Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42448700›Full record

ArticleNature communications2026

Citrulline drives age-related lipid deposition for healthspan.

Chunxia Li, Yanli Wang, Xiumei Xu, Chengbin Li, Zheng Zeng, Jianlin Tan, Lin Fu, Yaomei He, Yu Liang, Qiumin Zhang and 4 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Nature communications, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

14 authors.

Chunxia Li *School of Life Sciences, Yunnan Key Laboratory of Cell Metabolism and Diseases, Yunnan University, Kunming, Yunnan, China.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0001-2964-995X
Yanli Wang *School of Life Sciences, Yunnan Key Laboratory of Cell Metabolism and Diseases, Yunnan University, Kunming, Yunnan, China.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7438-5001
Xiumei Xu *College of Chinese Materia Medica and Yunnan Key Laboratory of Southern Medicinal Utilization, Yunnan University of Chinese Medicine, Kunming, Yunnan, China.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0004-5896-8521
Chengbin LiSchool of Life Sciences, Yunnan Key Laboratory of Cell Metabolism and Diseases, Yunnan University, Kunming, Yunnan, China.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0001-5254-3272
Zheng ZengSchool of Life Sciences, Yunnan Key Laboratory of Cell Metabolism and Diseases, Yunnan University, Kunming, Yunnan, China.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0008-1190-9902
Jianlin TanYunnan Institute of Product Quality Supervision and Inspection and National Agricultural and Sideline Products Quality Supervision and Inspection Center, Kunming, China.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2440-2277
Lin FuSchool of Life Sciences, Yunnan Key Laboratory of Cell Metabolism and Diseases, Yunnan University, Kunming, Yunnan, China.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2065-9465
Yaomei HeSchool of Life Sciences, Yunnan Key Laboratory of Cell Metabolism and Diseases, Yunnan University, Kunming, Yunnan, China.
Yu LiangSchool of Life Sciences, Yunnan Key Laboratory of Cell Metabolism and Diseases, Yunnan University, Kunming, Yunnan, China.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0007-0109-2495
Qiumin ZhangSchool of Life Sciences, Yunnan Key Laboratory of Cell Metabolism and Diseases, Yunnan University, Kunming, Yunnan, China.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0008-2018-6400
Jia LiuSchool of Life Sciences, Yunnan Key Laboratory of Cell Metabolism and Diseases, Yunnan University, Kunming, Yunnan, China.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0000-4473-9446
Xiaoju ZouCollege of Chinese Materia Medica and Yunnan Key Laboratory of Southern Medicinal Utilization, Yunnan University of Chinese Medicine, Kunming, Yunnan, China. xiaojuzou@163.com.
Jingjing ZhangSchool of Life Sciences, Yunnan Key Laboratory of Cell Metabolism and Diseases, Yunnan University, Kunming, Yunnan, China. zhangjingjing@ynu.edu.cn.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-9535-1943
Bin LiangSchool of Life Sciences, Yunnan Key Laboratory of Cell Metabolism and Diseases, Yunnan University, Kunming, Yunnan, China. liangb73@ynu.edu.cn.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-9131-5478

Funding

National Natural Science Foundation of China (National Science Foundation of China) 32160155National Natural Science Foundation of China (National Science Foundation of China) 82300972National Natural Science Foundation of China (National Science Foundation of China) 82360726
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Too much or too less lipid deposition increases mortality, while in contrast, modest lipid deposition during aging is crucial for healthspan. How animals determine the aging state and then promote appropriate lipid deposition for lifespan benefits are largely unknown. In this study, we identified citrulline as a key metabolite driving aging-related lipid deposition for healthspan in Caenorhabditis elegans. Citrulline deficiency reduced aging-related lipid accumulation and shortened lifespan, an effect reversible by dietary supplementation. Mechanistically, during aging, the transcription factor MXL-3 is activated to upregulate the expression of pyr-1, encoding ornithine transcarbamylase (OTC), for the production of citrulline, which then activates the lipogenic enzymes DGAT-2 and MBOA-2 to consequently promote lipid synthesis and deposition for lifespan extension. Collectively, we uncover a MXL-3-citrulline-lipogensis axis to ensure healthspan, providing distinct insights into metabolic aging.

Indexed as

AgingCaenorhabditis elegansCitrullineLipid MetabolismAnimalsBasic Helix-Loop-Helix ProteinsCaenorhabditis elegans ProteinsLipogenesisLongevityOrnithine CarbamoyltransferaseTranscription FactorsBasic Helix-Loop-Helix ProteinsCaenorhabditis elegans ProteinsCitrullineOrnithine CarbamoyltransferaseTranscription Factors

Identifiers

PMID42448700
PMCPMC13490582

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.