Neuropeptide F (NPF) produced in the Drosophila gut is an insulin-regulatory hormone (incretin) that is secreted into adult circulation in response to feeding and diet. Suppression of gut NPF extends Drosophila longevity, as does knockdown of NPF receptors at the insulin-producing medial neurosecretory cells in the brain that control the titer of juvenile hormone (JH). Gut hormones and brain insulin regulate lifespan because they control JH titer, which itself is the master endocrine regulator of Drosophila aging. Gut NPF modulates Drosophila aging through the integration of nutrient sensing, insulin signaling, and JH. Given the role of incretin-mimetic drugs to treat diabetes and obesity, it may be time to consider how incretin analogs could impact human aging.
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Division of Biology and Medicine
Center on the Biology of Aging
Marc Tatar, PhD
Professor, Department of Ecology, Evolution and Organismal Biology
Research Interests
Demography, evolution and genetics of aging, endocrine control of longevity, insulin/IGF signaling, innate immunity
Biography
Research Interests: Demography, evolution and genetics of aging, endocrine control of longevity, insulin/IGF signaling, innate immunity
We study aging in Drosophila focusing on the function and outcomes of altered insulin/IGF signaling. We are mapping how domains of the receptor differentially control metabolic pathways impacting lifespan that are common with nutrient sensing and dietary interventions applicable to humans.