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. 2016 Aug;22(8):879-88.
doi: 10.1038/nm.4132. Epub 2016 Jul 11.

Urolithin A induces mitophagy and prolongs lifespan in C. elegans and increases muscle function in rodents

Dongryeol Ryu  1 , Laurent Mouchiroud  1 , Pénélope A Andreux  1   2 , Elena Katsyuba  1 , Norman Moullan  1 , Amandine A Nicolet-Dit-Félix  1 , Evan G Williams  1 , Pooja Jha  1 , Giuseppe Lo Sasso  1 , Damien Huzard  3 , Patrick Aebischer  4 , Carmen Sandi  3 , Chris Rinsch  2 , Johan Auwerx  1
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Urolithin A induces mitophagy and prolongs lifespan in C. elegans and increases muscle function in rodents

Dongryeol Ryu et al. Nat Med. 2016 Aug.

Abstract

The biological effects of urolithins remain poorly characterized, despite wide-spread human exposure via the dietary consumption of their metabolic precursors, the ellagitannins, which are found in the pomegranate fruit, as well as in nuts and berries. We identified urolithin A (UA) as a first-in-class natural compound that induces mitophagy both in vitro and in vivo following oral consumption. In C. elegans, UA prevented the accumulation of dysfunctional mitochondria with age and extended lifespan. Likewise, UA prolonged normal activity during aging in C. elegans, including mobility and pharyngeal pumping, while maintaining mitochondrial respiratory capacity. These effects translated to rodents, where UA improved exercise capacity in two different mouse models of age-related decline of muscle function, as well as in young rats. Our findings highlight the health benefits of urolithin A and its potential application in strategies to improve mitochondrial and muscle function.

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