期刊
PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
卷 290, 期 2012, 页码 -出版社
ROYAL SOC
DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2023.2093
关键词
epigenetics; ageing; DNA methylation; insects; sirtuins; bumblebee
Epigenetic alterations are a primary hallmark of aging, and this study found that such changes occur not only in mammals but also play a crucial role in insects. By using a hypomethylating agent, the researchers extended the average lifespan of bumblebees and induced differential methylation of genes associated with aging. Additionally, they discovered that the overexpression of the longevity gene sirt1 was positively correlated with lifespan.
Epigenetic alterations are a primary hallmark of ageing. In mammals, age-related epigenetic changes alter gene expression profiles, disrupt cellular homeostasis and physiological functions and, therefore, promote ageing. It remains unclear whether ageing is also driven by epigenetic mechanisms in invertebrates. Here, we used a pharmacological hypomethylating agent (RG108) to evaluate the effects of DNA methylation (DNAme) on lifespan in an insect-the bumblebee Bombus terrestris. RG108 extended mean lifespan by 43% and induced the differential methylation of genes involved in hallmarks of ageing, including DNA damage repair and chromatin organization. Furthermore, the longevity gene sirt1 was overexpressed following the treatment. Functional experiments demonstrated that SIRT1 protein activity was positively associated with lifespan. Overall, our study indicates that epigenetic mechanisms are conserved regulators of lifespan in both vertebrates and invertebrates and provides new insights into how DNAme is involved in the ageing process in insects.
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