Death and dessert: nutrient signalling pathways and ageing

Reduction in nutrient intake without malnutrition can delay ageing and extend healthy life in diverse organisms from yeast to primates. This effect can be recapitulated by genetic or pharmacological dampening of the signal through nutrient signalling pathways, making them a promising target for intervention into human ageing and age-related diseases. Here we review the current knowledge of the interactions between nutrient signalling pathways and ageing, focusing on the findings emerged in the past few years.

► Reduction in nutrient intake can delay ageing and ageing-related diseases.
► Beneficial effects can be recapitulated by dampening nutrient sensing/signalling.
► Effects on ageing by modulation of TOR or insulin-like signalling are evolutionarily conserved.
► Modulation of nutrient signalling pathways could ensure health into old age in humans.