Researchers discover links between food, eye health, and longevity

At DrosophilaFor the first time, researchers at the Back Institute have discovered a link between nutrition, circadian rhythms, eye health, and longevity. They also found that Flyeye’s activities actually drive the aging process.

The study was published in the journal “Nature Communications”

Previous studies have shown in humans that there is a link between eye damage and poor health. “Our study claims that it’s more than a correlation. Eye dysfunction can actually cause problems in other tissues,” said senior author and Professor Back Institute. increase. Pankaikapahi, PhD, its lab has demonstrated over the years that fasting and calorie restriction can improve many functions of the body. “We now show that fasting not only improves vision, but that the eyes actually play a role in lifespan.”

“At least the discovery that the fruit fly’s eyes themselves can directly regulate lifespan was a surprise to us,” said the lead author. Brian HodgePh.D., conducted postdoctoral research in Kapahi’s laboratory.

According to Hodge, the explanation for this relationship is in the circadian clock. It is the intracellular molecular mechanism of all living organisms and is evolving to adapt to daily stresses such as rising light and temperature and changes in light and temperature caused by settings. Sun. These 24-hour vibrations (circadian rhythms) are responsible for complex animal behaviors such as prey-prey interactions and sleep / wake cycles, up to the temporal regulation of molecular functions of gene transcription and protein translation. Affect.

In 2016, Kapahi’s laboratory published a study on cell metabolism. This indicates that fruit flies on a restricted diet not only extended lifespan, but also made significant changes in circadian rhythms. When Hodge joined the lab later that year, he needed a circadian process for whether the process of enhancing circadian function was altered by dietary changes, and for the longer lifespan seen in dietary restrictions. I wanted to dig deeper to understand if.

“Fruit flies have a very short lifespan, making them a very beautiful model that can screen many things at once,” says Hodge, a scientist at Fountain Therapeutics in South San Francisco. The study is from an extensive study to determine which genes oscillate in a circadian rhythm when compared to those fed an unrestricted diet with only 10% of the protein in an unrestricted diet. started.

Soon, Hodge noticed a number of genes that responded to the diet and showed ups and downs at various times, or “rhythmic.” He then discovered that all of the most activated rhythmic genes in dietary restrictions appear to come from the eye, especially photoreceptors, special neurons in the retina of the eye that respond to light.

This discovery led to a series of experiments designed to understand how eye function fits into the story of how dietary restrictions can extend lifespan. For example, they set up experiments showing that keeping flies in constant darkness extends their lifespan. “It seemed very strange to us,” Hodge said. “Flies needed clues for rhythmic or circadian lighting.”

Then, using bioinformatics, I asked: Do eye genes that are rhythmic and responsive to dietary restrictions affect lifespan? The answer was yes.

“We always think it helps to provide vision. We don’t think it has to be protected to protect the whole organism,” said Kapahi, an associate professor of urology. I am saying. UCSF.

Because the eyes are exposed to the outside world, immune defenses are very active and can cause inflammation, and long-term presence can cause or exacerbate a variety of common chronic illnesses. He explained. In addition, light itself can cause photoreceptor degeneration and inflammation.

“Looking at the screen of a computer or phone and being exposed to light pollution late into the night is a very annoying situation for a circadian clock,” says Kapahi. “It ruins eye protection, which can have the consequence of damaging not only the eyesight, but the rest of the body and the brain.”

Is there much to understand about the role that the eye plays in the overall health and longevity of an organism, such as how the eye regulates lifespan and the same effects apply to other organisms?

The biggest question raised by this study, which may apply to humans, is simply whether mammalian photoreceptors affect lifespan. Hodge said it was probably not as good as the fruit fly, and that most of the fruit fly’s energy was directed to the eye. However, because photoreceptors are just special neurons, “the stronger association I claim is the role of circadian function, especially in diet-restricted neurons, and the use of these to function through aging. Is a way to maintain. “

Researchers can target molecular clocks to slow down aging once they understand how these processes work, Hodge said, and humans can activate the clock in their eyes. He added that it could help maintain vision. “It may be due to diet, narcotics, lifestyle changes … there are many really interesting studies ahead,” he said.

Source: ANI