Regulatory systems that mediate the effects of temperature on the lifespan of Caenorhabditis elegans

Abstract

Temperature affects animal physiology, including aging and lifespan. How temperature and biological systems interact to influence aging and lifespan has been investigated using model organisms, including the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. In this review, we discuss mechanisms by which diverse cellular factors modulate the effects of ambient temperatures on aging and lifespan in C. elegans. C. elegans thermosensory neurons alleviate lifespan-shortening effects of high temperatures via sterol endocrine signaling and probably through systemic regulation of cytosolic proteostasis. At low temperatures, C. elegans displays a long lifespan by upregulating the cold-sensing TRPA channel, lipid homeostasis, germline-mediated prostaglandin signaling, and autophagy. In addition, co-chaperone p23 amplifies lifespan changes affected by high and low temperatures. Our review summarizes how external temperatures modulate C. elegans lifespan and provides information regarding responses of biological processes to temperature changes, which may affect health and aging at an organism level.

Keywords:

• C. elegans
• aging
• temperature
• thermosensory neurons
• lipid signaling

Acknowledgements

The authors thank all Lee laboratory members for help and discussion.

Disclosure statement

The authors report no conflict of interest.

Additional information

Funding

This study is supported by the Korean Government (MSICT) through the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) (NRF-2019R1A3B2067745) to S‐J.V.L.