Research reveals a mechanism by which spermidine regulates autophagy, a process that recycles components within the cell and promotes anti-aging effects.
The results of recent research conducted at the Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology (IMBB) of the Foundation for Technology and Research (ITE) and the University of Paris Site in France and Graz University in Austria have been published in a prestigious international scientific journal. Nature Cell Biologyreveals the mechanism by which spermidine regulates autophagy, a process that enables the recycling of components within the cell and promotes the antiaging effects of intermittent fasting.
IMBB-ITE researchers Dr. Ioanna Daskalaki and Dr. Ilias Gikas, headed by Dr. Nektarios Tavernarakis, Professor of the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Crete and President of ITE, Dr. Professor Guido Kroemer of Paris Cite University of France and Dr. Professor Frank Madeo of the University of Graz in Austria has shown that intermittent fasting increases levels of spermidine (a polyamine), a chemical compound that increases the durability and survival of cells and organisms by activating autophagy.
As the researchers point out, autophagy is a process of cell recycling, that is, the destruction of non-functional/unnecessary components and organelles of the cell. Disturbances in autophagy are associated with aging as well as comorbidities such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer, and neurodegenerative diseases. Dietary habits such as low- or high-fat diets, overeating, or fasting can influence these chronic diseases, which are expected to increase in incidence in the coming years.
Furthermore, it is noted that nutritional interventions such as caloric restriction and intermittent fasting can delay aging and extend life expectancy, the main condition being the maintenance of cellular homeostasis through the induction of autophagy. Under these conditions, it is clear that administration of spermidine is an alternative strategy to induce autophagy and prolong lifespan. However, the role of spermidine in the regulation of autophagy and aging during intermittent fasting remains unclear.
Using a number of experimental organisms such as nematode (Caenorhabditis elegans), yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae), fruit fly (Drosophila melanogaster), mouse (Mus musculus) and human cell lines, the research groups of Professor Nektarios Tavernarakis, Guido Kroemer and Frank Madeo showed that intermittent fasting increases cellular levels of spermide, which in turn increases autophagy, resulting in increased lifespan in these organisms. In contrast, inhibition of spermidine synthesis using appropriate inhibitors counteracts the life-prolonging benefits of autophagy through intermittent fasting.
The results of the study highlight the critical role of spermidine in the regulation of autophagy under intermittent fasting conditions, thereby increasing life expectancy in all organisms studied.
The fact that the regulation of autophagy by spermidine and intermittent fasting is an evolutionarily conserved process highlights its central role in monitoring and maintaining cellular homeostasis in various organisms. A study by IMBB researchers and their collaborators sheds light on the mechanisms by which dietary habits can affect aging in humans and suggests new strategies for treating age-related diseases with the aim of improving both expectancy and quality of life.