Good Ol’ Fat: Links between Lipid Signaling and Longevity

Aging is the single greatest risk factor for the development of disease. Understanding the biological molecules and mechanisms that modulate aging is therefore critical for the development of health-maximizing interventions for older people. The effect of fats on longevity has traditionally been dis...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Trends in biochemical sciences (Amsterdam. Regular ed.) 2017-10, Vol.42 (10), p.812-823
Main Authors: Bustos, Victor, Partridge, Linda
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
aging
Animals
Humans
Lipid Metabolism
lipid signaling
lipidomics
Lipids
Longevity
nuclear receptors
Signal Transduction
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Summary:Aging is the single greatest risk factor for the development of disease. Understanding the biological molecules and mechanisms that modulate aging is therefore critical for the development of health-maximizing interventions for older people. The effect of fats on longevity has traditionally been disregarded as purely detrimental. However, new studies are starting to uncover the possible beneficial effects of lipids working as signaling molecules on health and longevity. These studies highlight the complex links between aging and lipid signaling. In this review we summarize accumulating evidence that points to changes in lipid metabolism, and in particular lipid signaling, as an underlying mechanism for healthy aging. Aging is complex, and a better understanding of its underlying mechanisms provides an opportunity to intervene and promote healthy longevity. Multiple lifespan-extending interventions are evolutionarily conserved and therefore highlight the relevance to humans of aging studies in multiple model organisms. Recent studies pinpoint specific lipid signaling molecules as modulators of health under diverse lifespan-extending interventions in worms. The relevance of lipid signaling in aging represents an underexplored area with great possibilities for health-promoting and life-extending interventions.
ISSN:0968-0004
1362-4326
DOI:10.1016/j.tibs.2017.07.001