Fig. 2.

The transcription factor HLH-2 is a negative regulator of C. elegans healthspan. (A–E) Experimental outcomes of wild-type N2 nematodes treated with hlh-2 RNAi, analyzed regarding (A) hlh-2 mRNA levels as determined by RT-qPCR (n = 3), (B) effect on lifespan in a representative assay (also see Fig. 1A), (C) fertility as determined by counting the number of live progeny and unhatched eggs per worm (n = 10), (D) quantification of “aging pigments” by measuring lipofuscin fluorescence normalized to autoflourescence (n = 8), and (E) locomotion as determined by the number of body bends per min (n = 30). (F) Percentage of paralyzed AM44 mutant worms after treatment with hlh-2 RNAi (n = 30). (G–I) Effect of hlh-2 RNAi on lifespan of the indicated C. elegans strains used as a model for Alzheimer's disease (control strain CL802, rapid paralysis strain CL4176, slow paralysis strain CL2006). Control in all cases refers to treatment with the L4440 vector. P-values for lifespan assays are as indicated in the graphs. See Table S2 for corresponding detailed data and statistical analyses of lifespan assays. Data in histograms are represented as mean ± SD.

ns P > 0.05, *P ≤ 0.05, **P ≤ 0.01, ***P ≤ 0.001.