Intestine-specific removal of DAF-2 nearly doubles lifespan in Caenorhabditis elegans with little fitness cost

Yan-Ping Zhang, Wen-Hong Zhang, Pan Zhang, Qi Li, Yue Sun, Jia-Wen Wang, Shaobing O. Zhang, Tao Cai, Cheng Zhan and Meng-Qiu Dong ()
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Yan-Ping Zhang: National Institute of Biological Sciences, Beijing
Wen-Hong Zhang: National Institute of Biological Sciences, Beijing
Pan Zhang: National Institute of Biological Sciences, Beijing
Qi Li: Laboratory of Metabolic Genetics, College of Life Sciences, Capital Normal University
Yue Sun: National Institute of Biological Sciences, Beijing
Jia-Wen Wang: National Institute of Biological Sciences, Beijing
Shaobing O. Zhang: Laboratory of Metabolic Genetics, College of Life Sciences, Capital Normal University
Tao Cai: National Institute of Biological Sciences, Beijing
Cheng Zhan: National Institute of Biological Sciences, Beijing
Meng-Qiu Dong: National Institute of Biological Sciences, Beijing

Nature Communications, 2022, vol. 13, issue 1, 1-18

Abstract: Abstract Twenty-nine years following the breakthrough discovery that a single-gene mutation of daf-2 doubles Caenorhabditis elegans lifespan, it remains unclear where this insulin/IGF-1 receptor gene is expressed and where it acts to regulate ageing. Using knock-in fluorescent reporters, we determined that daf-2 and its downstream transcription factor daf-16 are expressed ubiquitously. Using tissue-specific targeted protein degradation, we determined that intracellular DAF-2-to-DAF-16 signaling in the intestine plays a major role in lifespan regulation, while that in the hypodermis, neurons, and germline plays a minor role. Notably, intestine-specific loss of DAF-2 activates DAF-16 in and outside the intestine, causes almost no adverse effects on development and reproduction, and extends lifespan by 94% in a way that partly requires non-intestinal DAF-16. Consistent with intestine supplying nutrients to the entire body, evidence from this and other studies suggests that altered metabolism, particularly down-regulation of protein and RNA synthesis, mediates longevity by reduction of insulin/IGF-1 signaling.

Date: 2022
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-33850-4

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