In vivo reprogramming ofCaenorhabditis elegansleads to heterogeneous effects on lifespan

Abstract

SUMMARYIn the last decade, cellular reprogramming of fully differentiated cells to pluripotent stem cells has become of great interest. Importantly, cellular reprogramming by expression of Oct4, Sox2, Klf4, and cMyc (OSKM) can ameliorate age-associated phenotypes in multiple tissues and extend lifespan in progeroid and aged wild-type mice. Surprisingly, the effects of in vivo reprogramming have not been deeply investigated in any other model organisms. Here, for the first time, we induce in vivo reprogramming inC. elegansusing a heat-inducible system at multiple developmental and adult stages. Similar to mice, expression of the reprogramming factors leads to premature death with different levels of toxicity at distinct developmental stages and aging. In vivo reprogramming inC. elegansmight represent a valuable tool to improve our understanding of development and in vivo reprogramming.