Cornell researchers recently discovered a novel metabolite — a byproduct of life-sustaining chemical processes called metabolism — that is connected to the lifespan of a species of roundworm. Researchers found that when the roundworm Caenorhabditis elegans did not produce acylspermidine, its lifespan decreased. In the mouse cells, the researchers observed a similar effect on lifespan to the one that had been noticed within C. elegans. Newsletter SignupThe results of the knockout indicated that the regular functions of sirtuins are necessary for producing N-acylspermidine and therefore prolonging lifespan, Weiss explained. “Right now, it’s a pretty wide-open question of how [N-acylspermidine] influences lifespan and cancer cell proliferation,” Weiss said.

Source: Daily Sun February 14, 2024 09:32 UTC