title: Longevity regulation by NMD-mediated mRNA quality control.
abstract: Proper maintenance of biological components is crucial for longevity and healthy aging. Although the role of homeostatic maintenance systems for DNA and protein in longevity is established, it remains largely unknown for RNA. In our recent work, we show that nonsense-mediated mRNA decay (NMD) promotes longevity in the roundworm C. elegans by enhancing RNA quality control. We find that the activity of NMD decreases during aging, raising the possibility that RNA quality declines in old animals. We then show that key components of NMD complex are required for prolonged lifespan in C. elegans. In addition, animals with reduced insulin/insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) signaling (IIS), a representative longevity model, display increased NMD activity. Thus, up-regulation of NMD appears to play crucial roles in longevity conferred by reduced IIS via enhancing mRNA quality control. As both IIS and NMD pathways are evolutionarily conserved, mammals including humans may be equipped with similar RNA quality control systems to achieve longevity. [BMB Reports 2017; 50(4): 160-161].
authors.affiliation: Department of Life Sciences, Pohang University of Science and Technology, Pohang 37673, Korea.
authors.forename: Heehwa G
authors.initials: HG
authors.lastname: Son
authors.affiliation: Department of Life Sciences, and School of Interdisciplinary Bioscience and Bioengineering, Pohang University of Science and Technology, Pohang 37673, Korea.
authors.forename: Seung-Jae V
authors.initials: SV
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging; D000818:Animals; D017173:Caenorhabditis elegans / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I / Q000378:metabolism; D008136:Longevity; D059365:Nonsense Mediated mRNA Decay / Q000502:physiology*; D020365:RNA Helicases / Q000378:metabolism; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D015398:Signal Transduction; D015854:Up-Regulation
chemical_list: D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I; D020365:RNA Helicases