Mulberrin extends lifespan in Caenorhabditis elegans through detoxification function

Abstract

AbstractMulberrin, a naturally occurring flavone found in mulberry and Romulus Mori, exhibits diverse biological functions. Here, we showed that mulberrin extended both the lifespan and healthspan in C. elegans. Moreover, mulberrin increased the worms' resistance to toxicants and activated the expression of detoxification genes. The longevity‐promoting effect of mulberrin was attenuated in nuclear hormone receptor (NHR) homologous nhr‐8 and daf‐12 mutants, indicating that the lifespan extending effects of mulberrin in C. elegans may depend on nuclear hormone receptors NHR‐8/DAF‐12. Further analyses revealed the potential associations between the longevity effects of mulberrin and the insulin/insulin‐like growth factor signaling (IIS) and adenosine 5′‐monophosphate‐activated protein kinase (AMPK) pathways. Together, our findings suggest that mulberrin may prolong lifespan and healthspan by activating detoxification functions mediated by nuclear receptors.