Related Experiment Video

Updated: Apr 8, 2026

Subcellular Fractionation for ERK Activation Upon Mitochondrial-derived Peptide Treatment
07:55

Subcellular Fractionation for ERK Activation Upon Mitochondrial-derived Peptide Treatment

Published on: September 25, 2017

8.4K

The Ras-Erk-ETS-Signaling Pathway Is a Drug Target for Longevity

Cathy Slack1, Nazif Alic2, Andrea Foley2

  • 1Institute of Healthy Ageing, Department of Genetics, Evolution, and Environment, University College London, Darwin Building, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, UK; Max Planck Institute for Biology of Ageing, Joseph-Stelzmann-Strasse 9b, 50931 Cologne, Germany.

Cell
|June 30, 2015
PubMed

Insights

Scientists found that inhibiting the Ras-Erk-ETS pathway extends lifespan in fruit flies. This pathway, involving Anterior open (Aop), offers a potential target for anti-aging drugs in humans.

Area of Science:

  • Molecular biology
  • Genetics
  • Aging research

Background:

  • Understanding aging mechanisms is crucial for human health.
  • The insulin/IGF-1 signaling (IIS) pathway is linked to aging.
  • Pharmacological interventions can potentially modulate aging processes.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To identify molecular mechanisms of aging in Drosophila.
  • To investigate the role of Ras-Erk-ETS signaling in aging.
  • To explore pharmacological targeting of this pathway for lifespan extension.

Main Methods:

  • Genetic manipulation of Ras, Erk, and Anterior open (Aop) in Drosophila.
  • Analysis of lifespan extension downstream of reduced IIS.
  • Administration of trametinib, a Ras-Erk-ETS inhibitor, in adult flies.

Main Results:

  • Inhibition of Ras is sufficient for lifespan extension.
  • Reduced Ras or Erk activity directly increases lifespan.
  • The ETS repressor Aop is central to lifespan extension.
  • Adult-onset trametinib administration extends lifespan.

Conclusions:

  • The Ras-Erk-ETS pathway is a critical regulator of aging in Drosophila.
  • Inhibiting Ras-Erk-ETS signaling is a viable strategy for lifespan extension.
  • This pathway represents a promising pharmacological target for anti-aging interventions in mammals.

More Related Videos

Identification of EGFR and RAS Inhibitors using Caenorhabditis elegans08:12

Identification of EGFR and RAS Inhibitors using Caenorhabditis elegans

Published on: October 5, 2020

3.4K
An Efficient Protocol to Assess ERK Activity Modulation in Early Zebrafish Noonan Syndrome Models via Live FRET Microscopy and Immunofluorescence09:58

An Efficient Protocol to Assess ERK Activity Modulation in Early Zebrafish Noonan Syndrome Models via Live FRET Microscopy and Immunofluorescence

Published on: May 2, 2025

819

Related Concept Videos

MAPK Signaling Cascades01:07

MAPK Signaling Cascades

Mitogen-activated protein kinase, or MAPK pathway, activates three sequential kinases to regulate cellular responses such as proliferation, differentiation, survival, and apoptosis. The canonical MAPK pathway starts with a mitogen or growth factor binding to an RTK. The activated RTKs stimulate Ras, which recruits Raf or MAP3 Kinase (MAPKKK), the first kinase of the MAPK signaling cascade. Raf further phosphorylates and activates MEK or MAP2 Kinases (MAPKK), which in turn phosphorylates MAP...
9.3K
PI3K/mTOR/AKT Signaling Pathway01:22

PI3K/mTOR/AKT Signaling Pathway

The mammalian target of rapamycin  (mTOR) is a serine/threonine kinase that regulates growth, proliferation, and cell survival in response to hormones, growth factors, or nutrient availability. This kinase exists in two structurally and functionally distinct forms: mTOR complex 1  (mTORC1) and mTOR complex 2  (mTORC2). The first form (mTORC1) is composed of a rapamycin-sensitive Raptor and proline-rich Akt substrate, PRAS40. In contrast,  mTORC2 consists of a...
6.4K
Interactions Between Signaling Pathways01:19

Interactions Between Signaling Pathways

Signaling cascades usually lack linearity. Multiple pathways interact and regulate one another, allowing cells to integrate and respond to diverse environmental stimuli.
Convergence and divergence, and cross-talk between signaling pathways
Two distinct signaling pathways can converge on a single functional unit, which may either be a single protein or a complex of proteins. The response is either functionally distinct or synergistic between the two pathways but different from the response...
7.9K
The Ras Gene02:38

The Ras Gene

The Ras-gene-encoded proteins are regulators of signaling pathways controlling cell proliferation, differentiation, or cell survival. The Ras-gene family in humans constitutes three primary members—the HRas, NRas, and KRas. These genes code for four functionally distinct yet closely related proteins—the HRas, NRas, KRas4A, and KRas4B. The involvement of mutant Ras genes in human cancer was first discovered in 1982 and is among the most common causes of human tumorigenesis.
Ras is a...
7.5K
mTOR Signaling and Cancer Progression03:03

mTOR Signaling and Cancer Progression

The mammalian target of rapamycin or mTOR protein was discovered in 1994 due to its direct interaction with rapamycin. The protein gets its name from a yeast homolog called TOR. The mTOR protein complex in mammalian cells plays a major role in balancing anabolic processes such as the synthesis of proteins, lipids, and nucleotides and catabolic processes, such as autophagy in response to environmental cues, such as availability of nutrients and growth factors.
The mTOR pathway or the...
5.1K
Amplifying Signals via Enzymatic Cascade01:22

Amplifying Signals via Enzymatic Cascade

When a ligand binds to a cell-surface receptor, the receptor's intracellular domain changes shape, which may either activate its enzyme function or allow its binding to other molecules. The initial signal is amplified by most signal transduction pathways. This means that a single ligand molecule can activate multiple molecules of a downstream target. Proteins that relay a signal are most commonly phosphorylated at one or more sites, activating or inactivating the protein. Kinases catalyze...
19.5K