Aging-associated decline of phosphatidylcholine synthesis is a malleable trigger of natural mitochondrial aging.
basic_science · Level V
Where this comes from
- Record sourced from PubMed, PMID 42000749.
- Also identified by DOI 10.1038/s41467-026-71508-7 and PMC identifier 13091796.
- Licence recorded as CC BY.
- The licence permits redistribution, so the abstract is shown in full and the full text is available from the publisher.
Abstract
Mitochondrial dysfunction is a prominent hallmark of aging contributing to the decline of metabolic plasticity in late life. While genetic distortions of mitochondrial integrity elicit premature aging, the mechanisms leading to "natural" aging of mitochondria are less clear. Here we use proteomics, lipidomics, genetics and functional tests in wild type Caenorhabditis elegans and long-lived clk-1(qm30) and isp-1(qm150) mitochondrial mutants to identify molecular pathways that support longevity amid persistent mitochondrial inefficiency. These tests and subsequent transcriptomics and metabolomics analyses in humans reveal aging-associated decline of phosphatidylcholine synthesis as a trigger of mitochondrial network disruption, which contributes to mitochondrial dysfunction during normal aging. Moreover, ectopic boosting of phosphatidylcholine levels via diet restores late life mitochondrial integrity in vivo in nematodes and reinstates metabolic resilience in human cell culture tests. We thus describe a previously unrecognized natural driver of mitochondrial decline in aging that is malleable by dietary interventions.
Medical subject headings
- Caenorhabditis elegans
- Mitochondria
- Phosphatidylcholines
- Aging