ER Remodeling and ER-phagy in Aging

Researchers at Vanderbilt University, led by Assistant Professor Kris Burkewitz and first author Eric Donahue, have discovered a new mechanism by which cells adapt to the aging process. Published in Nature Cell Biology, their study reveals that cells actively remodel the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), a crucial organelle, through a process called ER-phagy. This selective breakdown of specific ER subdomains is linked to lifespan and healthy aging. The findings suggest that ER-phagy could be a promising drug target for age-related chronic conditions such as neurodegenerative diseases and various metabolic disorders. The research utilized Caenorhabditis elegans worms as a model organism and was supported by funding from the United States===National Institute on Aging, the United States===National Institute of General Medical Sciences, the Glenn Foundation for Medical Research, and the American Federation for Aging Research, with collaborations from the University of Michigan and the University of California, San Diego.