Manganese buildup may trigger cell aging, with the natural drug quercetin helping to reverse it

Manganese exposure shortened lifespan and impaired movement in Caenorhabditis elegans.

• Manganese exposure was associated with increased senescence-related enzyme activity in C. elegans.
• In neuron-like PC12 cells, manganese induced reduced cell viability and telomere shortening.
• Manganese exposure activated stress-related pathways, including p53/p21 signaling and oxidative stress.
• Inhibition of STING signaling partially reduced manganese-induced cell injury and senescence markers.
• Quercetin was found to mitigate oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction caused by manganese.

Simplified