mek-1;shc-1

Correlative evidence links stress, accumulation of oxidative cellular damage, and aging in several species. Genetic studies in species ranging from yeast to mammals revealed several pathways regulating stress response and life span, including caloric intake, mitochondrial respiration, insulin/IGF-1 (IIS), and JNK (c-Jun N-terminal kinase) signaling. How IIS and JNK signaling cross-talk to defend against diverse stressors contributing to aging is of critical importance but, so far, only poorly understood. In this study, we demonstrate that the adaptor protein SHC-1, the Caenorhabditis elegans homolog of human p52Shc, coordinates mechanisms of stress response and aging. Using genetic and biochemical approaches, we discover that SHC-1 not only opposes IIS but also activates JNK signaling. Loss of shc-1 function results in accelerated aging and enhanced sensitivity to heat, oxidative stress, and heavy metals, whereas expression of human p52Shc rescues the shc-1 mutant phenotype. SHC-1 acts upstream of the insulin/IGF receptor DAF-2 and the PI3 kinase AGE-1 and directly interacts with DAF-2. Moreover, SHC-1 activates JNK signaling by binding to MEK-1 kinase. Both aspects converge on controlling the nuclear translocation and activation of the FOXO transcription factor DAF-16. Our findings establish C. elegans SHC-1 as a critical scaffold that directly cross-connects the two parallel JNK and IIS pathways and help to explain how these signaling cascades cooperate to ascertain normal stress response and life span in C. elegans.