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Social reprogramming in ants induces longevity-associated glia remodeling

View ORCID ProfileLihong Sheng, View ORCID ProfileEmily J. Shields, Janko Gospocic, View ORCID ProfileKarl M. Glastad, Puttachai Ratchasanmuang, View ORCID ProfileArjun Raj, View ORCID ProfileShawn Little, View ORCID ProfileRoberto Bonasio
doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2019.12.19.883181
Lihong Sheng
1Epigenetics Institute; University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
2Department of Cell and Developmental Biology; University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
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Emily J. Shields
1Epigenetics Institute; University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
3Graduate Group in Genomics and Computational Biology; University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
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Janko Gospocic
1Epigenetics Institute; University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
2Department of Cell and Developmental Biology; University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
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Karl M. Glastad
1Epigenetics Institute; University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
2Department of Cell and Developmental Biology; University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
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Puttachai Ratchasanmuang
2Department of Cell and Developmental Biology; University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
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Arjun Raj
1Epigenetics Institute; University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
4Department of Bioengineering; University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
5Department of Genetics; University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
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Shawn Little
2Department of Cell and Developmental Biology; University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
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Roberto Bonasio
1Epigenetics Institute; University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
2Department of Cell and Developmental Biology; University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
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  • For correspondence: roberto@bonasiolab.org
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ABSTRACT

Healthy brain aging is of crucial societal importance; however, the mechanisms that regulate it are largely unknown. Social insects are an outstanding model to study the impact of environment and epigenetics on brain function and aging because workers and queens arise from the same genome but display profound differences in behavior and longevity. In Harpegnathos saltator ants, adult workers can transition to a queen-like phenotypic state called gamergate. This caste transition results in reprogramming of social behavior and lifespan extension. Whether these changes in brain function and physiology cause brain remodeling at the cellular level is not known. Using single-cell RNA-sequencing of Harpegnathos brains undergoing caste transition, we uncovered shifts in neuronal and glial populations. In particular, the conversion of workers into long-lived gamergates caused the expansion of ensheathing glia, which maintain brain health by phagocytosing damaged neuronal structures. These glia cells were lost during aging in normal workers but not in longer-lived gamergates. We observed similar caste- and age-associated differences in ensheathing glia in other Hymenoptera as well as Drosophila melanogaster. We propose that enhanced glia-based neuroprotection promotes healthy brain aging and contributes to the extended lifespan of the reproductive caste in social insects.

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Posted December 20, 2019.
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Social reprogramming in ants induces longevity-associated glia remodeling
Lihong Sheng, Emily J. Shields, Janko Gospocic, Karl M. Glastad, Puttachai Ratchasanmuang, Arjun Raj, Shawn Little, Roberto Bonasio
bioRxiv 2019.12.19.883181; doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2019.12.19.883181
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Social reprogramming in ants induces longevity-associated glia remodeling
Lihong Sheng, Emily J. Shields, Janko Gospocic, Karl M. Glastad, Puttachai Ratchasanmuang, Arjun Raj, Shawn Little, Roberto Bonasio
bioRxiv 2019.12.19.883181; doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2019.12.19.883181

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