Metabolite Exchange Between Cells May Affect Lifespan

Researchers at Charité’s Department of Biochemistry have found that the exchange of metabolic products between cells can affect their lifespan. In a recent study, published in the journal Cell, the researchers used yeast cells to establish their lifespan and found that cells lived around 25% longer when they exchanged more metabolites with each other.

The researchers then used mass spectrometry to track the exchange of metabolites between cells and found that young cells, which were still able to divide well and often, released amino acids consumed by older cells. Specifically, the exchange of the amino acid methionine extended the lives of the cells involved.

The team also found that the longevity of metabolically cooperating communities of cells, known as SeMeCo, was due to metabolic reconfigurations in methionine consumer cells. These cells obtained a more glycolytic metabolism and increased the export of protective metabolites that, in turn, extended the lifespan of cells that supplied them with methionine.

This study is the first to show that metabolite exchange directly impacts the lifespan and aging process of cells. The researchers believe this finding may also apply to other types of cells, such as those in the human body, and plan to investigate this further in future studies. A better understanding of the complex metabolic pathways both within and between cells could help with investigations into how age-related diseases such as diabetes, cancer, and neurodegenerative conditions develop.

According to lead author Dr. Clara Correia-Melo, “It’s a win-win situation. As cells engage in this collaborative exchange, they prolong the lifespan of their community as a whole.”

The researchers hope their study will help make the exchange of metabolic products between cells an area of greater focus in future research. Prof. Markus Ralser, Director of Charité’s Department of Biochemistry and Einstein Professor of Biochemistry, is now planning to investigate the precise mechanisms that allow glycerol to protect cells and extend their lives.