affecting enzyme activities, binding to membrane or nuclear receptors as either an elective ligand or a ligand mimic. Inductive or signaling effects may occur at concentrations much lower than that required for effective antioxidant activity. Therefore, the "antioxidant hypothesis" is to be considered in some cases an intellectual "shortcut" possibly biasing the real understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying the beneficial effects of various classes of food items. In the past few years, many exciting new indications elucidating the mechanisms of polyphenols have been published. Here, we summarize the current knowledge of the mechanisms by which specific molecules of nutritional interest, and in particular polyphenols, play a role in cellular response and in preventing pathologies. In particular, their direct interaction with nuclear receptors and their ability to modulate the activity of key enzymes involved in cell signaling and antioxidant responses are presented and discussed.

An antidepressant that extends lifespan in adult Caenorhabditis elegans

The mechanisms that determine the lifespan of an organism are still largely a mystery. One goal of ageing research is to find drugs that would increase lifespan and vitality when given to an adult animal. To this end, we tested 88,000 chemicals for the ability to extend the lifespan of adult Caenorhabditis elegans nematodes. Here we report that a drug used as an antidepressant in humans increases C. elegans lifespan. In humans, this drug blocks neural signalling by the neurotransmitter serotonin. In C. elegans, the effect of the drug on lifespan is reduced or eradicated by mutations that affect serotonin synthesis, serotonin re-uptake at synapses, or either of two G-protein-coupled receptors: one that recognizes serotonin and the other that detects another neurotransmitter, octopamine. In vitro studies show that the drug acts as an antagonist at both receptors. Testing of the drug on dietary-restricted animals or animals with mutations that affect lifespan indicates that its effect on lifespan involves mechanisms associated with lifespan extension by dietary restriction. These studies indicate that lifespan can be extended by blocking certain types of neurotransmission implicated in food sensing in the adult animal, possibly leading to a state of perceived, although not real, starvation.