Advancing Research
by funding Grant Programs and Fellowships
Driving Innovation
by guiding studies such as the FAST Initiative, the SuperAgers Initiative, and the TAME Trial
Furthering the Field
by supporting the infrastructure of three NIA Initiatives and leading the Amplifying Geroscience Initiative.
Top Breakthroughs driven by AFAR Experts
Delaying Disease by Targeting Aging
Saving Costs by Extending Healthspan
What are the Hallmarks of Aging?
How and Why Do We Age?
What is Geroscience?
What is the Longevity Dividend?
What's Next in aging research?
It is believed that small proteins produced and released by muscle cells play crucial roles in controlling animal health and longevity. However, the underlying mechanisms by which these proteins regulate healthspan and lifespan remain largely unclear.
Dr. Bai’s recent work identified activin, a member of the Transforming Growth Factor beta (TGF-beta) superfamily of proteins, as a novel factor for longevity of skeletal muscle in fruit flies. Muscle-specific activin signaling controls local homeostasis and controls insulin secretion from the brain.
Multiple TGF-beta ligands (molecules that bind to other molecules) bind to and activate shared activin receptors. Dr. Bai found that TGF-beta signaling in flies regulates muscle functions and longevity in a ligand-dependent manner. The muscle-specific reduction of one TGF-beta ligand, the fly activin homolog Daw, prolongs lifespan, while the knockdown of another ligand Myo (the fly homolog for GFD-11/myostatin) reduces lifespan.
Dr. Bai’s group is now further examining the distinct roles of these two TGF-beta ligands and how they contribute to longevity. His research could advance our understanding of the molecular mechanisms by which TGF-beta/activin ligands control aging. These genetic analyses could lead to the development of TGF-beta related therapeutic strategies for preventing age-related diseases.
