{ "abstract": "Sulforaphane, an organosulfur isothiocyanate derived from cruciferous vegetables, has been shown to inhibit inflammation, oxidative stress, and cancer cell growth. To explore the potential of sulforaphane as a candidate natural compound for promoting longevity more generally, we tested the dose and age-specific effects of sulforaphane on C. elegans longevity, finding that it can extend lifespan by more than 50% at the most efficacious doses, but that treatment must be initiated early in life to be effective. We then created a novel, gene-specific transcriptional aging clock, which demonstrated that sulforaphane-treated individuals exhibited a “transcriptional age” that was approximately four days younger than age-matched controls, representing a nearly 20% reduction in biological age. The clearest transcriptional responses were detoxification pathways, which, together with the shape of the dose-response curve, indicates a likely hormetic response to sulforaphane, which we show are regulated by both the daf-16/FOXO and skn-1/Nrf2 transcription factors. These results support the idea that robust longevity-extending interventions can act via global effects across the organism, as revealed by systems level changes in gene expression. Author summary: Broccoli and related vegetables contain a natural compound called sulforaphane that has been linked to several health benefits, including protection against inflammation and some cancers. We wanted to know whether it might also slow aging itself. Using the roundworm Caenorhabditis elegans, a short-lived animal widely used to study aging, we found that sulforaphane extended lifespan by more than 50%, but only at moderate doses, and only when treatment began early in adult life. At the highest dose, the benefit disappeared, a pattern suggesting that sulforaphane works as a mild stress that prompts the body to strengthen its own defenses. To measure how “old” treated worms were on the inside, we built a new aging clock based on genes whose activity changes predictably with age. By this measure, treated worms were biologically about 20% younger than untreated worms of the same age. The genes most strongly switched on were those the body uses to clear out harmful substances, and two well-known master regulators of stress responses were each partly needed for the benefit. Our work suggests that gently activating the body’s own protective systems can promote longer life and offers a new way to test other candidate anti-aging compounds.", "abstract_shown": true, "affiliations": [ "Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Oregon, Eugene, Oregon, United States of America", "Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, United States of America", "Buck Institute for Research on Aging, Novato, California, United States of America", "Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey, United States of America" ], "article_type": "Research Article", "arxiv": null, "author_total": 8, "authors": [ { "affs": [ 0 ], "name": "Christine A. Sedore" }, { "affs": [ 1 ], "name": "Erik Segerdell" }, { "affs": [ 2 ], "name": "Anna L. Coleman-Hulbert" }, { "affs": [ 3 ], "name": "Erik Johnson" }, { "name": "Jonathan N. Levi" }, { "name": "Gordon J. Lithgow" }, { "name": "Monica Driscoll" }, { "name": "Patrick C. Phillips" } ], "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/ffnzmzt0y707s.bib", "cited_by": 0, "doi": "10.1371/journal.page.0000047", "fulltext_url": null, "id": "ffnzmzt0y707s", "issns": [ "3070-801X" ], "landing_url": "https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.page.0000047", "language": null, "licence": "CC-BY-4.0", "licence_label": "CC BY 4.0", "licence_source": "journal", "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/", "metadata_licence": null, "native_subjects": [ [ "openalex", "1302|Genetics, Aging, and Longevity in Model Organisms" ], [ "plos", "/Biology and life sciences/Biochemistry/Metabolism/Metabolic pathways" ], [ "plos", "/Biology and life sciences/Biochemistry/Metabolism/Metabolic pathways/Xenobiotic metabolism" ], [ "plos", "/Biology and life sciences/Biochemistry/Peptides/Glutathione" ], [ "plos", "/Biology and life sciences/Computational biology/Genome analysis/Transcriptome analysis" ], [ "plos", "/Biology and life sciences/Developmental biology/Organism development/Aging" ], [ "plos", "/Biology and life sciences/Genetics/Gene expression" ], [ "plos", "/Biology and life sciences/Genetics/Genomics/Genome analysis/Transcriptome analysis" ], [ "plos", "/Biology and life sciences/Organisms/Eukaryota/Animals/Invertebrates/Nematoda/Caenorhabditis/Caenorhabditis elegans" ], [ "plos", "/Biology and life sciences/Physiology/Physiological processes/Aging" ], [ "plos", "/Biology and life sciences/Toxicology/Detoxification" ], [ "plos", "/Biology and life sciences/Zoology/Animals/Invertebrates/Nematoda/Caenorhabditis/Caenorhabditis elegans" ], [ "plos", "/Medicine and health sciences/Pathology and laboratory medicine/Toxicology/Detoxification" ], [ "plos", "/Research and analysis methods/Animal studies/Experimental organism systems/Animal models/Caenorhabditis elegans" ], [ "plos", "/Research and analysis methods/Animal studies/Experimental organism systems/Model organisms/Caenorhabditis elegans" ], [ "plos", "/Research and analysis methods/Model organisms/Caenorhabditis elegans" ] ], "openalex": "W7223902583", "pdf_url": "https://journals.plos.org/agingandhealth/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.page.0000047&type=printable", "pmcid": null, "pmid": null, "published": "2026-10-27", "publisher": "Public Library of Science", "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/ffnzmzt0y707s.ris", "sources": [ { "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:17:17Z", "native_id": "10.1371/journal.page.0000047", "source": "plos", "url": "https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.page.0000047" } ], "subjects": [ { "field": "biochemistry", "origin": "plos:metabolism", "subfield": "enzymology-metabolism" }, { "field": "biology", "origin": "plos:computational biology", "subfield": "bioinformatics" }, { "field": "medicine", "origin": "plos:toxicology", "subfield": "pharmacology-toxicology" } ], "title": "The broccoli derivative sulforaphane extends lifespan by slowing the transcriptional aging clock", "title_text": "The broccoli derivative sulforaphane extends lifespan by slowing the transcriptional aging clock", "type": "peer-reviewed", "updated_at": "2026-10-30T12:17:17Z", "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/ffnzmzt0y707s", "venue": "PLOS Aging and Health", "versions": [] }