Food-derived sensory cues modulate longevity via distinct neuroendocrine insulin-like peptides

Genes Dev. 2016 May 1;30(9):1047-57. doi: 10.1101/gad.279448.116. Epub 2016 Apr 28.

Abstract

Environmental fluctuations influence organismal aging by affecting various regulatory systems. One such system involves sensory neurons, which affect life span in many species. However, how sensory neurons coordinate organismal aging in response to changes in environmental signals remains elusive. Here, we found that a subset of sensory neurons shortens Caenorhabditis elegans' life span by differentially regulating the expression of a specific insulin-like peptide (ILP), INS-6. Notably, treatment with food-derived cues or optogenetic activation of sensory neurons significantly increases ins-6 expression and decreases life span. INS-6 in turn relays the longevity signals to nonneuronal tissues by decreasing the activity of the transcription factor DAF-16/FOXO. Together, our study delineates a mechanism through which environmental sensory cues regulate aging rates by modulating the activities of specific sensory neurons and ILPs.

Keywords: C. elegans; DAF-16/FOXO; aging; insulin-like peptide; sensory neurons.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins / genetics*
  • Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins / metabolism
  • Cues
  • Environment
  • Food*
  • Forkhead Transcription Factors / genetics*
  • Forkhead Transcription Factors / metabolism
  • Gene Expression Regulation*
  • Insulin / genetics*
  • Insulin / metabolism
  • Longevity / genetics*
  • Optogenetics
  • Peptide Hormones / genetics*
  • Peptide Hormones / metabolism
  • Sensory Receptor Cells / physiology
  • Signal Transduction

Substances

  • Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins
  • Forkhead Transcription Factors
  • Insulin
  • Peptide Hormones
  • daf-16 protein, C elegans