Lycium barbarum Extracts Extend Lifespan and Alleviate Proteotoxicity in Caenorhabditis elegans

Lycium barbarum berry (Ningxia Gouqi, Fructus lycii, goji berry, or wolfberry), as a traditional Chinese herb, was recorded beneficial for longevity in traditional Chinese medical scriptures and currently is a natural dietary supplement worldwide. However, under modern experimental conditions, the longevity effect of L. barbarum berry and the underlying mechanisms have been less studied. Here, we reported that total water extracts of L. barbarum berry (LBE), which contains 22% polysaccharides and other components, such as anthocyanins, extended the lifespan of Caenorhabditis elegans without side effects on worm fertility and pharyngeal pumping. Interestingly, we found that the lifespan extension effect was more prominent in worms with shorter mean lifespan as compared to those with longer mean lifespan. Furthermore, we showed that the lifespan extension effect of LBE depended on deacetylase sir-2.1. Remarkably, LBE rescued heat shock transcription factor-1 (hsf-1) deficiency in wild-type worms with different mean lifespans, and this effect also depended on sir-2.1. In addition, we found that LBE extended lifespan and alleviated toxic protein aggregation in neurodegenerative worms with hsf-1 deficiency. Our study suggested that LBE may be a potential antiaging natural dietary supplement especially to individuals with malnutrition or chronic diseases and a potential therapeutic agent for neurodegenerative diseases characterized by hsf-1 deficiency.

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The Effect of Mianserin on Lifespan of Caenorhabditis elegans is Abolished by Glucose

Current Aging Science ◽

10.2174/1874609813999210104203614 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 ◽

Author(s):

Abdullah Almotayri ◽

Jency Thomas ◽

Mihiri Munasinghe ◽

Markandeya Jois

Keyword(s):

Caenorhabditis Elegans ◽

Scaffolding Protein ◽

Lifespan Extension ◽

Wild Type ◽

E Coli ◽

C Elegans ◽

Risk Of Death ◽

Increased Risk ◽

Antidepressant Use ◽

Extension Effect

Background: The antidepressant mianserin has been shown to extend the lifespan of Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans), a well-established model organism used in aging research. The extension of lifespan in C. elegans was shown to be dependent on increased expression of the scaffolding protein (ANK3/unc-44). In contrast, antidepressant use in humans is associated with an increased risk of death. The C. elegans in the laboratory are fed Escherichia coli (E. coli), a diet high in protein and low in carbohydrate, whereas a typical human diet is high in carbohydrates. We hypothesized that dietary carbohydrates might mitigate the lifespan-extension effect of mianserin. Objective: To investigate the effect of glucose added to the diet of C. elegans on the lifespan-extension effect of mianserin. Methods: Wild-type Bristol N2 and ANK3/unc-44 inactivating mutants were cultured on agar plates containing nematode growth medium and fed E. coli. Treatment groups included (C) control, (M50) 50 μM mianserin, (G) 73 mM glucose, and (M50G) 50 μM mianserin and 73 mM glucose. Lifespan was determined by monitoring the worms until they died. Statistical analysis was performed using the Kaplan-Meier version of the log-rank test. Results: Mianserin treatment resulted in a 12% increase in lifespan (P<0.05) of wild-type Bristol N2 worms but reduced lifespan by 6% in ANK3/unc-44 mutants, consistent with previous research. The addition of glucose to the diet reduced the lifespan of both strains of worms and abolished the lifespan-extension by mianserin. Conclusion: The addition of glucose to the diet of C. elegans abolishes the lifespan-extension effects of mianserin.

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Icaritin: A Novel Natural Candidate for Hematological Malignancies Therapy

BioMed Research International ◽

10.1155/2019/4860268 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 2019 ◽

pp. 1-7 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Xiao-Jing Yang ◽

Ya-Ming Xi ◽

Zi-Jian Li

Keyword(s):

Hematological Malignancies ◽

Treatment Options ◽

Chinese Herb ◽

Cell Types ◽

Hematologic Malignancies ◽

Cytotoxic Effects ◽

Novel Treatment ◽

Traditional Chinese Herb ◽

Current Therapies ◽

Underlying Mechanisms

Hematological malignancies including leukemia and lymphoma can severely impact human health. With the current therapies combined with chemotherapy, stem cell transplantation, radiotherapy, and immunotherapy, the prognosis of hematologic malignancies improved significantly. However, most hematological malignancies are still incurable. Therefore, research for novel treatment options was continuing with the natural product as one source. Icaritin is a compound extracted from a traditional Chinese herb,Epimedium Genus, and demonstrated an antitumor effect in various neoplasms including hematological malignancies such as leukemia, lymphoma, and multiple myeloma. In hematological malignancies, icaritin showed multiple cytotoxic effects to induce apoptosis, arrest the cell cycle, inhibit proliferation, promote differentiation, restrict metastasis and infiltration, and suppress the oncogenic virus. The proved underlying mechanisms of the cytotoxic effects of icaritin are different in various cell types of hematological malignancies but associated with the critical cell signal pathway, including PI3K/Akt, JAK/STAT3, and MAPK/ERK/JNK. Although the primary target of icaritin is still unspecified, the existing evidence indicates that icaritin is a potential novel therapeutic agent for neoplasms as with hematological malignancies. Here, in the field of hematology, we reviewed the reported activity of icaritin in hematologic malignancies and the underlying mechanisms and recognized icaritin as a candidate for therapy of hematological malignancies.

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Study on Lifespan Extension Effect of Leonurine and its Synthetic Fragmental Analogs on Caenorhabditis elegans

Yakhak Hoeji ◽

10.17480/psk.2016.60.3.141 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 60 (3) ◽

pp. 141-145

Author(s):

Dong Seok Cha ◽

◽

Young Taek Han ◽

Keyword(s):

Caenorhabditis Elegans ◽

Lifespan Extension ◽

Extension Effect

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Antiaging Effects of Vicatia thibetica de Boiss Root Extract on Caenorhabditis elegans and Doxorubicin-Induced Premature Aging in Adult Mice

Oxidative Medicine and Cellular Longevity ◽

10.1155/2021/9942090 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 2021 ◽

pp. 1-13

Author(s):

Wenwen Liu ◽

Yunhui Guan ◽

Sicong Qiao ◽

Jiqun Wang ◽

Keting Bao ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Caenorhabditis Elegans ◽

Stress Resistance ◽

Chinese Herb ◽

Premature Aging ◽

Lifespan Extension ◽

Root Extract ◽

Antioxidant Ability ◽

C Elegans ◽

Adult Mice ◽

Heat Stress Resistance

The roots of Vicatia thibetica de Boiss are a kind of Chinese herb with homology of medicine and food. This is the first report showing the property of the extract of Vicatia thibetica de Boiss roots (HLB01) to extend the lifespan as well as promote the healthy parameters in Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans). For doxorubicin- (Doxo-) induced premature aging in adult mice, HLB01 counteracted the senescence-associated biomarkers, including P21 and γH2AX. Interestingly, HLB01 promoted the expression of collagen in C. elegans and mammalian cell systemically, which might be one of the essential factors to exert the antiaging effects. In addition, HLB01 was also found as a scavenger of free radicals, thereby performing the antioxidant ability. Lifespan extension by HLB01 was also dependent on DAF-16 and HSF-1 via oxidative stress resistance and heat stress resistance. Taken together, overall data suggested that HLB01 could extend the lifespan and healthspan of C. elegans and resist Doxo-induced senescence in mice via promoting the expression of collagen, antioxidant potential, and stress resistance.

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Lycium Barbarum: A Traditional Chinese Herb and A Promising Anti-Aging Agent

Aging and Disease ◽

10.14336/ad.2017.0725 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 8 (6) ◽

pp. 778 ◽

Cited By ~ 30

Author(s):

Yanjie Gao ◽

Yifo Wei ◽

Yuqing Wang ◽

Fang Gao ◽

Zhigang Chen

Keyword(s):

Chinese Herb ◽

Lycium Barbarum ◽

Traditional Chinese Herb

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Spatiotemporal regulation of autophagy during Caenorhabditis elegans aging

eLife ◽

10.7554/elife.18459 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 6 ◽

Cited By ~ 76

Author(s):

Jessica T Chang ◽

Caroline Kumsta ◽

Andrew B Hellman ◽

Linnea M Adams ◽

Malene Hansen

Keyword(s):

Caenorhabditis Elegans ◽

Body Wall ◽

Lifespan Extension ◽

Autophagic Flux ◽

Wild Type ◽

C Elegans ◽

Spatiotemporal Regulation ◽

Age Related ◽

Autophagic Activity ◽

Underlying Mechanisms

Autophagy has been linked to longevity in many species, but the underlying mechanisms are unclear. Using a GFP-tagged and a new tandem-tagged Atg8/LGG-1 reporter, we quantified autophagic vesicles and performed autophagic flux assays in multiple tissues of wild-type Caenorhabditis elegans and long-lived daf-2/insulin/IGF-1 and glp-1/Notch mutants throughout adulthood. Our data are consistent with an age-related decline in autophagic activity in the intestine, body-wall muscle, pharynx, and neurons of wild-type animals. In contrast, daf-2 and glp-1 mutants displayed unique age- and tissue-specific changes in autophagic activity, indicating that the two longevity paradigms have distinct effects on autophagy during aging. Although autophagy appeared active in the intestine of both long-lived mutants, inhibition of intestinal autophagy significantly abrogated lifespan extension only in glp-1 mutants. Collectively, our data suggest that autophagic activity normally decreases with age in C. elegans, whereas daf-2 and glp-1 long-lived mutants regulate autophagy in distinct spatiotemporal-specific manners to extend lifespan.

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Levistolide A Induces Apoptosis via ROS-Mediated ER Stress Pathway in Colon Cancer Cells

Cellular Physiology and Biochemistry ◽

10.1159/000478647 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 42 (3) ◽

pp. 929-938 ◽

Cited By ~ 24

Author(s):

Yingjuan Yang ◽

Yanhua Zhang ◽

Lan Wang ◽

Shaochin Lee

Keyword(s):

Colon Cancer ◽

Er Stress ◽

Cancer Cells ◽

Natural Compound ◽

Chinese Herb ◽

Colon Cancer Cells ◽

Traditional Chinese Herb ◽

Underlying Mechanisms ◽

Stress Pathway ◽

Hct116 Cells

Background/Aims: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the leading causes of cancer-related death worldwide. Levistolide A (LA), a natural compound isolated from the traditional Chinese herb Ligusticum chuanxiong Hort, is used for treating cancer. In this study, we investigated the anticancer effect of LA in HCT116 and its isogenic p53-/- colon cancer cells, as well as the underlying mechanisms. Methods: MTT assay was used to evaluate the effect of LA on the viability of cancer cells. Apoptosis and reactive oxygen species (ROS) production by the cells were determined by flow cytometry. Protein expression was detected by western blotting. Results: The results showed that LA inhibited viability and caused apoptosis of both wild-type and p53-/- HCT116 cells. LA was able to trigger production of ROS and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress. Inhibition of ROS using N-acetylcysteine abrogated LA-induced ER stress and apoptosis, as well as the reduction in cancer cell viability. Conclusion: Our results indicate that LA causes apoptosis of colon cancer cells via ROS-mediated ER stress pathway. It will be interesting to develop the natural compound for chemotherapy of cancers such as CRC.

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