New research has found that Mitochondria-targeting antibiotics could abrogate ageing and extend lifespan in C. elegans.
Ageing is a continuous degenerative process caused by a progressive decline of cell and tissue functions in an organism. It is induced by the accumulation of damage that affects normal cellular processes, ultimately leading to cell death. It has been speculated for many years that mitochondria play a key role in the ageing process.
In a new study, published in the US journal Aging, researchers from the University of Salford aimed to characterise the implications of mitochondria in ageing using Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) as an organismal model. The C. elegans were treated with a panel of mitochondrial inhibitors and assessed for survival.
The researchers said in the paper: “Our ultimate goal is to find existing FDA-approved drugs and dietary supplements that can not only increase lifespan but also improve healthspan.”
“In our study, we assessed survival by evaluating worm lifespan, and we assessed ageing markers by evaluating the pharyngeal muscle contraction, the accumulation of lipofuscin pigment and ATP levels.”
Their results show that treatment of worms with either doxycycline, azithromycin – inhibitors of the small and the large mitochondrial ribosomes – or a combination of both, significantly extended the median lifespan of C. elegans.
It also enhanced their pharyngeal pumping rate and reduced their lipofuscin content and their energy consumption (ATP levels), as compared to control untreated worms.
The results suggest an ageing-abrogating effect for these drugs. Similarly, DPI, an inhibitor of mitochondrial complex I and II, was capable of prolonging the median lifespan of treated worms. On the other hand, subjecting worms to vitamin C, a pro-oxidant, failed to extend C. elegans lifespan and upregulated its energy consumption.
The researchers concluded: We have identified some mitochondrial inhibitors for the extension of lifespan in the animal model of C. elegans. This supports the theory that mitochondria are heavily involved in the ageing process, although this remains a highly debated topic.
“Intriguingly, the compounds used in this study are for the most part repurposed agents for which preclinical and clinical studies have already been performed to establish their low toxicity.”
