Caenorhabditis elegans or C. elegans is often used in studies related to aging because the worms are transparent, making cellular activity easier to view, and they have a short lifespan. But most importantly, they are a simple organism with specific types of metabolic genes that are similar to mammals.
A review in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences in 2019 noted that several studies have reported that select probiotics may “exert anti-ageing effects in nematodes by acting on common molecular pathways, such as insulin/insulin-like growth factor-1 (IIS) and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (p38 MAPK).
“In this perspective, C. elegans appears to be advantageous for shedding light on key mechanisms involved in host pro-longevity in response to probiotics supplementation.”
New data published in Frontiers in Nutrition indicated that the fermented pickles-origin Pediococcus acidilactici may again exert lifespan-extending benefits via the promotion of insulin/IGF-1 signaling and JNK/MAPK signaling.
In addition, scientists from University of Science and Technology Beijing (USTB) and the Beijing Beike Institute of Precision Medicine and Health Technology reported that P. acidilactici may also reduce fat accumulation in the worms.
The study also found that the probiotic also impacted chloride ion-associated genes linked to inflammation in the nematodes, which may impact lifespan.
“Therefore, it is speculated that the [P. acidilactici] might play an important role in the anti-aging activities via the modulation of chloride ion-related genes, providing a new perspective to explore the lifespan extending effect,” wrote the researchers.