JWA deficiency accelerates aging through disrupting intestinal epithelial homeostasis via Notch1/PPARγ/Stat5 axis

Abstract

Aging usually suppresses the renewal and regeneration of intestinal epithelium. The imbalance of intestinal epithelial homeostasis may also be a promoter for aging. JWA responds to oxidative stress and repairs damaged DNA; it participates in multiple cellular processes like cell proliferation and differentiation. Here we identified JWA as a new aging-associated gene, whose deletion-accelerated aging in mice was related to intestinal epithelium atrophy. We further knocked out intestinal epithelial JWA and found it disrupted intestinal epithelial homeostasis, thus promoting aging in mice. Mechanistically, we discovered that JWA deficiency promoted Notch1 ubiquitination degradation via ERK/Fbxw7 cascade and interfered with the PPARγ/Stat5 signal axis. This reduced the intestinal stem cell function and altered the intestinal epithelial cell lineage distribution, finally suppressing the renewal and regeneration of intestinal epithelium. Our results demonstrated that JWA is a new aging-associated gene essential for the renewal and regeneration of intestinal epithelium. We also provide a new idea that maintaining intestinal epithelial homeostasis may be a potential anti-aging strategy in humans or mammals.