DOI
https://doi.org/10.25772/XTNS-YH68
Author ORCID Identifier
https://orcid.org/0009-0003-8127-2410
Defense Date
2025
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Science
Department
Biology
First Advisor
Kaya, Alaattin
Second Advisor
Jason Newton
Third Advisor
Sarah Rothschild
Abstract
The kynurenine pathway is a highly conserved pathway that acts as the primary pathway for tryptophan catabolism and has been found to be involved in lifespan regulation across many diverse organisms. Caloric restriction (CR) is the only known dietary intervention to date that both increases the mean lifespan and the health span of multiple organisms, although the molecular mechanisms of these effects are not fully understood. There are known and sometimes contradictory relationships between the kynurenine pathway activity and the life- extending effect of CR but the crosstalk between the two is not well characterized. Understanding these relationships could lead to interventions by which both lifespan and health span can be modulated. Our findings aim to identify genetic components of the kynurenine pathway that affect the lifespan extending effects of caloric restriction. We applied an RNAseq focused approach for identifying molecular changes mediated by kynurenine pathway deficiency under control and CR conditions and further assayed several phenotypic outcomes. As a result, we identified genes and pathways regulated by kynurenine pathways activity and found that decreased tryptophan catabolism is required or CR-mediated lifespan extension. Further research is needed to elucidate the lifespan altering effects of Kynurenine pathway activity in a dose dependent manner as it relates to the beneficial effects of CR.
Rights
© The Author
Is Part Of
VCU University Archives
Is Part Of
VCU Theses and Dissertations
Date of Submission
4-27-2025