Gut Hormones & Aging: Fly Study Reveals Human Links
- A recent study by Brown University biologists sheds light on how a gut-produced neuropeptide hormone influences lifespan.
- Marc Tatar, a biology professor at Brown's Center on the Biology of Aging, has spent two decades investigating the role of insulin and insulin-like growth factors (IGFs) in...
- Tatar's lab focused on neuropeptide F (NPF), a hormone produced in the fly gut in response to diet.The researchers used genetic tools to reduce the ability of fly...
Brown University biologists have discovered how a gut hormone influences lifespan, unveiling its key role in the aging process. This groundbreaking study, published in PNAS, offers potential insights into human aging and related treatments, notably for diabetes and obesity.Researchers focused on neuropeptide F (NPF), a hormone in flies linked to insulin regulation and aging. Suppressing NPF extended fly longevity, suggesting similar mechanisms may affect humans.The research is significant for those seeking to understand the aging process. News Directory 3 reports this exciting progress, highlighting the possibility that insights gained from flies could translate to human health strategies. The team is also examining the impact of GLP-1 agonists on aging. Discover what’s next as research progresses from flies to mice and explores the implications for extending human lifespan.
Gut Hormone’s Role in Aging Uncovered by Brown University Biologists
Updated June 23, 2025
A recent study by Brown University biologists sheds light on how a gut-produced neuropeptide hormone influences lifespan. The research,published in PNAS,suggests potential parallels in humans,notably concerning diabetes and obesity medications that target similar gut hormones.
Marc Tatar, a biology professor at Brown’s Center on the Biology of Aging, has spent two decades investigating the role of insulin and insulin-like growth factors (IGFs) in aging. Tatar noted that reducing insulin and IGF signaling extends lifespan in flies.
Tatar’s lab focused on neuropeptide F (NPF), a hormone produced in the fly gut in response to diet.The researchers used genetic tools to reduce the ability of fly intestines to secrete NPF, thus lowering insulin secretion. They then mapped NPF production from the gut to the brain, linking it to diet.
The study found that suppressing gut NPF extended fly longevity, as did blocking NPF receptors in the brain that control juvenile hormone. The researchers concluded that gut NPF modulates aging by integrating nutrient sensing,insulin signaling,and juvenile hormone production.
“We showed how all of these things work together to control lifespan,” tatar said.
Further experiments are underway to examine the effects of increased NPF secretion and insulin levels in flies.Tatar anticipates that overproduction of gut NPF will negatively impact aging and shorten lifespan.
Despite their simplicity, flies share many genes with humans, and analogous hormones are involved in similar processes. Understanding aging mechanisms in flies could offer insights into human aging.
While humans lack NPF and juvenile hormone, they produce insulin and secrete gut hormones like pancreatic polypeptide Y (PPY) and glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), which regulate insulin production. GLP-1 belongs to the same hormone family as NPF, known as incretins, which boost insulin secretion.
The rise in research on GLP-1 agonists, which mimic GLP-1 and trigger insulin release, prompted Tatar’s team to consider the potential impact of these drugs on human aging, given their findings on insulin and aging in flies.
What’s next
Tatar suggests moving research from flies to mice and establishing studies on GLP1-agonists and aging. He acknowledges this will take time but emphasizes its importance.