Effects of microgravity and hypergravity on the longevity of the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans and their association with the DAF-16/FOXO transcription factor

The effects of altered gravity on longevity remains unknown. We investigated the effects of exposure to space microgravity and hypergravity on the longevity of Caenorhabditis elegans throughout its adult life. Microgravity was demonstrated to shorten lifespan and accelerate the rate of aging compared to artificial 1G conditions in orbit. Conversely, hypergravity extended the lifespan and delayed aging. The lifespan of deletion mutants in the daf-16 gene, which encodes the DAF-16/FOXO transcription factor that regulates stress, sensation, and aging, was shortened by microgravity more than that of the wild type and not extended by hypergravity. We identified several DAF-16 target genes involved in the lifespan extension induced by hypergravity, including cav-1 , hsp-17, acdh-1 , and ZK105.13 , which were upregulated by DAF-16 in hypergravity and tended to be downregulated in microgravity. These findings suggest that gravity influences longevity in C. elegans , at least partly, through the regulation of DAF-16.