Aging Reduces Intestinal Stem Cell Activity in Killifish and Intermittent Fasting Reverses Intestinal Gene Expression...

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Gastroenterology
• Cell Biology

Background:

• Aging leads to cellular and organ dysfunction, impacting health and longevity.
• Dietary restriction shows promise in counteracting aging effects, but its impact on specific organs requires further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the effects of aging and nutrition on the African turquoise killifish intestine throughout its lifespan.
• To understand how intermittent fasting influences gut tissue homeostasis and stem cell activity during aging.

Main Methods:

• Utilized the African turquoise killifish as a model organism for aging studies.
• Integrated morphological measurements, histology, and transcriptomics to analyze intestinal changes.
• Examined gut tissue at various life stages, including neonatal, adolescent, adult, and old age.

Main Results:

• Observed age-dependent declines in intestinal length, volume, and stem cell cycle time.
• Transcriptomic analysis revealed significant changes in circadian clock and stem cell niche markers with age.
• Intermittent fasting in adulthood maintained adult gene expression levels in old age, preserving tissue homeostasis.

Conclusions:

• Aging is associated with reduced intestinal stem cell activity and tissue homeostasis.
• Intermittent fasting can counteract age-related decline in gut structure and function.
• Findings in killifish intestine are translatable to mammalian gut biology and aging research.