A short-term starvation (STS) treatment in young adult male C. elegans significantly improves their reproduction fitness when they are aged. STS stress preserves sperm number and quality in aged male worms, and the mechanism underlying requires APC/C (Anaphase Promoting Complex/Cyclosome) activity crucial for meiotic division to produce sperms.

STS-induced hormetic effects prevent the age-associated decline of FZY-1/CDC-20 expression, which in turn maintains APC/C activity from decline with age and preserves sperm production activity.

The work has been published in Aging Cell.

Article Link: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/acel.12930