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ORIGINAL RESEARCH article

Front. Aging

Sec. Aging, Metabolism and Redox Biology

Volume 6 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fragi.2025.1546017

This article is part of the Research Topic Insights in Aging, Metabolism and Redox Biology: 2024 View all 4 articles

Tissue-Specific Effects of Bacterial PncA Overexpression on NAD + Metabolism and Aging in Mice: Implications for Tissue-Specific Aging Interventions

Provisionally accepted
Hailiang Liu Hailiang Liu 1*Shengyu Feng Shengyu Feng 1Liuling Guo Liuling Guo 1Yue Liu Yue Liu 1Meili Zhao Meili Zhao 1Qing Liu Qing Liu 1Taotao Mi Taotao Mi 1Shuyao Lv Shuyao Lv 1Hao Wang Hao Wang 1Fengjiao Huo Fengjiao Huo 1Jian-Kang Zhu Jian-Kang Zhu 2
  • 1 Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Shanghai East Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
  • 2 Institute of Advanced Biotechnology and School of Medicine, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    Background: As a critical molecule in biological systems, nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) influences the aging of mammals. Therefore, regulation of NAD+ synthesis and degradation may slow aging and mitigate related diseases.Results: This study investigated how mammalian tissues rely on different NAD+ synthesis pathways and prefer specific NAD+ precursors. Overexpressing the bacterial nicotinamidase PncA in mice increased NAD+ levels in the liver and kidneys but decreased levels in the heart and hippocampus. In aged mice (25 months old), this overexpression delayed aging indicators by boosting NAD+ levels in the liver and kidneys, indicating potential for PncA to improve age-related decline in these tissues. However, in younger mice (4 months old), PncA overexpression accelerates the senescence of cardiac cells, resulting in a reduction of NAD+ levels, increased aging markers, and cognitive decline. These disparate results underscore the necessity of a nuanced, tissue-specific perspective when contemplating the use of NAD+ precursor supplementation as a means of addressing aging. Conclusion: Our study highlights the complexity of NAD+ metabolism and its effects on aging in various tissues. It suggests personalized interventions for aging and age-related diseases by showing how different tissues respond to NAD+ precursor manipulation, emphasizing the importance of targeted strategies for optimal therapeutic results with minimal side effects.

    Keywords: Aging, Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide, nicotinamide, nicotinic acid, pncA

    Received: 16 Dec 2024; Accepted: 26 Mar 2025.

    Copyright: © 2025 Liu, Feng, Guo, Liu, Zhao, Liu, Mi, Lv, Wang, Huo and Zhu. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence: Hailiang Liu, Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Shanghai East Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China

    Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.

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