Wasps may hold key to slowing down the ageing process, study suggests

Jewel wasps can slow their biological ageing by entering a natural dormant state as larvae, scientists have found.

Researchers at the University of Leicester discovered that this developmental pause, known as diapause, can extend adult lifespan by over a third and slow the “epigenetic clock” – a molecular marker that tracks chemical changes in DNA linked to ageing.

The team induced diapause by exposing wasp mothers to cold and darkness. Their offspring showed a 29 per cent slowdown in molecular ageing and lived significantly longer than those that did not experience the pause.

Jewel wasps, or Nasonia vitripennis, are increasingly used in ageing research because they share a DNA methylation system with humans. DNA methylation involves chemical changes that build up over time and are one of the most accurate indicators of biological ageing.

Evolutionary biology professor Eamonn Mallon is senior author on the study.

He said: “It’s like the wasps who took a break early in life came back with extra time in the bank.

“It shows that ageing isn’t set in stone, it can be slowed by the environment, even before adulthood begins.”

While dormant states are known to slow ageing in some animals, the study is the first to show that benefits can persist after development resumes.

The molecular slowdown was linked to biological pathways conserved across species, including those involved in insulin and nutrient sensing – the same pathways targeted by anti-ageing interventions in humans.

The research team – PhD student Erin Foley, Dr Christian Thomas, Professor Charalambos Kyriacou and Professor Mallon – demonstrated that environmental triggers can produce a long-lasting slowdown of biological ageing in a model relevant to human health.

Professor Mallon said: “Understanding how and why ageing happens is a major scientific challenge,.

“This study opens up new avenues for research, not just into the biology of wasps, but into the broader question of whether we might one day design interventions to slow ageing at its molecular roots.

“With its genetic tools, measurable ageing markers, and clear link between development and lifespan, Nasonia vitripennis is now a rising star in ageing research.”

“In short, this tiny wasp may hold big answers to how we can press pause on ageing.”