{"title":"An overview of contemporary theories of ageing","authors":"João Pedro de Magalhães","doi":"10.1038/s41556-025-01698-7","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s41556-025-01698-7","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Ageing is a complex biological process whose underlying mechanisms remain contentious. Nonetheless, due to an ageing global population and the rising incidence of age-related diseases, understanding why we age is one of the most important scientific questions of our time, with profound medical implications. Here, I explore the fundamental nature of the ageing process and provide an overview of modern mechanistic theories. I critically examine two main groups of ageing theories: error-based and program-based theories. I discuss the relevance of these theories in the context of ageing patterns, genetic manipulations and longevity drugs, highlighting how experimental challenges and technological limitations have hindered progress. Overall, there is a pressing and unmet need for a robust theoretical framework in ageing research. Elucidating the cellular and molecular mechanisms of ageing would be crucial for developing effective interventions that slow the ageing process and prevent its associated diseases.</p>","PeriodicalId":18977,"journal":{"name":"Nature Cell Biology","volume":"25 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":21.3,"publicationDate":"2025-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144520434","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Gourish Mondal, Hugo Gonzalez, Timothy Marsh, Andrew M. Leidal, Ariadne Vlahakis, Pravin R. Phadatare, Sofı́a Bustamante Eguiguren, Michael Bruck, Akul Naik, Mark Jesus M. Magbanua, Laura A. Huppert, Arun P. Wiita, Jeroen P. Roose, Jennifer M. Rosenbluth, Jayanta Debnath
{"title":"Autophagy-targeted NBR1–p62/SQSTM1 complexes promote breast cancer metastasis by sequestering ITCH","authors":"Gourish Mondal, Hugo Gonzalez, Timothy Marsh, Andrew M. Leidal, Ariadne Vlahakis, Pravin R. Phadatare, Sofı́a Bustamante Eguiguren, Michael Bruck, Akul Naik, Mark Jesus M. Magbanua, Laura A. Huppert, Arun P. Wiita, Jeroen P. Roose, Jennifer M. Rosenbluth, Jayanta Debnath","doi":"10.1038/s41556-025-01689-8","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s41556-025-01689-8","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Autophagy deficiency in breast cancer promotes metastasis through the accumulation of the autophagy cargo receptor NBR1. Here we show that autophagy normally suppresses breast cancer metastasis by enabling the clearance of NBR1–p62/SQSTM1 complexes that instruct p63-mediated pro-metastatic basal differentiation programmes. When autophagy is inhibited, the autophagy cargo receptors NBR1 and p62/SQSTM1 accumulate within biomolecular condensates in cells, which drives basal differentiation in both mouse and human breast cancer models. Mechanistically, these NBR1–p62/SQSTM1 complexes sequester ITCH, a ubiquitin ligase that degrades and negatively regulates p63 in breast cancer cells, thereby stabilizing and activating p63. Accordingly, mutant forms of NBR1 unable to sequester ITCH into NBR1–p62/SQSTM1 complexes do not promote basal differentiation and metastasis in vivo. Overall, our findings illuminate how proteostatic defects arising in the setting of therapeutic autophagy inhibition modulate epithelial lineage fidelity and metastatic progression.</p>","PeriodicalId":18977,"journal":{"name":"Nature Cell Biology","volume":"50 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":21.3,"publicationDate":"2025-06-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144500405","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Zhongshou Wu, Yan Xue, Shuya Wang, Yuan-Hsin Shih, Zhenhui Zhong, Suhua Feng, Jonathan Draper, Allen Lu, Carsten A. Hoeke, Jihui Sha, Lu Li, James Wohlschlegel, Keqiang Wu, Steven E. Jacobsen
{"title":"REM transcription factors and GDE1 shape the DNA methylation landscape through the recruitment of RNA polymerase IV transcription complexes","authors":"Zhongshou Wu, Yan Xue, Shuya Wang, Yuan-Hsin Shih, Zhenhui Zhong, Suhua Feng, Jonathan Draper, Allen Lu, Carsten A. Hoeke, Jihui Sha, Lu Li, James Wohlschlegel, Keqiang Wu, Steven E. Jacobsen","doi":"10.1038/s41556-025-01691-0","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s41556-025-01691-0","url":null,"abstract":"<p>In plants, the maintenance of DNA methylation is controlled by several self-reinforcing loops involving histone methylation and non-coding RNAs. However, how methylation is initially patterned at specific genomic loci is largely unknown. Here we describe four <i>Arabidopsis</i> REM transcription factors, VDD, VAL, REM12 and REM13, that recognize specific sequence regions and, together with the protein GENETICS DETERMINES EPIGENETICS1 (GDE1), recruit RNA polymerase IV transcription complexes. This targeted recruitment leads to the production of 24-nucleotide small interfering RNAs that guide DNA methylation to specific genomic sites in plant female reproductive tissues. In the absence of <i>GDE1</i>, polymerase IV transcription complexes are directed to loci bound by an alternative transcription factor, REM8, highlighting the role of REM transcription factors and GDE1 proteins as positional cues for epigenetic modulation. These findings establish a direct connection between sequence-specific transcription factors and the spatial regulation of siRNA production and DNA methylation, offering new insights into the genetic control of epigenetic patterning.</p>","PeriodicalId":18977,"journal":{"name":"Nature Cell Biology","volume":"18 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":21.3,"publicationDate":"2025-06-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144500407","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Terytty Yang Li, Arwen W. Gao, Rendan Yang, Yu Sun, Yuxuan Lei, Xiaoxu Li, Lin Chen, Yasmine J. Liu, Rachel N. Arey, Kimberly Morales, Raya B. Liu, Wenzheng Wang, Ang Zhou, Tong-jin Zhao, Weisha Li, Amélia Lalou, Qi Wang, Tanes Lima, Riekelt H. Houtkooper, Johan Auwerx
{"title":"A lysosomal surveillance response to stress extends healthspan","authors":"Terytty Yang Li, Arwen W. Gao, Rendan Yang, Yu Sun, Yuxuan Lei, Xiaoxu Li, Lin Chen, Yasmine J. Liu, Rachel N. Arey, Kimberly Morales, Raya B. Liu, Wenzheng Wang, Ang Zhou, Tong-jin Zhao, Weisha Li, Amélia Lalou, Qi Wang, Tanes Lima, Riekelt H. Houtkooper, Johan Auwerx","doi":"10.1038/s41556-025-01693-y","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s41556-025-01693-y","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Lysosomes are cytoplasmic organelles central for the degradation of macromolecules to maintain cellular homoeostasis and health. However, how lysosomal activity can be boosted to counteract ageing and ageing-related diseases remains elusive. Here we reveal that silencing specific vacuolar H<sup>+</sup>-ATPase subunits (for example, <i>vha-6</i>), which are essential for intestinal lumen acidification in <i>Caenorhabditis elegans</i>, extends lifespan by ~60%. This longevity phenotype can be explained by an adaptive transcriptional response typified by induction of a set of transcripts involved in lysosomal function and proteolysis, which we termed the lysosomal surveillance response (LySR). LySR activation is characterized by boosted lysosomal activity and enhanced clearance of protein aggregates in worm models of Alzheimer’s disease, Huntington’s disease and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, thereby improving fitness. The GATA transcription factor ELT-2 governs the LySR programme and its associated beneficial effects. Activating the LySR pathway may therefore represent an attractive mechanism to reduce proteotoxicity and, as such, potentially extend healthspan.</p>","PeriodicalId":18977,"journal":{"name":"Nature Cell Biology","volume":"24 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":21.3,"publicationDate":"2025-06-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144488383","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Huilun Helen Wang, Ida Biunno, Shengyi Sun, Ling Qi
{"title":"SEL1L–HRD1-mediated ERAD in mammals","authors":"Huilun Helen Wang, Ida Biunno, Shengyi Sun, Ling Qi","doi":"10.1038/s41556-025-01690-1","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s41556-025-01690-1","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Endoplasmic reticulum-associated degradation (ERAD) is a critical quality control mechanism responsible for eliminating misfolded or unassembled proteins. It maintains endoplasmic reticulum homeostasis, ensures a proper folding environment and regulates substrate protein levels. Following its discovery in the late 1980s and early 1990s, research on ERAD in mammals—particularly that mediated by the conserved protein complex comprising suppressor/enhancer of Lin-12-like protein 1-like (SEL1L) and HMG-CoA reductase degradation protein 1 (HRD1)—has advanced substantially over the past decade. SEL1L–HRD1-mediated ERAD is now recognized as a fundamental process in mammals that governs various physiological functions largely in a substrate-specific manner. In humans, mutations in this complex have been causally linked to ERAD-associated neurodevelopmental disorders with onset in infancy (ENDI) and ENDI-agammaglobulinaemia. This Review highlights the SEL1L–HRD1-mediated ERAD pathway, exploring its machinery, molecular mechanism and physiological relevance and potential therapeutic strategies targeting this system.</p>","PeriodicalId":18977,"journal":{"name":"Nature Cell Biology","volume":"16 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":21.3,"publicationDate":"2025-06-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144478991","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Daniele Fachinetti, H. Diego Folco, Yael Nechemia-Arbely, Luis P. Valente, Kristen Nguyen, Alex J. Wong, Quan Zhu, Andrew J. Holland, Arshad Desai, Lars E. T. Jansen, Don W. Cleveland
{"title":"Author Correction: A two-step mechanism for epigenetic specification of centromere identity and function","authors":"Daniele Fachinetti, H. Diego Folco, Yael Nechemia-Arbely, Luis P. Valente, Kristen Nguyen, Alex J. Wong, Quan Zhu, Andrew J. Holland, Arshad Desai, Lars E. T. Jansen, Don W. Cleveland","doi":"10.1038/s41556-025-01718-6","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s41556-025-01718-6","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Correction to: <i>Nature Cell Biology</i> https://doi.org/10.1038/ncb2805, published online 21 July 2013.</p>","PeriodicalId":18977,"journal":{"name":"Nature Cell Biology","volume":"17 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":21.3,"publicationDate":"2025-06-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144371176","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Ancély Ferreira dos Santos, José Pedro Friedmann Angeli
{"title":"Organelle conversations drive ferroptosis","authors":"Ancély Ferreira dos Santos, José Pedro Friedmann Angeli","doi":"10.1038/s41556-025-01694-x","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s41556-025-01694-x","url":null,"abstract":"Ferroptosis begins with phospholipid peroxidation, leading to membrane damage rupture and cell death. Although research has surged, the intracellular site for ferroptosis initiation remains uncertain. A study now identifies endoplasmic reticulum–mitochondria appositions as key hubs for phospholipid peroxides and important determinants of ferroptosis sensitivity.","PeriodicalId":18977,"journal":{"name":"Nature Cell Biology","volume":"12 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":21.3,"publicationDate":"2025-06-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144319684","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Liangyu Zhang, Weston Stauffer, Chenshu Liu, Hengyi Shao, Noor Abuzahriyeh, Rui Jiang, David Zwicker, Xing Liu, Xuebiao Yao, Abby F. Dernburg
{"title":"Crossover patterning through condensation and coarsening of pro-crossover factors","authors":"Liangyu Zhang, Weston Stauffer, Chenshu Liu, Hengyi Shao, Noor Abuzahriyeh, Rui Jiang, David Zwicker, Xing Liu, Xuebiao Yao, Abby F. Dernburg","doi":"10.1038/s41556-025-01688-9","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s41556-025-01688-9","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Meiotic recombination mixes genetic information from parental genomes, creating unique combinations of alleles. During meiotic prophase, each homologue pair must undergo at least one crossover to segregate faithfully. Only a few recombination intermediates become crossovers, and these are widely spaced or limited to one per chromosome pair. Mechanisms that regulate crossover number and spacing remain poorly understood. Here we show that, in <i>Caenorhabditis</i> <i>elegans</i>, ‘recombination nodules’, protein assemblies that stabilize recombination intermediates and promote crossover formation, assemble in part through biomolecular condensation and are stabilized by CDK-2 kinase activity. We further demonstrate that essential components of these nodules move along the synaptonemal complex (SC) and do not freely exchange between SCs in the same nucleus. Our findings reveal that recombination nodules behave as active droplets and support a model in which coarsening of these droplets via protein translocation along liquid crystalline SCs underlies crossover patterning.</p>","PeriodicalId":18977,"journal":{"name":"Nature Cell Biology","volume":"44 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":21.3,"publicationDate":"2025-06-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144319683","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Grow up, beta cells","authors":"Angela R. Parrish","doi":"10.1038/s41556-025-01705-x","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s41556-025-01705-x","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Mitochondrial impairment, particularly in beta cells, is closely associated with metabolic disorders such as type 2 diabetes (T2D). In a recent paper, Walker et al. demonstrate that integrated stress response (ISR) signalling from the mitochondria to the nucleus leads to dedifferentiation and loss of maturity in beta cells, causing glucose intolerance and defects in insulin secretion.</p><p>To determine the role of mitochondrial dysfunction in T2D, the authors generated beta cell-specific mouse models with abnormalities in mitochondrial quality control and observed accompanying metabolic dysfunction. Transcriptomic analysis of islets showed changes in expression of cell maturity markers, suggesting acquisition of cellular immaturity, and induction of the ISR. Single-nucleus experiments demonstrate loss of chromatin accessibility at terminal identity genes. Finally, the authors show that small-molecule inhibition of the ISR alleviates the loss of beta cell mass and glucose intolerance caused by mitochondrial impairment.</p>","PeriodicalId":18977,"journal":{"name":"Nature Cell Biology","volume":"145 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":21.3,"publicationDate":"2025-06-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144312029","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Light microscopy reporting for reproducibility","authors":"","doi":"10.1038/s41556-025-01704-y","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s41556-025-01704-y","url":null,"abstract":"We announce a cross-journal pilot at Nature Portfolio journals with a goal of implementing standardized light and fluorescence microscopy reporting to improve methodological description and aid in reproducibility efforts.","PeriodicalId":18977,"journal":{"name":"Nature Cell Biology","volume":"12 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":21.3,"publicationDate":"2025-06-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144312250","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}