Supplemental cellular protection by a carotenoid extends lifespan via Ins/IGF-1 signaling in Caenorhabditis elegans

Koumei Yazaki; Chinatsu Yoshikoshi; Satoru Oshiro; Sumino Yanase

doi:10.1155/2011/596240

Supplemental cellular protection by a carotenoid extends lifespan via Ins/IGF-1 signaling in Caenorhabditis elegans

Oxid Med Cell Longev. 2011:2011:596240. doi: 10.1155/2011/596240. Epub 2011 Oct 12.

Authors

Koumei Yazaki¹, Chinatsu Yoshikoshi, Satoru Oshiro, Sumino Yanase

Affiliation

¹ Department of Health Science, Daito Bunka University School of Sports and Health Science, Iwadono 560, Higashi-matsuyama, Saitama 355-8501, Japan.

Abstract

Astaxanthin (AX), which is produced by some marine animals, is a type of carotenoid that has antioxidative properties. In this study, we initially examined the effects of AX on the aging of a model organism C. elegans that has the conserved intracellular pathways related to mammalian longevity. The continuous treatments with AX (0.1 to 1 mM) from both the prereproductive and young adult stages extended the mean lifespans by about 16-30% in the wild-type and long-lived mutant age-1 of C. elegans. In contrast, the AX-dependent lifespan extension was not observed even in a daf-16 null mutant. Especially, the expression of genes encoding superoxide dismutases and catalases increased in two weeks after hatching, and the DAF-16 protein was translocated to the nucleus in the AX-exposed wild type. These results suggest that AX protects the cell organelle mitochondria and nucleus of the nematode, resulting in a lifespan extension via an Ins/IGF-1 signaling pathway during normal aging, at least in part.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Animals
Antioxidants / pharmacology*
Caenorhabditis elegans / drug effects*
Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins / analysis
Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins / genetics
Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins / metabolism
Catalase / metabolism
Cell Nucleus / metabolism
Forkhead Transcription Factors
Insulin / metabolism
Insulin-Like Growth Factor I / metabolism
Longevity / drug effects*
Mutation
Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases / genetics
Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases / metabolism
Signal Transduction / drug effects*
Superoxide Dismutase / metabolism
Superoxides / metabolism
Transcription Factors / analysis
Transcription Factors / genetics
Transcription Factors / metabolism
Xanthophylls / pharmacology

Substances

Antioxidants
Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins
Forkhead Transcription Factors
Insulin
Transcription Factors
Xanthophylls
daf-16 protein, C elegans
Superoxides
Insulin-Like Growth Factor I
astaxanthine
Catalase
Superoxide Dismutase
Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases
AGE-1 protein, C elegans