Lifespan extension without fertility reduction following dietary addition of the autophagy activator Torin1 in Drosophila melanogaster

Mason, Janet S., Wileman, Tom and Chapman, Tracey (2018) Lifespan extension without fertility reduction following dietary addition of the autophagy activator Torin1 in Drosophila melanogaster. PLoS One, 13 (1). ISSN 1932-6203

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Abstract

Autophagy is a highly conserved mechanism for cellular repair that becomes progressively down-regulated during normal ageing. Hence, manipulations that activate autophagy could increase lifespan. Previous reports show that manipulations to the autophagy pathway can result in longevity extension in yeast, flies, worms and mammals. Under standard nutrition, autophagy is inhibited by the nutrient sensing kinase Target of Rapamycin (TOR). Therefore, manipulations of TOR that increase autophagy may offer a mechanism for extending lifespan. Ideally, such manipulations should be specific and minimise off-target effects, and it is important to discover additional methods for ‘clean’ lifespan manipulation. Here we report an initial study into the effect of up-regulating autophagy on lifespan and fertility in Drosophila melanogaster by dietary addition of Torin1. Activation of autophagy using this selective TOR inhibitor was associated with significantly increased lifespan in both sexes. Torin1 induced a dose-dependent increase in lifespan in once-mated females. There was no evidence of a trade-off between longevity and fecundity or fertility. Torin1-fed females exhibited significantly elevated fecundity, but also elevated egg infertility, resulting in no net change in overall fertility. This supports the idea that lifespan can be extended without trade-offs in fertility and suggest that Torin1 may be a useful tool with which to pursue anti-ageing research.

Item Type: Article
Faculty \ School: Faculty of Science
Faculty of Science > School of Biological Sciences
Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences > Norwich Medical School
UEA Research Groups: Faculty of Science > Research Centres > Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Conservation
Faculty of Science > Research Groups > Organisms and the Environment
Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences > Research Groups > Gastroenterology and Gut Biology
Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences > Research Centres > Lifespan Health
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Depositing User: Pure Connector
Date Deposited: 17 Jan 2018 15:30
Last Modified: 19 Oct 2023 02:07
URI: https://ueaeprints.uea.ac.uk/id/eprint/65975
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0190105

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