Project description:In this study, we investigate the anti-aging response induced by dietary restriction (DR) on gene expression level. For this, we carried out Ribosomal RNA depleted Total RNA sequencing in 16 weeks old Ercc1∆/- ad libidum (AL), DR and wt mice.
Project description:Using these samples, it has been shown that the transcriptional landscape in glomeruli of Ercc1[-/Δ] mice at a rather young age of 14 weeks mimics that of mice which have undergone real-life renal aging. Thus, young Ercc1[-/Δ] mice can be used as a model system for glomerular aging in future studies.
Project description:ERCC1 is a DNA endonuclease participating in the Nucleotide Excision Repair (NER) pathway. Its functionality is related to XPF; the two proteins work as a heterodimer to incise the 5 of a 30-mer that contains the damaged nucleotide and remove the fragment together with XPG. Apart from NER deficiency, mutated Ercc1 in mice and humans causes a series of progeroid symptoms (premature ageing). We hypothesize that there are undescribed functions of ERCC1, possibly in transcriptional regulation that contribute to the development of the striking phenotypes observed. The aim is to identify previously uncharacterized protein partners of ERCC1 that might contribute to our understanding of its differential roles during DNA damage-driven progeria.
Project description:The gut microbiome is emerging as a key regulator of several metabolic, immune and neuroendocrine pathways. Gut microbiome deregulation has been implicated in major conditions such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, non-alcoholic fatty acid liver disease or cancer, but its precise role in aging remains to be elucidated. Here, we characterize the gut microbiome profile of accelerated aging and show that its external modulation is sufficient to extend healthspan and lifespan. We found that two different mouse models of progeria present with intestinal dysbiosis, which is characterized, among other alterations, by an increment in proteobacteria, cyanobacteria and a loss in verrucomicrobia, whereas long-lived humans (i.e., centenarians) exhibit a remarkable increase in verrucomicrobia and a reduction in proteobacteria. Fecal microbiota transplantation proved to be effective to enhance healthspan and lifespan in both progeroid mouse models and, more importantly, the solely transplantation with the verrucomicrobia Akkermansia muciniphila was sufficient to exert beneficial effects. Our results demonstrate that intestinal dysbiosis is a phenotype associated with accelerated aging and its correction provides health benefits. Moreover, metabolomic analysis of ileal content points to the restoration of secondary bile acids as a possible mechanism for the beneficial outcome of reestablishing a healthy microbiome. Our results suggest the existence of a link between gut aging and the microbiota, and can help to gain insight into the rationale for microbiome-based interventions against age-related diseases. Mouse sequence data have been deposited in ENA (https://www.ebi.ac.uk/ena) under accession number PRJEB34214
Project description:Using these samples, it has been shown that the transcriptional landscape in glomeruli of Ercc1[-/Δ] mice at a rather young age of 14 weeks mimics that of mice which have undergone real-life renal aging. Thus, young Ercc1[-/Δ] mice can be used as a model system for glomerular aging in future studies. The RNAs origin from glomerular tissues of mice of 2 distinct genotypes at 3 distinct stages of age. Between 3 and 6 replicates have been prepared per group.
Project description:Unprecedented life- and healthspan extension and genome preservation by diet restriction in DNA repair deficient progeroid Ercc1∆/- mice [RNA-seq]
Project description:Dietary restriction (DR) and rapamycin, the best-known DR-mimetic, are two intervention that extend health- and lifespan across multiple species. We have recently shown that DR works extremely well in progeroid DNA repair deficient mice and dramatically extend their lifespan by ~200%. We next questioned the applicability of rapamycin in these mouse mutants. Here we show that treatments with rapamycin did significantly lower mTOR-signalling but did not improve the lifespan of DNA repair deficient Ercc1{delta}/- mice. These data are an extended version of the data in GEO Series GSE77321
Project description:DNA repair-deficient Ercc1Δ/- mice show premature cell death, senescence and numerous accelerated aging features limiting lifespan to 4-6 month. Simultaneously they exhibit a ‘survival response’, which suppresses growth and enhances maintenance, resembling the anti-aging response induced by dietary restriction (DR). Here we report that subjecting these progeroid, dwarf mutants to actual dietary restriction (DR) resulted in the largest lifespan increase recorded in mammals. Thirty percent DR tripled median and maximal remaining lifespan, and drastically retarded numerous aspects of accelerated aging, e.g. DR animals retained 50% more neurons and maintained full motoric function. The DR response in Ercc1Δ/- mice resembled DR in wild type animals including reduced insulin signaling. Interestingly, ad libitum Ercc1Δ/- liver expression profiles showed preferential extinction of expression of long genes, consistent with genome-wide accumulation of stochastic, transcription-blocking lesions, which affect long genes more than short ones. DR largely prevented this decline of transcriptional output, indicating that DR prolongs genome function. Our findings strengthen the link between DNA damage and aging, establish Ercc1Δ/- mice as powerful model for identifying interventions to promote healthy aging, reveal untapped potential for reducing endogenous damage, provide new venues for understanding the molecular mechanism of DR, and suggest a counterintuitive DR-like therapy for human progeroid genome instability syndromes and DR-like interventions for preventing neurodegenerative diseases.
Project description:DNA repair-deficient Ercc1Δ/- mice show premature cell death, senescence and numerous accelerated aging features limiting lifespan to 4-6 month. Simultaneously they exhibit a ‘survival response’, which suppresses growth and enhances maintenance, resembling the anti-aging response induced by dietary restriction (DR). Here we report that subjecting these progeroid, dwarf mutants to actual dietary restriction (DR) resulted in the largest lifespan increase recorded in mammals. Thirty percent DR tripled median and maximal remaining lifespan, and drastically retarded numerous aspects of accelerated aging, e.g. DR animals retained 50% more neurons and maintained full motoric function. The DR response in Ercc1Δ/- mice resembled DR in wild type animals including reduced insulin signaling. Interestingly, ad libitum Ercc1Δ/- liver expression profiles showed preferential extinction of expression of long genes, consistent with genome-wide accumulation of stochastic, transcription-blocking lesions, which affect long genes more than short ones. DR largely prevented this decline of transcriptional output, indicating that DR prolongs genome function. Our findings strengthen the link between DNA damage and aging, establish Ercc1Δ/- mice as powerful model for identifying interventions to promote healthy aging, reveal untapped potential for reducing endogenous damage, provide new venues for understanding the molecular mechanism of DR, and suggest a counterintuitive DR-like therapy for human progeroid genome instability syndromes and DR-like interventions for preventing neurodegenerative diseases.