Japan-Korea joint seminar: Asian aging core for longevity 2008 in Nagasaki - toward the establishment of an Asian aging research and education center - September 4th to 6th, 2008 at Huis ten Bosch, Nagasaki, Japan

DDS promotes longevity through a microbiome-mediated starvation signal

The antibiotic diaminodiphenyl sulfone (DDS) is used in combination with other antibiotics as a first line treatment for leprosy. DDS has been previously reported to extend lifespan in Caenorhabditis elegans through inhibition of pyruvate kinase and decreased mitochondrial function. Here we report an alternative mechanism of action by which DDS promotes longevity in C. elegans by reducing folate production by the microbiome. This results in altered methionine cycle metabolite levels mimicking the effects of metformin and lifespan extension that is dependent on the starvation- and hypoxia-induced flavin containing monoxygenase, FMO-2.

Protective effect of 4,4'-diaminodiphenylsulfone against paraquat-induced mouse lung injury

Although 4,4'-diaminodiphenylsulfone (DDS, dapsone) has been used to treat several dermatologic conditions, including Hansen disease, for the past several decades, its mode of action has remained a topic of debate. We recently reported that DDS treatment significantly extends the lifespan of the nematode C. elegans by decreasing the generation of reactive oxygen species. Additionally, in in vitro experiments using non-phagocytic human fibroblasts, we found that DDS effectively counteracted the toxicity of paraquat (PQ). In the present study, we extended our work to test the protective effect of DDS against PQ in vivo using a mouse lung injury model. Oral administration of DDS to mice significantly attenuated the lung tissue damage caused by subsequent administration of PQ. Moreover, DDS reduced the local expression of mRNA transcripts encoding inflammation-related molecules, including endothelin-1 (ET-1), macrophage inflammatory protein-1α (MIP-1α), and transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β). In addition, DDS decreased the PQ-induced expression of NADPH oxidase mRNA and activation of protein kinase Cμ (PKCμ). DDS treatment also decreased the PQ-induced generation of superoxide anions in mouse lung fibroblasts. Taken together, these data suggest the novel efficacy of DDS as an effective protective agent against oxidative stress-induced tissue damages.

An exploratory study to determine the association between assessed facial skin aging and plasma isoprostane levels in middle-aged Japanese women

BACKGROUND

One of the central mechanisms of aging is hypothesized to be oxidative stress. Quantification of oxidative stress in human organ systems has been difficult. One of the best methods is using plasma isoprostane levels, which have been shown to reflect oxidative stress in multiple nondermatologic organ systems.

OBJECTIVE

To determine whether severity of aging of human skin is associated with plasma isoprostane levels, specifically prostaglandin F2a (PGF2a) and 8-iso-PGF2a while controlling for covariates such as body mass index, ultraviolet light exposure, diet, medication, supplement use, and stress levels.

METHODS AND MATERIALS

Facial skin aging assessments performed by four blinded dermatologists were correlated with plasma isoprostane levels in 46 healthy, nonsmoking Japanese women aged 45 to 60.

RESULTS

Individuals whose assessed skin age exceeded chronological age had mean plasma isoprostane levels of PGF2a and 8-iso-PGF2a that were higher than those whose skin age was assessed to be less than chronological age (p = .001 and .001, respectively). These results remained statistically significant when adjusted for confounding variables (8-iso-PGF2a, p = .02; PGF2a, p = .03).

CONCLUSIONS

Plasma isoprostanes as markers of accelerated aging of the skin merit further study.

Trinations aging symposium

The "Trinations Aging Symposium" was held on the campus of Guangdong Medical College in Dongguan, China from April 28 to 30, 2011. The goal was to promote interaction, collaboration, and exchange of ideas between scientists in the field of aging research from Japan, South Korea, and China. Aging research is on the rise in Asia. This represents an important development, since Korea and Japan are the two longest-lived countries in the world, and life expectancy is increasing rapidly in China and other Asian countries. The world will see a greater percentage of people over age 65 in coming years than any period in human history. Developing therapeutic approaches to increase healthspan has the potential not only to enhance quality of life, but would also help stem the looming economic crisis associated with a high percentage of elderly. The focus of the Trinations Aging Symposium was on the basic biology of aging, and topics discussed included genome maintenance, metabolism and aging, longevity genes and interventions, and new therapies for age-related diseases. The meeting finished with a commitment for another symposium next year that will include additional Asian countries and the formation of a new scientific organization, the Asian Association for Aging Research.

DDS, 4,4'-diaminodiphenylsulfone, extends organismic lifespan

DDS, 4,4'-diaminodiphenylsulfone, is the most common drug prescribed to treat Hansen disease patients. In addition to its antibacterial activity, DDS has been reported to be involved in other cellular processes that occur in eukaryotic cells. Because DDS treatment significantly enhances the antioxidant activity in humans, we examined its effect on lifespan extension. Here we show that DDS extends organismic lifespan using Caenorhabditis elegans as a model system. DDS treatment caused a delay in aging and decreased the levels of a mitochondrial complex. The oxygen consumption rate was also significantly lowered. Consistent with these data, paraquat treatment evoked less reactive oxygen species in DDS-treated worms, and these worms were less sensitive to paraquat. Interestingly enough, all of the molecular events caused by DDS treatment were consistently reproduced in mice treated with DDS for 3 mo and in the C2C12 muscle cell line. Structural prediction identified pyruvate kinase (PK) as a protein target of DDS. Indeed, DDS bound and inhibited PK in vitro and inhibited it in vivo, and a PK mutation conferred extended lifespan of C. elegans. Supplement of pyruvate to the media protected C2C12 cells from apoptosis caused by paraquat. Our findings establish the significance of DDS in lowering reactive oxygen species generation and extending the lifespan, which renders the rationale to examining the possible effect of DDS on human lifespan extension.