1. Academic Validation
  2. Phosphatidylethanolamine positively regulates autophagy and longevity

Phosphatidylethanolamine positively regulates autophagy and longevity

  • Cell Death Differ. 2015 Mar;22(3):499-508. doi: 10.1038/cdd.2014.219.
P Rockenfeller 1 M Koska 1 F Pietrocola 2 N Minois 3 O Knittelfelder 1 V Sica 2 J Franz 1 D Carmona-Gutierrez 1 G Kroemer 4 F Madeo 5
Affiliations

Affiliations

  • 1 Institute of Molecular Biosciences, NAWI Graz, University of Graz, Humboldtstr. 50, 8010 Graz, Austria.
  • 2 INSERM U848, Villejuif, Paris, France.
  • 3 Biomedical Sciences Research Complex, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, UK.
  • 4 1] INSERM U848, Villejuif, Paris, France [2] Metabolomics Platform, Institut Gustave Roussy, Villejuif, Paris, France [3] Centre de Recherche des Cordeliers, Paris, France [4] Pôle de Biologie; Hôpital Européen Georges Pompidou, AP - HP, Paris, France [5] Université Paris Descartes, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Paris, France.
  • 5 1] Institute of Molecular Biosciences, NAWI Graz, University of Graz, Humboldtstr. 50, 8010 Graz, Austria [2] BioTechMed-Graz, Humboldtstr. 50, 8010 Graz, Austria.
Abstract

Autophagy is a cellular recycling program that retards ageing by efficiently eliminating damaged and potentially harmful organelles and intracellular protein aggregates. Here, we show that the abundance of phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) positively regulates Autophagy. Reduction of intracellular PE levels by knocking out either of the two yeast phosphatidylserine decarboxylases (PSD) accelerated chronological ageing-associated production of Reactive Oxygen Species and death. Conversely, the artificial increase of intracellular PE levels, by provision of its precursor ethanolamine or by overexpression of the PE-generating Enzyme Psd1, significantly increased autophagic flux, both in yeast and in Mammalian Cell Culture. Importantly administration of ethanolamine was sufficient to extend the lifespan of yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae), mammalian cells (U2OS, H4) and flies (Drosophila melanogaster). We thus postulate that the availability of PE may constitute a bottleneck for functional Autophagy and that organismal life or healthspan could be positively influenced by the consumption of ethanolamine-rich food.

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