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Study · Animal study (in vivo) · mouse · 2020

8 results

The mitochondrial derived peptide humanin is a regulator of lifespan and healthspan.

Yen K, Mehta HH, Kim SJ, Lue Y, Hoang J, Guerrero N, Port J, Bi Q, Navarrete G, Brandhorst S, Lewis KN, Wan J and 10 more

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Swerdloff R, Mattison JA, Buffenstein R, Breton CV, Wang C, Longo V, Atzmon G, Wallace D, Barzilai N, Cohen P

Aging23 Jun 2020Cited by 95 (Europe PMC)

PMID32575074 (opens in a new tab)PMCIDPMC7343442 (opens in a new tab)DOI10.18632/aging.103534 (opens in a new tab)PepBankPUB-32575074
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Summary

Humanin is a member of a new family of peptides that are encoded by short open reading frames within the mitochondrial genome. It is conserved in animals and is both neuroprotective and cytoprotective. Here we report that in C. elegans the overexpression of humanin is sufficient to increase lifespan, dependent on daf-16/Foxo. Humanin transgenic mice have many phenotypes that overlap with the worm phenotypes and, similar to exogenous humanin treatment, have increased protection against toxic insults. Treating middle-aged mice twice weekly with the potent humanin analogue HNG, humanin improves metabolic healthspan parameters and reduces inflammatory markers. In multiple species, humanin levels generally decline with age, but here we show that levels are surprisingly stable in the naked mole-rat, a model of negligible senescence. Furthermore, in children of centenarians, who are more likely to become centenarians themselves, circulating humanin levels are much greater than age-matched control subjects. Further linking humanin to healthspan, we observe that humanin levels are decreased in human diseases such as Alzheimer's disease and MELAS (Mitochondrial Encephalopathy, Lactic Acidosis, and Stroke-like episodes). Together, these studies are the first to demonstrate that humanin is linked to improved healthspan and increased lifespan.
CC BYText from Europe PMC. Highlighted sentences are the source of results.

Results from this study8

2 results from studies that gave the peptide. No result from this study comes from people.

  1. 01AnimalAnimal study (in vivo)Efficacy outcome

    Treating middle-aged mice twice weekly with the humanin analogue HNG improved metabolic healthspan parameters.

    In plain wordsIn middle-aged mice, twice-weekly HNG, a humanin analogue, improved measures of metabolic health.

    Peptide
    Humanin
    Outcome
    Direction not reportedMetabolic healthspan parameters
    Study

    mousen: not reported in source

    middle-aged mice
    Outcome group
    Aging markers · Aging and longevity
    Studied dose
    Dose not stated

    Source sentences

    Summary
    Treating middle-aged mice twice weekly with the potent humanin analogue HNG, humanin improves metabolic healthspan parameters and reduces inflammatory markers.
  2. 02AnimalAnimal study (in vivo)Efficacy outcome

    Treating middle-aged mice twice weekly with the humanin analogue HNG reduced inflammatory markers.

    In plain wordsIn middle-aged mice, twice-weekly HNG, a humanin analogue, lowered markers of inflammation.

    Peptide
    Humanin
    Outcome
    DecreaseInflammatory markers
    Study

    mousen: not reported in source

    middle-aged mice
    Outcome group
    Inflammation markers · Aging and longevity
    Studied dose
    Dose not stated

    Source sentences

    Summary
    Treating middle-aged mice twice weekly with the potent humanin analogue HNG, humanin improves metabolic healthspan parameters and reduces inflammatory markers.

Natural levels measured4

These results measure the body's own peptide. Nobody was given the peptide. They are not evidence about taking it. They are left out of key results, evidence counts and charts.

  1. 03HumanEndogenous levelObservational studyOther

    Circulating humanin levels were much greater in children of centenarians than in age-matched control subjects.

    In plain wordsIn children of centenarians, the body's own humanin in blood was higher than in age-matched controls.

    Peptide
    Humanin
    Outcome
    IncreaseCirculating humanin in children of centenarians
    Study

    n: not reported in source

    Comparator
    Age-matched control subjects
    Outcome group
    Aging markers · Aging and longevity

    Source sentences

    Summary
    Furthermore, in children of centenarians, who are more likely to become centenarians themselves, circulating humanin levels are much greater than age-matched control subjects.

    This result measures the body's own Humanin. Nobody was given the peptide. It is not evidence about taking it.

  2. 04HumanEndogenous levelObservational studyOther

    Humanin levels were decreased in Alzheimer's disease.

    In plain wordsIn people with Alzheimer's disease, the body's own humanin levels were lower.

    Peptide
    Humanin
    Outcome
    DecreaseHumanin levels in Alzheimer's disease
    Study

    n: not reported in source

    Outcome group
    Aging markers · Aging and longevity

    Source sentences

    Summary
    Further linking humanin to healthspan, we observe that humanin levels are decreased in human diseases such as Alzheimer's disease and MELAS (Mitochondrial Encephalopathy, Lactic Acidosis, and Stroke-like episodes).

    This result measures the body's own Humanin. Nobody was given the peptide. It is not evidence about taking it.

  3. 05HumanEndogenous levelObservational studyOther

    Humanin levels were decreased in MELAS.

    In plain wordsIn people with MELAS, the body's own humanin levels were lower.

    Peptide
    Humanin
    Outcome
    DecreaseHumanin levels in MELAS
    Study

    n: not reported in source

    Outcome group
    Aging markers · Aging and longevity

    Source sentences

    Summary
    Further linking humanin to healthspan, we observe that humanin levels are decreased in human diseases such as Alzheimer's disease and MELAS (Mitochondrial Encephalopathy, Lactic Acidosis, and Stroke-like episodes).

    This result measures the body's own Humanin. Nobody was given the peptide. It is not evidence about taking it.

  4. 06AnimalEndogenous levelAnimal study (in vivo)Other

    Humanin levels were stable with age in the naked mole-rat, a model of negligible senescence.

    In plain wordsIn naked mole-rats, the body's own humanin levels stayed stable with age.

    Peptide
    Humanin
    Outcome
    No significant changeHumanin levels with age in naked mole-rats
    Study

    naked mole-ratn: not reported in source

    naked mole-rat
    Outcome group
    Aging markers · Aging and longevity

    Source sentences

    Summary
    In multiple species, humanin levels generally decline with age, but here we show that levels are surprisingly stable in the naked mole-rat, a model of negligible senescence.

    This result measures the body's own Humanin. Nobody was given the peptide. It is not evidence about taking it.

Studies that did not test the peptide alone2

In this study, Humanin was a lab tool or a carrier, part of a mix, or the subject of a lab method. These results are not evidence about taking Humanin.

  1. 07AnimalNot a test of Humanin aloneAnimal study (in vivo)Efficacy outcome

    In C. elegans, overexpression of humanin was sufficient to increase lifespan, dependent on daf-16/Foxo.

    In plain wordsIn C. elegans worms, making the worm produce more humanin extended lifespan, and this needed daf-16/Foxo.

    Peptide
    Humanin
    Outcome
    IncreaseLifespan with humanin overexpression
    Study

    C. elegansn: not reported in source

    humanin-overexpressing worms
    Outcome group
    Aging markers · Aging and longevity

    Source sentences

    Summary
    Here we report that in C. elegans the overexpression of humanin is sufficient to increase lifespan, dependent on daf-16/Foxo.

    In this study, Humanin was a lab tool or a carrier, part of a mix, or the subject of a lab method. This result is not evidence about taking Humanin.

  2. 08AnimalNot a test of Humanin aloneAnimal study (in vivo)Efficacy outcome

    Humanin transgenic mice had increased protection against toxic insults.

    In plain wordsIn mice bred to make more humanin, protection against toxic insults was higher.

    Peptide
    Humanin
    Outcome
    IncreaseProtection against toxic insults in transgenic mice
    Study

    mousen: not reported in source

    humanin transgenic mice
    Outcome group
    Aging markers · Aging and longevity

    Source sentences

    Summary
    Humanin transgenic mice have many phenotypes that overlap with the worm phenotypes and, similar to exogenous humanin treatment, have increased protection against toxic insults.

    In this study, Humanin was a lab tool or a carrier, part of a mix, or the subject of a lab method. This result is not evidence about taking Humanin.

AI wrote and checked these results. AI can make mistakes, so check important results against the source.

Version history

PepBank keeps every version of the data on this study. Status changes from Retraction Watch, Europe PMC and Crossref are listed with their source.

  1. Version 2Current

    13 Oct 2026, 21:44 UTC

    Study results updated

  2. Version 1

    13 Oct 2026, 16:31 UTC

    First added · source update from Europe PMC

Subjects

Terms as the source lists them.

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