Soma-germline interaction and its effect on longevity: the role of argonautes in aging C. elegans

• Grant number: 16/15958-3
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
• Effective date (Start): October 01, 2016
• Effective date (End): July 31, 2018
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Biochemistry - Molecular Biology
• Principal Investigator: Marcelo Alves da Silva Mori
• Grantee: Raíssa de Paula Moro
• Host Institution: Instituto de Biologia (IB). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Aging is a major risk factor for several non-communicable diseases in humans, like diabetes, cancer, and cardiovascular diseases. There has been growing interest in the search for therapies able to, at least, slow the incidence of such conditions; mainly because of the rampant increase in the incidence and prevalence of the elderly in the population. Some of our group studies have shown that components of the small RNA processing pathway are evolutionarily conserved mediators of the aging process (Mori et al., 2012). These effects appear to be associated with the regulation of the enzyme DICER, which processes microRNAs (miRNAs) and small interference RNAs (siRNAs), as well as cleaves other types of double-stranded RNAs. More recently, our preliminary data showed a positive and quite robust regulation of ALG-1 expression - one Argonaute protein needed specifically for the synthesis and function of miRNAs - on interventions that promote longevity in C. elegans, such as the absence of germ line. Given that not only is ALG 1 a central effector of the miRNA pathway in C. elegans, but also plays no role in siRNA or other small RNAs synthesis, this paper proposes to analyze its activation and function in response to stress and aging from long-lived nematodes that lack germ line. This study can contribute to a better understanding of the pathophysiology of aging, elucidating a new longevity control mechanism mediated by miRNAs. (AU)

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

DE-SOUZA, EVANDRO A.; CAMARA, HENRIQUE; SALGUEIRO, WILLIAN G.; MORO, RAISSA P.; KNITTEL, THIAGO L.; TONON, GUILHERME; PINTO, SILAS; PINCA, ANA PAULA F.; ANTEBI, ADAM; PASQUINELLI, AMY E.; et al. RNA interference may result in unexpected phenotypes in Caenorhabditis elegans. Nucleic Acids Research, v. 47, n. 8, p. 3957-3969, MAY 7 2019. (12/00195-3, 10/52557-0, 17/22057-5, 17/04377-2, 17/03423-0, 16/02207-0, 17/08829-5, 15/01316-7, 17/01339-2, 14/10814-8, 17/01184-9, 14/25068-0, 16/15958-3)

Academic Publications

(References retrieved automatically from State of São Paulo Research Institutions)

MORO, Raíssa de Paula. Expression changes of alg-1 alter the miRNome and increase sensitivity to oxidative stressors in Caenorhabditis elegans. 2019. 75 f. Master's Dissertation - Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Instituto de Biologia.