Caffeine extends lifespan by enhancing lysosomal lipolysis in Caenorhabditis elegans

Abstract

Caffeine is a globally consumed stimulant that has beneficial effects on biological processes including metabolism and aging, but its causal role in physiology remains incompletely understood. By using the roundworm Caenorhabditis elegans, here we show that caffeine extends lifespan by eliciting transcriptional remodeling that enhances lysosomal lipolysis. We found that transcriptomes of aged, caffeine-fed animals shifted toward youthful states. By comparing with three longevity-promoting regimens, including reduced insulin/insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) signaling, mild reductions in mitochondrial function, and dietary restriction (DR), we showed that caffeine induced a DR-like transcriptional program. Comparison with eat-2 mutants (a genetic DR model) identified lysosomal lipases lipl-1 and lipl-2 as commonly upregulated genes. The induction of lipl-1 and lipl-2 was required for increased lifespan and reduced neutral lipid accumulation by caffeine intake. Together, these findings indicate that caffeine promotes longevity in a DR-like metabolic reprogramming by enhancing lysosome-driven lipolysis.