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Healthy aging: what can we learn from Caenorhabditis elegans?

Gesundes Altern: Was können wir von Caenorhabditis elegans lernen?

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Abstract

The microscopic worm Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) is one of the most prominent animal models for aging studies. This is underscored by the fact that most of the genes and interventions that modulate the aging process, such as the insulin/IGF pathway, caloric restriction and mitochondrial signalling, were first identified in this organism. Remarkably, many features of the mammalian aging process are recapitulated in C. elegans: over time, damage to macromolecule accumulates, structural cellular components progressively deteriorate, physiological functions decline, resistance to stress and infections decreases, while morbidity and mortality rates increase. In humans, age represents risk factor number one for most diseases ultimately leading to death in industrialized countries, namely cardiovascular diseases, cancer and neurodegenerative disorders. Genes regulating aging in C. elegans are evolutionarily conserved and their deregulation is often involved in the development of age-associated diseases in humans. It is therefore likely that any intervention that extends C. elegans lifespan will indicate strategies to positively impact on healthy human longevity.

Zusammenfassung

Der mikroskopisch kleine Wurm Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) ist eines der bedeutendsten Tiermodelle für Alternsstudien. Dies wird dadurch unterstrichen, dass die meisten Gene und Interventionen, die den Alternsprozess modulieren, wie der Insulin-IGF-Signalweg, kalorische Restriktion und mitochondriale Signale, zuerst in diesem Organismus identifiziert wurden. Bemerkenswerterweise kommen viele Merkmale der Säugeralterung bei C. elegans vor: Akkumulation geschädigter Makromoleküle, progressiver Zerfall struktureller Zellkomponenten, Nachlassen physiologischer Funktionen, Abnahme von Stress- und Infektionsresistenz, Zunahme von Morbidität und Mortalität. Beim Mensch ist Altern der Hauptrisikofaktor für die meisten letztlich zum Tod führenden Krankheiten, wie kardiovaskuläre und neurodegenerative Erkrankungen oder Krebs. Gene, die den Alternsprozess in C. elegans regulieren, sind evolutionär konserviert, und ihre Deregulation ist häufig an der Entstehung alternsassoziierter Krankheiten beteiligt. Daher ist anzunehmen, dass Interventionen, die die Lebensspanne bei C. elegans verlängern, Ansätze für Strategien zur Verlängerung der gesunden Lebensspanne beim Menschen liefern werden.

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Acknowledgments

We regret that not all original studies or reviews could be discussed here due to space limitations. Additional references to relevant works can be found in the cited reviews. N.V. is funded by the Italian Association for Cancer Research (MFAG11509).

Conflict of interest

The corresponding author states that there are no conflicts of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute for Molecular Medicine and Laboratory Diagnostic, Heinrich Heine University, Duesseldorf, Germany

    N. Ventura

  2. IUF-Leibniz Research Institute for Environmental Medicine, Duesseldorf, Germany

    A. Torgovnick, A. Schiavi, S. Maglioni & N. Ventura

  3. University of “Tor Vergata” Rome, Rome, Italy

    A. Schiavi, S. Maglioni & N. Ventura

Authors
  1. A. Torgovnick
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  2. A. Schiavi
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  3. S. Maglioni
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  4. N. Ventura
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Correspondence to N. Ventura.

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Torgovnick, A., Schiavi, A., Maglioni, S. et al. Healthy aging: what can we learn from Caenorhabditis elegans?. Z Gerontol Geriat 46, 623–628 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00391-013-0533-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00391-013-0533-5

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