Age-related changes in Drosophila midgut are associated with PVF2, a PDGF/VEGF-like growth factor.
Age-associated changes in stem cell populations have been implicated in age-related diseases, including cancer. However, little is known about the underlying molecular mechanisms that link aging to the modulation of adult stem cell populations. Drosophila midgut is an excellent model system for the study of stem cell renewal and aging. Here we describe an age-related increase in the number and activity of intestinal stem cells (ISCs) and progenitor cells in Drosophila midgut. We determined that oxidative stress, induced by paraquat treatment or loss of catalase function, mimicked the changes associated with aging in the midgut. Furthermore, we discovered an age-related increase in the expression of PVF2, a Drosophila homologue of human PDGF/VEGF, which was associated with and required for the age-related changes in midgut ISCs and progenitor cell populations. Taken together, our findings suggest that PDGF/VEGF may play a central role in age-related changes in ISCs and progenitor cell populations, which may contribute to aging and the development of cancer stem cells.
Choi
Na-Hyun
NH
Department of Molecular Biology, College of Natural Science, Pusan National University, Busan 609-735, South Korea.
Kim
Joong-Gook
JG
Yang
Dong-Jin
DJ
Kim
Young-Shin
YS
Yoo
Mi-Ae
MA
D000818:Animals; D002374:Catalase / Q000502:physiology; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000502:physiology; D016922:Cellular Senescence / Q000502:physiology*; D004331:Drosophila melanogaster / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*; D007120:Immunochemistry; D007422:Intestines / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000502:physiology; D012313:RNA / Q000235:genetics; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology; D042442:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*
C528169:Pvf2 protein, Drosophila; D042442:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors; D012313:RNA; D002374:Catalase