TY - JOUR
T1 - Mated progeny production is a biomarker of aging in caenorhabditis elegans
AU - Pickett, Christopher L.
AU - Dietrich, Nicholas
AU - Chen, Junfang
AU - Xiong, Chengjie
AU - Kornfeld, Kerry
PY - 2013/12
Y1 - 2013/12
N2 - The relationships between reproduction and aging are important for understanding the mechanisms of aging and evaluating evolutionary theories of aging. To investigate the effects of progeny production on reproductive and somatic aging, we conducted longitudinal studies of Caenorhabditis elegans hermaphrodites. For mated wild-type animals that were not sperm limited and survived past the end of the reproductive period, high levels of cross-progeny production were positively correlated with delayed reproductive and somatic aging. In this group of animals, individuals that generated more cross progeny also reproduced and lived longer than individuals that generated fewer cross progeny. These results indicate that progeny production does not accelerate reproductive or somatic aging. This longitudinal study demonstrated that cumulative cross progeny production through day four is an early-stage biomarker that is a positive predictor of longevity. Furthermore, in mated animals, high levels of early cross progeny production were positively correlated with high levels of late cross progeny production, indicating that early progeny production does not accelerate reproductive aging. The relationships between progeny production and aging were further evaluated by comparing self-fertile hermaphrodites that generated relatively few self progeny with mated hermaphrodites that generated many cross progeny. The timing of age-related somatic degeneration was similar in these groups, suggesting progeny production does not accelerate somatic aging. These studies rigorously define relationships between progeny production, reproductive aging, and somatic aging and identify new biomarkers of C. elegans aging. These results indicate that some mechanisms or pathways control age-related degeneration of both reproductive and somatic tissues in C. elegans.
AB - The relationships between reproduction and aging are important for understanding the mechanisms of aging and evaluating evolutionary theories of aging. To investigate the effects of progeny production on reproductive and somatic aging, we conducted longitudinal studies of Caenorhabditis elegans hermaphrodites. For mated wild-type animals that were not sperm limited and survived past the end of the reproductive period, high levels of cross-progeny production were positively correlated with delayed reproductive and somatic aging. In this group of animals, individuals that generated more cross progeny also reproduced and lived longer than individuals that generated fewer cross progeny. These results indicate that progeny production does not accelerate reproductive or somatic aging. This longitudinal study demonstrated that cumulative cross progeny production through day four is an early-stage biomarker that is a positive predictor of longevity. Furthermore, in mated animals, high levels of early cross progeny production were positively correlated with high levels of late cross progeny production, indicating that early progeny production does not accelerate reproductive aging. The relationships between progeny production and aging were further evaluated by comparing self-fertile hermaphrodites that generated relatively few self progeny with mated hermaphrodites that generated many cross progeny. The timing of age-related somatic degeneration was similar in these groups, suggesting progeny production does not accelerate somatic aging. These studies rigorously define relationships between progeny production, reproductive aging, and somatic aging and identify new biomarkers of C. elegans aging. These results indicate that some mechanisms or pathways control age-related degeneration of both reproductive and somatic tissues in C. elegans.
KW - Aging
KW - Biomarker
KW - C. elegans
KW - Longitudinal study
KW - Reproduction
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84890854827&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1534/g3.113.008664
DO - 10.1534/g3.113.008664
M3 - Article
C2 - 24142929
AN - SCOPUS:84890854827
SN - 2160-1836
VL - 3
SP - 2219
EP - 2232
JO - G3: Genes, Genomes, Genetics
JF - G3: Genes, Genomes, Genetics
IS - 12
ER -