Human Gene Knockdowns that May Extend Lifespan

描述（由申请人提供）：FOXO转录因子延长动物寿命并延缓与年龄相关的疾病，现在许多研究已经将FOXO3A DNA变异与人类的异常长寿联系起来。因此，寻找可能调节foxo依赖性或其他长寿途径的人类基因似乎是时候了。FOXO蛋白可以通过多种方式被激活来延长动物的寿命。例如，秀丽隐杆线虫FOXO可以通过胰岛素/IGF-1信号的降低、血清素信号的改变、AMP激酶活性的升高、热休克因子活性的升高、lin-4 microRNA活性的升高、Jun激酶活性的升高等输入来促进长寿。因此，可能有许多基因扰动可以延长人类的健康寿命；其中一些干扰可能比其他干扰更安全、更有效。因为不可能对长寿的人类进行基因筛选，所以我们在人类细胞中进行基因筛选。我们的实验策略是基于这样的观察，即迄今为止测试的所有依赖FOXO的延长寿命途径（以及许多其他延长寿命的途径）都增加了对氧化应激的抵抗力。虽然抗氧化应激在延长寿命中的作用尚不清楚，但相关性是明确的

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): FOXO transcription factors extend lifespan and delay age-related disease in animals, and many studies have now linked FOXO3A DNA variants to exceptional longevity in humans. Thus, the time seems right to look for human genes that are likely to regulate FOXO-dependent, or other, longevity pathways. FOXO proteins can be activated in many ways to extend animal lifespan. For example, C. elegans FOXO can promote longevity in response to reduced insulin/IGF-1 signaling, altered serotonin signaling, and elevated AMP kinase activity, elevated heat-shock factor activity, elevated lin-4 microRNA activity, elevated Jun kinase activity and other inputs. Thus, there could be many gene perturbations that can extend healthy lifespan in humans; and some of these perturbations may be safer and more effective than others. Because it is not possible to do genetic screens for long-lived humans, we are doing genetic screens in human cells instead. Our experimental strategy is based on the observation that all FOXO- dependent life-extending pathways tested so far (as well as many other life-extension pathways) increase resistance to oxidative stress. Although the role of oxidative stress resistance in life extension is not clear, the correlation is tight enough that in many model organisms, screens for oxidative stress resistance have yielded long-lived mutants. Therefore, to obtain a set of potential human longevity genes, the Kenyon lab has carried out a genome-wide siRNA screen for oxidative stress resistance in a human primary cell line. The gene hits include known C. elegans FOXO regulators, regulators of other longevity proteins such as TOR and NRF2, and new genes as well. From this set, the Kenyon lab will identify good candidates for new human longevity and healthspan genes. To do this, they will determine which knockdowns trigger other correlates of longevity, such as xenobiotic resistance or autophagy. In addition, they will ask which knockdowns perturb the activities of FOXO3A, TOR or NRF2. Finally, to link these genes to longevity, they will test for their ability to influence lifespan in C. elegans and for their altered expression in centenarian families. This fresh approach will define new potential drug targets for extending the youthful and productive years of human life, and for delaying age-related diseases such as cancer, heart disease and/or neurodegenerative disease.