Inhibiting age-related inflammation maintains healthy gut microbiota, extends lifespan
Thursday, February 11, 2016 - 12:51
in Biology & Nature
Age-related inflammation drives changes in the fruit fly gut-causing metaplasia or abnormal changes in cells, new research shows. That metaplasia led to changes in the microbiota, which resulted in pathology and shorter lifespans. Researchers reduced inflammatory signaling in the gastric region of the fly gut, preventing metaplasia, maintaining a healthy commensal population, and extending lifespan in the flies by up to 18 percent. Metaplasias have been associated with human cancers and other diseases.