Boyce Thompson Institute Discovers a New Link Between Metabolites and Aging-Related Enzymes
Scientists at the Boyce Thompson Institute and Cornell University have made a significant breakthrough in the field of biochemistry that could have far-reaching implications for the understanding of aging and aging-related diseases. A team of researchers has uncovered a link between acylspermidines, a family of metabolites, and sirtuins, enzymes that play a critical role in aging and disease.
Recent studies have indicated that sirtuins are implicated in a number of age-related diseases and are considered promising therapeutic targets for extending health span and longevity. The discovery of sirtuin-linked acylspermidines in the complex metabolic pathways of C. elegans and mammals has opened up new avenues for understanding and potentially manipulating these pathways.
The study, recently published in Nature Chemical Biology, highlights the significant connection between sirtuins and cellular metabolism. Acylspermidines have been revealed to be derived from modifications of diverse proteins, many of which play essential roles in growth and cell survival. This novel discovery brings scientists closer to understanding the roles of acylspermidines in lifespan and cell proliferation.
Lead author Frank Schroeder, a professor at Boyce Thompson Institute, expressed excitement about the discovery, calling it an “unexpected branch of cellular metabolism related to sirtuins.” He stated that uncovering these previously uncharacterized spermidine derivatives provides insight into the inner workings of this critical pathway and brings researchers one step closer to understanding the physiological functions of mitochondrial sirtuins.
The study employed comparative metabolomics to screen for sirtuin-dependent metabolic changes and revealed a novel family of metabolites called acylspermidines. The researchers also demonstrated the presence of these compounds in mammals, including humans. Furthermore, they showed the direct impact of these metabolites on lifespan in C. elegans and cell proliferation in mammals.
This groundbreaking research has opened up new possibilities for future exploration into the mechanisms and pharmacological aspects of these findings, particularly how acylspermidines affect lifespan, cell growth, and their potential interactions with other metabolic pathways.
The study was a collaborative effort with researchers from the Weiss lab at the College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University and received funding from the NIH and HHMI.
This groundbreaking study could significantly advance our collective knowledge of biochemistry and pave the way for new approaches to combating aging-related diseases.