Rubidium Chloride Increases Life Span Through an AMPK/FOXO-Dependent Pathway in Caenorhabditis elegans

AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) is involved in life-span maintenance, stress responses, and germ cell cycle arrest upon dauer entry. AMPK is currently considered a promising target for preventing age-related diseases. Rubidium is one of the trace elements in the human body. As early as the 1970s, rubidium chloride (RbCl) was reported to have neuroprotective effects. In this work, we report the antiaging effect of RbCl in Caenorhabditis elegans. Specifically, we reveal that (a) RbCl does increase the life span and enhance stress resistance in C. elegans without disturbing their fecundity. (b) RbCl induces superoxide dismutase expression, which is essential for its antiaging and antistress effect. (c) AAK-2 and DAF-16 are essential to the antiaging efficacy of RbCl, and RbCl can promote DAF-16 translocating into the nucleus, suggesting that RbCl delays aging by regulating the AMPK/FOXO pathway. RbCl can be a promising agent against aging-related diseases.

Automated summary

In this study, the antiaging effect of rubidium chloride (RbCl) in Caenorhabditis elegans was reported. It was found that RbCl can increase lifespan and enhance stress resistance in the worms without affecting their fecundity. The mechanism involves the induction of superoxide dismutase expression and the activation of the AMPK/FOXO pathway, mediated by AAK-2 and DAF-16.