DDS promotes longevity through a microbiome-mediated starvation signal.

The antibiotic diaminodiphenyl sulfone (DDS) is used in combination with other antibiotics as a first line treatment for leprosy. DDS has been previously reported to extend lifespan in through inhibition of pyruvate kinase and decreased mitochondrial function. Here we report an alternative mechanism of action by which DDS promotes longevity in by reducing folate production by the microbiome.

Sorbitol treatment extends lifespan and induces the osmotic stress response in Caenorhabditis elegans.

The response to osmotic stress is a highly conserved process for adapting to changing environmental conditions. Prior studies have shown that hyperosmolarity by addition of sorbitol to the growth medium is sufficient to increase both chronological and replicative lifespan in the budding yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Here we report a similar phenomenon in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans.