JNK Signaling Confers Tolerance to Oxidative Stress and Extends Lifespan in Drosophila

Changes in the genetic makeup of an organism can extend lifespan significantly if they promote tolerance to environmental insults and thus prevent the general deterioration of cellular function that is associated with aging. Here, we introduce the Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) signaling pathway as a g...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Developmental cell 2003-11, Vol.5 (5), p.811-816
Main Authors: Wang, Meng C., Bohmann, Dirk, Jasper, Heinrich
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Aging - physiology
Animals
Drosophila melanogaster
Drosophila melanogaster - genetics
Drosophila melanogaster - physiology
Drosophila Proteins - genetics
Drosophila Proteins - metabolism
Gene Expression Regulation
JNK Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases
Jun N-terminal kinase
Life Expectancy
Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases - metabolism
Oxidative Stress
Phenotype
Phosphoprotein Phosphatases - genetics
Phosphoprotein Phosphatases - metabolism
Reactive Oxygen Species - metabolism
Signal Transduction - physiology
Transgenes
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Summary:Changes in the genetic makeup of an organism can extend lifespan significantly if they promote tolerance to environmental insults and thus prevent the general deterioration of cellular function that is associated with aging. Here, we introduce the Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) signaling pathway as a genetic determinant of aging in Drosophila melanogaster. Based on expression profiling experiments, we demonstrate that JNK functions at the center of a signal transduction network that coordinates the induction of protective genes in response to oxidative challenge. JNK signaling activity thus alleviates the toxic effects of reactive oxygen species (ROS). In addition, we show that flies with mutations that augment JNK signaling accumulate less oxidative damage and live dramatically longer than wild-type flies. Our work thus identifies the evolutionarily conserved JNK signaling pathway as a major genetic factor in the control of longevity.
ISSN:1534-5807
1878-1551
DOI:10.1016/S1534-5807(03)00323-X