Abstract
Chromatin and metabolic states both influence lifespan, but how they interact in lifespan regulation is largely unknown. The COMPASS chromatin complex, which trimethylates lysine 4 on histone H3 (H3K4me3), regulates lifespan in Caenorhabditis elegans. However, the mechanism by which H3K4me3 modifiers affect longevity, and whether this mechanism involves metabolic changes, remain unclear. Here we show that a deficiency in H3K4me3 methyltransferase, which extends lifespan, promotes fat accumulation in worms with a specific enrichment of mono-unsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs). This fat metabolism switch in H3K4me3 methyltransferase-deficient worms is mediated at least in part by the downregulation of germline targets, including S6 kinase, and by the activation of an intestinal transcriptional network that upregulates delta-9 fatty acid desaturases. Notably, the accumulation of MUFAs is necessary for the lifespan extension of H3K4me3 methyltransferase-deficient worms, and dietary MUFAs are sufficient to extend lifespan. Given the conservation of lipid metabolism, dietary or endogenous MUFAs could extend lifespan and healthspan in other species, including mammals.
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Acknowledgements
We thank A. Jose, A. Rechtsteiner, S. Strome and R. Waterston for sharing expression data and strains pre-publication; A. Fire, M. Hansen, S. Kim, F. Palladino, D. Pattabiraman, Y. Zhang and the Caenorhabditis Genetics Center for plasmids and strains; M. Hansen, E. O’Rourke, L. Booth, C-K. Hu, D. Leeman, J. Lim and S. Mahmoudi for reading the manuscript; A. Fire, O. Gozani, S. Kim and Brunet laboratory members for discussions; A. Chien for GC–MS consulting; and J. Coller at the Stanford Functional Genomics Facility. Supported by NIH DP1AG044848 (A.B.), NIH R01AG054201 (A.B. and W.B.M.), NIH R01AG044346 (W.B.M.), a Stanford Mass Spectrometry grant (S.H. and A.B.), NSF Graduate Research Fellowship, Stanford Graduate Fellowship and NIH T32AG047126 (S.H.), and NIH T32AG047126 and NIH F32AG051337 (E.A.S.).
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S.H. conceived the study under the guidance of A.B. S.H. performed all the experiments except those specified below. E.A.S. planned and performed Nile Red and FAT-5/FAT-7 reporter imaging, time-course RT–qPCR and one oleic acid supplementation lifespan experiment. C.G.S.-G. planned and performed SBP-1 localization experiments and generated set-2 transgenic lines under the guidance of W.B.M. K.H. analysed the RNA-seq data. S.H. wrote the paper with the help of A.B. and E.A.S. C.G.S.-G., K.H. and W.B.M. provided feedback.
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Extended data figures and tables
Extended Data Figure 1 Deficiency in H3K4me3 modifiers leads to fat accumulation in the intestine without altering fertility.
a, ORO quantification. Mean ± s.d., n ≥ 17 worms per condition. b, ORO images. Scale bars, 100 μm. c, ORO quantification. Mean ± s.d., n ≥ 9 dissected intestines per condition. d, e, Nile Red staining and quantification. Mean ± s.d., n ≥ 7 dissected intestines (d) or n ≥ 11 worms (e) per condition. Scale bars, 100 μm. f, Autofluorescence and quantification. Mean ± s.d., n ≥ 17 worms per condition. Scale bars, 100 μm. g, Fertility quantification of live brood size (i), fertilized eggs (ii), and unfertilized oocytes (iii) laid per worm. Mean ± s.d., n ≥ 25 worms per condition. h, RT–qPCR. Mean ± s.e.m. of two independent experiments, each with two or three biological replicates. i, RT–qPCR. Mean ± s.e.m. from two independent experiments, each with two or three biological replicates. j, ORO quantification. Mean ± s.d., n ≥ 26 worms per condition. k, ORO quantification. Mean ± s.d., n ≥ 29 worms per condition. l, RT–qPCR. Mean ± s.e.m. of three biological replicates. m, Differential interference contrast (DIC) (Nomarski) and GFP fluorescence images. n, ORO quantification. Mean ± s.d., n ≥ 26 worms per condition. a–f, k (rescue line number 1), n, Representative of two experiments. P values: a, c–g, two-tailed Mann–Whitney; h, i, two-tailed Mann–Whitney with Benjamini–Hochberg correction; j, k, n, Kruskal–Wallis with Dunn’s correction; l, two-tailed t-test with Benjamini–Hochberg correction. *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01.
Extended Data Figure 2 The delta-9 desaturases FAT-5 and FAT-7 support MUFA accumulation in H3K4me3 methyltransferase-deficient worms.
a, GC–MS quantification of MUFAs. Mean ± s.e.m. of two independent experiments, each with three biological replicates. b, c, RT–qPCR. Mean ± s.e.m. of two independent experiments, each with three biological replicates. d, GC–MS quantification of MUFAs. Mean ± s.e.m. of two independent experiments, each with two or three biological replicates. e, RT–qPCR. Mean ± s.e.m. of two independent experiments, each with three biological replicates. P values: a–e, two-tailed Mann–Whitney with Benjamini–Hochberg correction. *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01.
Extended Data Figure 3 RNA-seq on micro-dissected germlines and intestines and functional validation of ASH-2 targets.
a, RNA-seq tissue sample collection pipeline. b, Principal component analysis (PCA) with both intestinal and germline samples (left), only intestinal samples (middle) or only germline samples (right). c, RT–qPCR. Mean ± s.e.m. of two independent experiments, each with two or three biological replicates. d – g, ORO quantification. Mean ± s.d., n ≥ 15 worms per condition. h, RT–qPCR. Mean ± s.e.m. of two independent experiments, each with three biological replicates. i, j, ORO quantification. Mean ± s.d., n ≥ 21 (i) and n ≥ 27 (j) worms per condition. k, RT–qPCR. Mean ± s.e.m. of two independent experiments, each with three biological replicates. l, GC–MS. Mean ± s.e.m. of two independent experiments, each with three biological replicates. m, ORO quantification. Mean ± s.d., n ≥ 19 worms per condition. n, RT–qPCR. Mean ± s.e.m. of two independent experiments, each with three biological replicates. o, Lifespan extension by ash-2 RNAi is reduced in rsks-1 mutants (13.12%) compared to wild-type worms (29.20%) (P < 0.0001, two-way ANOVA). p, let-363 RNAi and daf-15 RNAi extend lifespan in wild-type worms (P < 0.0001, log-rank), but not in set-2 mutants. d (except rrf-1 data), i, j, Representative of two experiments. P values: c, k, l, n, two-tailed Mann–Whitney with Benjamini–Hochberg correction; h, two-tailed Mann-Whitney; d–g, i, j, m, Kruskal–Wallis with Dunn’s correction. *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01.
Extended Data Figure 4 Role of SBP-1, MDT-15, NHR-49 and NHR-80 in the fat accumulation and longevity of H3K4me3 methyltransferase-deficient worms.
a–d, Images and quantification of SBP-1 nuclear accumulation. Mean ± s.d. of two independent experiments, each with 4–6 nuclei per worm of ≥ 8 worms per condition. e, RT–qPCR. Mean ± s.e.m. of two independent experiments, each with three biological replicates. f, GC–MS quantification of MUFAs. Mean ± s.e.m. of two independent experiments, each with two or three biological replicates. g, ORO quantification. Mean ± s.d., n ≥ 21 worms per condition. h, ash-2 RNAi extends lifespan in wild-type worms (P < 0.0001, log-rank), but not in mdt-15 RNAi worms. i, ORO quantification, Mean ± s.d., n ≥ 24 worms per condition. j, ash-2 RNAi extends lifespan in both wild-type worms and nhr-49 mutants (P < 0.0001, log-rank). k, ORO quantification. Mean ± s.d., n ≥ 27 worms per condition. l, ash-2 RNAi extends lifespan in both wild-type worms and nhr-80 mutants (P < 0.0001, log-rank). i–k, Representative of two experiments. P values: a, two-tailed Mann–Whitney; b–d, g, i, k, Kruskal–Wallis with Dunn’s correction; e, f, two-tailed Mann–Whitney with Benjamini–Hochberg correction. *P < 0.05.
Extended Data Figure 5 Delta-9 desaturases FAT-6 and FAT-7 and MUFA oleic acid mediate the longevity of H3K4me3 methyltransferase-deficient worms.
a, ORO quantification. Mean ± s.d., n ≥ 29 worms per condition. b, ash-2 RNAi leads to lifespan extension in control (P < 0.0001, log-rank), but not in fat-6 and fat-7 double mutants. c, ash-2 RNAi extends lifespan in both wild-type worms and fat-7 single mutants (P < 0.0001, log-rank). d, ash-2 RNAi extends lifespan in fat-6 single mutants (P = 0.0162, log-rank), but lifespan extension by ash-2 RNAi is reduced in fat-6 mutants (9.26%) compared to wild-type worms (20.46%) (P = 0.0072, two-way ANOVA). e, ash-2 RNAi extends lifespan in fat-5 and fat-7 double mutants (P < 0.0001, log-rank). f, ash-2 RNAi extends lifespan in fat-5 and fat-6 double mutants (P = 0.0002, log-rank), but lifespan extension by ash-2 RNAi is reduced in fat-5 and fat-6 double mutants (14.03%) compared to wild-type worms (20.46%) (P = 0.0358, two-way ANOVA). g, h, GC–MS quantification of oleic acid. Mean ± s.e.m. of three biological replicates. i, ORO quantification. Mean ± s.d., n ≥ 13 worms per condition. Boxed conditions are identical to Fig. 4g. j, Oleic acid supplementation extends lifespan (P < 0.0001, log-rank), which is not further extended by ash-2 RNAi. Oleic acid supplementation extends lifespan in ash-2 and fat-7 double RNAi worms (P < 0.0001, log-rank). Boxed conditions are identical to Fig. 4h. k, ORO quantification. Mean ± s.d., n ≥ 21 worms per condition. l, GC–MS quantification of MUFAs. Mean ± s.e.m. of two independent experiments, each with two or three biological replicates. m, RT–qPCR. Mean ± s.e.m. of two independent experiments, each with three biological replicates. n, ORO quantification. Mean ± s.d., n ≥ 25 worms per condition. o, ash-2 RNAi extends lifespan in control (P < 0.0001, log-rank) but not fat-2 RNAi worms. c, i, j, n, o, Representative of two experiments. P values: a, g–i, k, n, Kruskal–Wallis with Dunn’s correction; l, m, two-tailed Mann–Whitney with Benjamini–Hochberg correction. *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01.
Extended Data Figure 6 Dietary supplementation with MUFAs, but not PUFAs, extends lifespan in wild-type worms.
a, GC–MS. Mean ± s.e.m. of two independent experiments, each with two or three biological replicates. b, Cis-vaccenic acid supplementation extends lifespan in wild-type worms (P < 0.0001, log-rank). Inset: ORO quantification. Mean ± s.d., n ≥ 20 worms per condition. c, GC–MS. Mean ± s.e.m. of two independent experiments, each with three biological replicates. d, Linoleic acid supplementation does not extend lifespan in wild-type worms. Inset: ORO quantification. Mean ± s.d., n ≥ 23 worms per condition. e, GC–MS. Mean ± s.e.m. of two independent experiments, each with three biological replicates. f, Alpha-linolenic acid supplementation does not increase the lifespan of wild-type worms. Inset: ORO quantification. Mean ± s.d., n ≥ 23 worms per condition. g, RT–qPCR. Mean ± s.e.m. of three biological replicates. h, ORO quantification. Mean ± s.d., n ≥ 54 worms per condition. i, Overexpression of FAT-7 extends lifespan (P < 0.0001, log-rank), but this lifespan is not extended further by dietary oleic acid. Boxed regions are identical to Fig. 5g. j, Proposed model by which ash-2 deficiency in the germline could lead to the fat metabolic switch in the intestine. b, d, f, Representative of two experiments. P values: a, c, e, two-tailed Mann–Whitney with Benjamini–Hochberg correction; b inset, d inset, f inset, two-tailed Mann–Whitney; g, Kruskal–Wallis test with Dunn’s correction (non-significant, probably owing to small sample size). One-way ANOVA with Bonferroni’s correction. h, Kruskal–Wallis with Dunn’s correction; *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01, ***P < 0.001.
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Han, S., Schroeder, E., Silva-García, C. et al. Mono-unsaturated fatty acids link H3K4me3 modifiers to C. elegans lifespan. Nature 544, 185–190 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1038/nature21686
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/nature21686
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