Estella Gan
Research Mentor(s): Gonzalo Garcia
Mentor Department: Pathology
Authors: Estella Gan, Gonzalo Garcia, Richard Miller
Session: Session 3 (11:00am – 11:50am)
Presentation Type: Poster 17
Abstract
Lifespan extension has been observed across several interventions and genetic models, including: acarbose, canagliflozin (only in males) dietary restriction, and Snell dwarf and a growth hormone receptor knockout mutation. Yet, the underlying possible metabolic shifts that may be involved have remained ambiguous. We hypothesize that these models share common metabolic adaptations correlated with their lifespan extension and that these adaptations result from a reduction of glucose utilization (glycolysis) with a shift to amino acid catabolism pathways for alternative sources of energy. Using proteomic analysis of liver tissue, we were able to infer a consistent reduction in specific regulatory enzymes of the glycolysis pathways as well as an increase in enzymes responsible for regulating amino acid catabolism. The analysis also suggests that these metabolic shift from glucose to amino acids as the primary energy substrate exhibited variable patterns, indicating adaptations may not uniformly drive in all these lifespan extension models across sexes. These findings highlight the possible importance of amino acid metabolism in interventions and mechanisms (metabolic and hormonal) that lead to lifespan extension and provide a foundation for future studies to experimentally find way to improve healthy lifespan.
