Neuronal expression of bromodomain proteins alters neuronal health and peripheral protein homeostasis to promote longevity.
Overexpression of neuronal bet-1 in Caenorhabditis elegans extends lifespan by activating systemic stress responses through cell-nonautonomous signaling.
- Why it matters: Understanding how neuronal gene regulation influences organismal aging can reveal targets for promoting healthspan and resilience. This work addresses the gap in knowledge about intertissue communication in longevity.
- What they did: Researchers overexpressed bet-1 specifically in neurons of C. elegans and used RNA sequencing to identify pathways involved, focusing on stress response and proteostasis mechanisms.
- The result: Neuronal bet-1 enhances lifespan and stress resistance by activating HSF-1 in the intestine, promoting proteostasis, immune defense, and metabolic remodeling, establishing chromatin readers as key systemic regulators.