Publications de Pénélope Andreux

Urolithin A provides cardioprotection and mitochondrial quality enhancement preclinically and improves human cardiovascular health biomarkers

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) remain the primary cause of global mortality. Nutritional interventions hold promise to reduce CVD risks in an increasingly aging population. However, few nutritional interventions are proven to support heart health and act m ...

2025

Urolithin A improves muscle strength, exercise performance, and biomarkers of mitochondrial health in a randomized trial in middle-aged adults

Johan Auwerx, Patrick Aebischer, Pénélope Andreux

Targeting mitophagy to activate the recycling of faulty mitochondria during aging is a strategy to mitigate muscle decline. We present results from a randomized, placebo-controlled trial in middle-aged adults where we administer a postbiotic compound Uroli ...

2022

Expansion of T memory stem cells with superior anti-tumor immunity by Urolithin A-induced mitophagy

Pénélope Andreux

T memory stem cells (T-SCM) display increased self-renewal and prolonged survival capabilities, thus preventing T cell exhaustion and promoting effective anti-tumor T cell responses. T-SCM cells can be expanded by Urolithin A (UA), which is produced by the ...

CELL PRESS2022

Impact of the Natural Compound Urolithin A on Health, Disease, and Aging

Johan Auwerx, Pénélope Andreux, Davide D'Amico, Pamela Solange Valdés Undurraga, Anurag Singh

Urolithin A (UA) is a natural compound produced by gut bacteria from ingested ellagitannins (ETs) and ellagic acid (EA), complex polyphenols abundant in foods such as pomegranate, berries, and nuts. UA was discovered 40 years ago, but only recently has its ...

2021

Direct supplementation with Urolithin A overcomes limitations of dietary exposure and gut microbiome variability in healthy adults to achieve consistent levels across the population

Johan Auwerx, Patrick Aebischer, Pénélope Andreux, Davide D'Amico

Background Urolithin A (UA) is produced by gut microflora from foods rich in ellagitannins. UA has been shown to improve mitochondrial health preclinically and in humans. Not everyone has a microbiome capable of producing UA, making supplementation with UA ...

2021

Urolithin A improves muscle function by inducing mitophagy in muscular dystrophy

Johan Auwerx, Pénélope Andreux, Davide D'Amico, Hao Li, Tanes Imamura de Lima, Martin Rainer Wohlwend, Peiling Luan, Pirkka-Pekka Untamo Laurila

Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is the most common muscular dystrophy, and despite advances in genetic and pharmacological disease-modifying treatments, its management remains a major challenge. Mitochondrial dysfunction contributes to DMD, yet the mecha ...

AMER ASSOC ADVANCEMENT SCIENCE2021

ARDD 2020: from aging mechanisms to interventions

Pénélope Andreux

Aging is emerging as a druggable target with growing interest from academia, industry and investors. New technologies such as artificial intelligence and advanced screening techniques, as well as a strong influence from the industry sector may lead to nove ...

IMPACT JOURNALS LLC2020

The mitophagy activator urolithin A is safe and induces a molecular signature of improved mitochondrial and cellular health in humans

Johan Auwerx, Patrick Aebischer, Pénélope Andreux, Dongryeol Ryu, Frederic Burdet, Anurag Singh

Urolithin A (UA) is a natural dietary, microflora-derived metabolite shown to stimulate mitophagy and improve muscle health in old animals and in preclinical models of aging(1). Here, we report the results of a first-in-human clinical trial in which we adm ...

NATURE PUBLISHING GROUP2019

MicroRNA-382 silencing induces a mitonuclear protein imbalance and activates the mitochondrial unfolded protein response in muscle cells

Johan Auwerx, Pénélope Andreux, Xu Wang, Norman Lionel Moullan

Proper mitochondrial function plays a central role in cellular metabolism. Various diseases as well as aging are associated with diminished mitochondrial function. Previously, we identified 19 miRNAs putatively involved in the regulation of mitochondrial m ...

2019

Mitochondria! function is impaired in the skeletal muscle of pre-frail elderly

Johan Auwerx, Pénélope Andreux

Aging is accompanied by a gradual decline in both muscle mass and strength over time, which can eventually lead to pathologies, such as frailty and sarcopenia. While these two conditions are well characterized, further investigation of the early biological ...

Nature Research2018