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Can autophagy promote longevity?

Nature Cell Biology volume 12, pages 842–846 (2010)Cite this article

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Abstract

Organismal lifespan can be extended by genetic manipulation of cellular processes such as histone acetylation, the insulin/IGF-1 (insulin-like growth factor 1) pathway or the p53 system. Longevity-promoting regimens, including caloric restriction and inhibition of TOR with rapamycin, resveratrol or the natural polyamine spermidine, have been associated with autophagy (a cytoprotective self-digestive process) and in some cases were reported to require autophagy for their effects. We summarize recent developments that outline these links and hypothesize that clearing cellular damage by autophagy is a common denominator of many lifespan-extending manipulations.

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Figure 1: Linking different lifespan-prolonging treatments to autophagy.
Figure 2: Linking autophagy-mediated lifespan extension to cytoprotection.

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Acknowledgements

G.K. is supported by grants from the Ligue Nationale contre le Cancer (équipe labellisée), Fondation pour la Recherche Médicale, the European Union, Cancéropôle Ile-de-France, Institut National du Cancer and Agence Nationale pour la Recherche. F.M. is supported by grants from the Austrian Science Fund (S-9304-B05, LIPOTOX) and European Commission (APOSYS). N.T. is supported by grants from the European Research Council (ERC), the European Commission 6th and 7th Framework programs and the European Molecular Biology Organization (EMBO).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Frank Madeo is in the Institute of Molecular Biosciences, University of Graz, 8010 Graz, Austria.,

    Frank Madeo

  2. Nektarios Tavernarakis is in the Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Foundation for Research and Technology, Vasilika Vouton, PO Box 1385, Heraklion 71110, Crete, Greece.,

    Nektarios Tavernarakis

  3. Guido Kroemer is in INSERM, U848, F-94805 Villejuif, France, the Metabolomics Platform, Institut Gustave Roussy, Villejuif, France, the Centre de Recherche des Cordeliers, Paris, France, Pôle de Biologie, Hôpital Européen Georges Pompidou, AP-HP, Paris, France and Université Paris Descartes, Paris 5, Paris, France.,

    Guido Kroemer

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  1. Frank Madeo
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Correspondence to Guido Kroemer.

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Madeo, F., Tavernarakis, N. & Kroemer, G. Can autophagy promote longevity?. Nat Cell Biol 12, 842–846 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1038/ncb0910-842

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