Extension of lifespan in C. elegans by naphthoquinones that act through stress hormesis mechanisms
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ABSTRACT: Hormesis occurs when a low level stress elicits adaptive beneficial responses that protect against subsequent exposure to severe stress. Recent findings suggest that mild oxidative and thermal stress can extend lifespan by hormetic mechanisms. Here we show that the botanical pesticide plumbagin, while toxic to C. elegans nematodes at high doses, extends lifespan at low doses. Because plumbagin is a naphthoquinone that generates free radicals in vivo, we investigated whether it extends lifespan by activating an adaptive cellular stress response pathway. Mammalian NF-E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) and its C. elegans ortholog SKN-1, mediate protective responses to oxidative stress by promoting target gene expression via antioxidant response elements (ARE). Genetic analyses showed that skn-1 mediates plumbagin’s lifespan-extending effect in C. elegans. Further screening of a series of plumbagin analogs identified three additional naphthoquinones that could induce SKN-1 targets in C. elegans. Naphthazarin showed skn-1-dependent lifespan extension, over an extended dose range compared to plumbagin, while the other naphthoquinones, oxoline and menadione, had differing effects on C. elegans survival and failed to activate ARE reporter expression in cultured mammalian cells. Our findings reveal the potential for low doses of naturally occurring naphthoquinones to extend lifespan by engaging a specific adaptive cellular stress response pathway.
ORGANISM(S): Caenorhabditis elegans
PROVIDER: GSE28301 | GEO | 2012/03/21
SECONDARY ACCESSION(S): PRJNA139489
REPOSITORIES: GEO
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