ORCiD
David M. Ojcius: 0000-0003-1461-4495
Department
Biomedical Sciences
Document Type
Article
Publication Title
Aging
ISSN
1945-4589
Volume
13
Issue
10
DOI
10.18632/aging.203068
First Page
13474
Last Page
13495
Publication Date
1-1-2021
Abstract
The medicinal fungus Ganoderma lucidum is used as a dietary supplement and health tonic, but whether it affects longevity remains unclear. We show here that a water extract of G. lucidum mycelium extends lifespan of the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. The G. lucidum extract reduces the level of fibrillarin (FIB-1), a nucleolar protein that correlates inversely with longevity in various organisms. Furthermore, G. lucidum treatment increases expression of the autophagosomal protein marker LGG-1, and lifespan extension is abrogated in mutant C. elegans strains that lack atg-18, daf-16, or sir-2.1, indicating that autophagy and stress resistance pathways are required to extend lifespan. In cultured human cells, G. lucidum increases concentrations of the LGG-1 ortholog LC3 and reduces levels of phosphorylated mTOR, a known inhibitor of autophagy. Notably, low molecular weight compounds (<10 kDa) isolated from the G. lucidum water extract prolong lifespan of C. elegans and the same compounds induce autophagy in human cells. These results suggest that G. lucidum can increase longevity by inducing autophagy and stress resistance.
Recommended Citation
Peng, H.,
Wu, C.,
Hsiao, Y.,
Martel, J.,
Ke, P.,
Chiu, C.,
Liau, J.,
Chang, I. T.,
Su, Y.,
Ko, Y.,
Young, J. D.,
&
Ojcius, D. M.
(2021).
Ganoderma Lucidum Stimulates Autophagy-Dependent Longevity Pathways in Caenorhabditis Elegans and Human Cells.
Aging, 13(10), 13474–13495.
DOI: 10.18632/aging.203068
https://scholarlycommons.pacific.edu/dugoni-facarticles/514
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License.
