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Vladimir Titorenko, PhD

Professor, Biology


Vladimir Titorenko, PhD

Education

PhD (Moscow)

Research interests

Molecular and cellular mechanisms of aging and age-related disorders

Media

Our demonstration of a potent anti-tumor effect of lithocholic acid in cultured human cancer cells and our identification of the mechanisms underlying such effect of lithocholic acid has been highlighted in the news media, including: The Montreal Gazette; Radio-Canada; The Vancouver Sun; La Presse; Métro Montréal; The Regina Leader-Post; The Windsor Star; The Edmonton Journal; Calgari Herald; MSN Technologie; Bio-Medicine; Medical Xpress; Biology News Net; News Medical; Food Consumer; Science Daily; ScienceNewsline; Canada.com; Cancer; Anti-Aging News; Herbal Treatment; Le Devoir; FierceBiotech; Drug Discovery & Development; BrightSurf.com; Psychomedia; mediLexicon; Walfadjri; Medical News Today; Sante log; La Tribune; Bioscience Technology; Concordia NOW; The Concordian and others.

Dr. Vladimir Titorenko has been named “Personnalité de la semaine La Presse/Radio-Canada” (see here and here).

For a discussion of our research on a mechanism underlying a potent anti-tumor effect of lithocholic bile acid in cultured human cancer cells and its potential applications, please watch this YouTube video:

For a discussion of our research on chemical molecules to delay aging and prevent age-related diseases, please watch this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ASpkPNIkfiY on YouTube video for the Concordia: Next-Gen. Now Campaign.


Teaching activities

BIOL 266 (Cell Biology)


Selected publications

Mohammad, K., Dakik, P., Medkour, Y., Mitrofanova, D. and Titorenko, V.I. Quiescence entry, maintenance and exit in adult stem cells. Int. J. Mol. Sci. (2019) 20: E2158.


Dakik, P., Medkour, Y., Mohammad, K. and Titorenko, V.I. Mechanisms through which some mitochondria-generated metabolites act as second messengers that are essential contributors to the aging process in eukaryotes across phyla. Front. Physiol. (2019) 10:461.


Dakik, P., McAuley, M., Chancharoen, M., Mitrofanova,D., Monica Enith Lozano Rodriguez, M.E., Baratang Junio, J.A., Lutchman, V., Cortes,B., Simard, E. and Titorenko, V.I. Pairwise combinations of chemical compounds that delay yeast chronological aging through different signaling pathways display synergistic effects on the extent of aging delay. Oncotarget (2019) 10:313-338.


Arlia-Ciommo, A., Leonov, A., Mohammad, K., Beach,A., Richard, V.R., Bourque, S.D., Burstein, M.T., Goldberg, A.A., Kyryakov, P.,Gomez-Perez, A., Koupaki, O. and Titorenko,V.I. Mechanisms through which lithocholic acid delays yeast chronological aging under caloric restriction conditions. Oncotarget (2018) 9:34945-34971.


Titorenko, V.I. Molecular and cellular mechanisms of aging and age-related disorders. Int. J. Mol. Sci. (2018) 19: E2049.


Mohammad, K. and Titorenko, V.I. Yeast chronological aging is linked to cell cycle regulation. Cell Cycle (2018) 17:1035-1036.


Mohammad, K., Dakik, P., Medkour, Y., McAuley, M.,Mitrofanova, D. and Titorenko, V.I. Some metabolites act as second messengers in yeast chronological aging. Int. J. Mol. Sci. (2018) 19:E860.


Arlia-Ciommo, A., Leonov, A., Beach, A., Richard,V.R., Bourque, S.D., Burstein, M.T., Kyryakov, P., Gomez-Perez, A., Koupaki, O.,Feldman, R. and Titorenko, V.I. Caloric restriction delays yeast chronological aging by remodeling carbohydrate and lipid metabolism, altering peroxisomal and mitochondrial functionalities, and postponing the onsets of apoptotic and liponecrotic modes of regulated cell death. Oncotarget (2018) 9:16163-16184.


Mitrofanova, D., Dakik, P., McAuley, M., Medkour, Y., Mohammad, K. and Titorenko, V.I. Lipid metabolism and transport define longevity of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Front. Biosci. (2018) 23:1166-1194.

 

Carmona-Gutierrez, D. et al. (including Titorenko,V.I.). Guidelines and recommendations on yeast cell death nomenclature. Microbial Cell (2018) 5:4-31.

 

Titorenko, V.I. Book review on ″Anti-aging Drugs: From Basic Research to Clinical Practice″. ChemMedChem (2018) in press, doi: 10.1002/cmdc.201700585.

 

Mohammad, K., Dakik, P., Medkour, Y., McAuley, M., Mitrofanova, D. and Titorenko, V.I. Yeast cells exposed to exogenous palmitoleic acid either adapt to stress and survive or commit to regulated liponecrosis and die. Oxid. Med. Cell. Longev. (2018) 2018:3074769.


Iouk,T. and Titorenko, V.I. A laboratory test of evolutionary aging theories. Aging (2017) 9:600-601.

 

Leonov, A., Arlia-Ciommo, A., Bourque, S.D., Koupaki, O., Kyryakov, P., Dakik,P., McAuley, M., Medkour, Y., Mohammad, K., Di Maulo, T. and Titorenko, V.I. Specific changes in mitochondrial lipidome alter mitochondrial proteome and increase the geroprotective efficiency of lithocholic acid in chronologically aging yeast. Oncotarget (2017) 8:30672-30691.

 

Medkour,Y., Dakik, P., McAuley, M., Mohammad, K., Mitrofanova, D. and Titorenko, V.I. Mechanisms underlying the essential role of mitochondrial membrane lipids in yeast chronological aging. Oxid. Med. Cell. Longev. (2017) 2017:2916985.

 

Leonov, A., Feldman, R., Piano, A., Arlia-Ciommo, A., Lutchman, V., Ahmadi, M.,Elsaser, S., Fakim, H., Heshmati-Moghaddam, M., Hussain, A., Orfali, S., Rajen,H., Roofigari-Esfahani, N., Rosanelli, L. and Titorenko, V.I. Caloric restriction extends yeast chronological lifespan via a mechanism linking cellular aging to cell cycle regulation,maintenance of a quiescent state, entry into a non-quiescent state and survival in the non-quiescent state. Oncotarget (2017) 8:69328-69350.

 

Draz, H., Goldberg,A.A., Titorenko, V.I., Guns, E., Safe,S.H. and Sanderson, J.T. Diindolylmethane and its halogenated derivatives induce protective autophagy in human prostate cancer cells via induction of the oncogenic protein AEG-1 and activation of AMP-dependent kinase (AMPK). Cellular Signalling (2017) 40:172-182.


Medkour, Y., Svistkova, V. and Titorenko,V.I. Cell-nonautonomous mechanisms underlying cellular and organismalaging. Int. Rev. Cell Mol. Biol.(2016) 321:259-297.

 

Arlia-Ciommo, A., Svistkova, V., Mohtashami, S. and Titorenko, V.I. A novel approach to the discovery of anti-tumorpharmaceuticals: searching for activators of liponecrosis. Oncotarget (2016) 7:5204-5225.

 

Klionsky, D.J. et al. (including Titorenko,V.I.). Guidelines for the use and interpretation of assays for monitoring autophagy(3rd edition). Autophagy (2016) 12:1-222.

 

Medkour, Y. and Titorenko, V.I. Mitochondriaoperate as signaling platforms in yeast aging. Aging (2016) 8:212-213.

 

Lutchman, V., Medkour, Y., Samson, E., Arlia-Ciommo, A., Dakik, P., Cortes, B.,Feldman, R., Mohtashami, S., McAuley, M., Chancharoen, M., Rukundo, B., Simard,E. and Titorenko, V.I. Discovery ofplant extracts that greatly delay yeast chronological aging and have differenteffects on longevity-defining cellular processes. Oncotarget (2016) 7:16542-16566.

 

Tremblay, M., Zhang, I., Bisht, K., Savage, J., Lecours, C., Parent, M., Titorenko, V.I. and Maysinger, D.Remodeling of lipid bodies by docosahexaenoic acid in activated microglialcells. J. Neuroinflammation (2016) 13:116.

 

Lutchman, V., Dakik, P., McAuley, M., Cortes, B., Ferraye, G., Gontmacher, L.,Graziano, D., Moukhariq, F., Simard, É. and Titorenko, V.I. Six plant extracts delay yeast chronological agingthrough different signaling pathways. Oncotarget (2016) 7:50845-50863.

 

Dakik, P. and Titorenko, V.I.Communications between mitochondria, the nucleus, vacuoles, peroxisomes, theendoplasmic reticulum, the plasma membrane, lipid droplets and the cytosolduring yeast chronological aging. Front.Genet. (2016) 7:177.

 

Arlia-Ciommo,A., Dakik, P., Leonov, A., McAuley, M., Medkour, Y., Mohammad, K., Iouk, T.,Simard, É. and Titorenko, V.I. Mechanismsthrough which chemical compounds produced by mammals or plants delaychronological aging in yeast. Austin Biol. (2016) 1:1011.

 

Kyryakov, P., Gomez-Perez, A., Glebov, A., Asbah, N., Bruno, L., Meunier, C.,Iouk, T. and Titorenko, V.I.Empirical verification of evolutionary theories of aging. Aging (2016) 8:2568-2589.

 

Gafar, A.A., Draz, H.M., Goldberg, A.A., Bashandy, M.A., Bakry, S., Khalifa, M.A.,AbuShair, W., Titorenko, V.I. and Sanderson,J.T. Lithocholic acid induces endoplasmic reticulum stress, autophagy andmitochondrial dysfunction in human prostate cancer cells. PeerJ (2016) 4:e2445.

 

Gomez-Perez, A., Kyryakov, P., Burstein, M.T.,Asbah, N., Noohi, F., Iouk, T. and Titorenko,V.I. Empirical validation of a hypothesis of the hormetic selective forcesdriving the evolution of longevity regulation mechanisms. Front. Genet. (2016) 7:216.


Piano, A. and Titorenko, V.I. Theintricate interplay between mechanisms underlying aging and cancer. Aging and Disease (2015) 6:56-75.

 

Beach, A., Leonov, A., Arlia-Ciommo, A., Svistkova, V., Lutchman, V. and Titorenko, V.I. Mechanisms  by which  different  functional states  of  mitochondria define  yeast  longevity. Int. J. Mol. Sci. (2015) 16:5528-5554.

 

Leonov,A., Arlia-Ciommo, A., Piano, A., Svistkova, V., Lutchman, V., Medkour, Y. and Titorenko, V.I. Longevity extension byphytochemicals. Molecules (2015) 20:6544-6572.

 

Beach, A., Richard, V.R., Bourque, S., Boukh-Viner, T., Kyryakov, P.,Gomez-Perez, A.,  Arlia- Ciommo, A.,Feldman, R., Leonov, A., Piano, A., Svistkova, V. and Titorenko, V.I. Lithocholic bile acid accumulated in yeastmitochondria orchestrates a development of an anti-aging cellular pattern by causing age-related changes incellular proteome. Cell Cycle (2015) 14:1643-1656.

 

Shebani, S.,Jones, N., Eid, R., Gharib, N., Arab, N., Titorenko,V.I., Vali, H., Young, P. and Greenwood, M. Inhibition of stress mediatedcell death by human Lactate Dehydrogenase B (LDHB) in yeast. FEMS Yeast Res. (2015) 15:fov032.


Sheibani, S., Richard, V.R., Beach, A., Leonov, A., Feldman, R., Khelghatybana,L.,  Piano, A., Greenwood, M., Vali, H.and Titorenko, V.I. Macromitophagy,neutral lipids  synthesis and peroxisomalfatty acid oxidation protect yeast from “liponecrosis”, a  previously unknown form of programmed celldeath. Cell Cycle (2014) 13:138-147.

 

Goldberg, A.A., Titorenko, V.I.,Beach, A., Abdelbaqi, K., Safe, S. and Sanderson, J.T.  Ring- substituted analogs of 3, 3'-diindolylmethane(DIM) induce apoptosis and necrosis in androgen- dependent and -independentprostate cancer cells. Invest. New Drugs (2014) 32:25-36.

 

Burstein, M.T. and Titorenko, V.I. Amitochondrially targeted compound delays aging in yeast through a mechanismlinking mitochondrial membrane lipid metabolism to mitochondrial redox biology.Redox Biol. (2014) 2:305-307.

 

Arlia-Ciommo, A., Leonov, A., Piano, A., Svistkova, V. and Titorenko, V.I. Cell- autonomous mechanisms of chronological agingin the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae.Microbial Cell (2014) 1:164-178.

 

Martins, D., Titorenko, V.I. andEnglish, A.M. Cells with impaired mitochondrial H2O2sensing generate less •OH radicals and live longer. Antioxid. Redox. Signal. (2014) 21:1490-1503.

 

Richard, V.R., Bourque, S.D. and Titorenko,V.I. Metabolomic and lipidomic analyses of chronologically aging yeast. Methods Mol. Biol. (2014) 1205:359-373.

 

Arlia-Ciommo, A., Piano, A., Svistkova, V., Mohtashami, S. and Titorenko, V.I. Mechanisms underlyingthe anti-aging and anti-tumor effects of lithocholic bile acid. Int. J. Mol. Sci. (2014) 15:16522-16543.

 

Richard, V.R., Beach, A., Piano, A., Leonov, A., Feldman, R., Burstein, M.T.,Kyryakov,  P., Gomez-Perez, A.,Arlia-Ciommo, A., Baptista, S., Campbell, C., Goncharov, D.,  Pannu, S., Patrinos, D., Sadri, B., Svistkova,V., Victor, A. and Titorenko, V.I.  Mechanism of liponecrosis, a distinct mode ofprogrammed cell death. Cell Cycle (2014) 13:3707-3726.

 

Arlia-Ciommo, A., Piano, A., Leonov, A., Svistkova, V. and Titorenko, V.I. Quasi- programmed aging of budding yeast: atrade-off between programmed processes of cell proliferation, differentiation,stress response, survival and death defines yeast lifespan. Cell Cycle (2014) 13:3336-3349.

 

Titorenko, V.I. and Rachubinski, R.A.Origin and spatiotemporal dynamics of the peroxisomal endomembrane system. Front. Physiol. (2014) 5:493.


Filyak, Y., Finiuk, N., Mitina, N., Bilyk, O., Titorenko, V.I., Hrydzhuk, O., Zaichenko, A. and Stoika, R. A novelmethod for genetic transformation of yeast cells using oligoelectrolytepolymeric nanoscale carriers. BioTechniques (2013) 54:35-43.

 

Beach, A., Burstein, M.T., Richard, V.R., Gomez-Perez, A., Leonov, A., Iouk, T.and Titorenko, V.I. A modularnetwork regulates longevity of chronologically aging yeast.  CellBiol. Res. Ther. (2013) 2:1000e110.

 

Richard, V.R., Leonov, A., Beach, A., Burstein, M.T., Koupaki, O., Gomez-Perez,A., Levy, S., Pluska, L., Mattie, S., Rafeh, R., Iouk, T., Sheibani, S.,Greenwood, M., Vali, H. and Titorenko, V.I.Macromitophagy is a longevity assurance process that in chronologically agingyeast limited in calorie supply sustains functional mitochondria and maintainscellular lipid homeostasis. Aging (2013) 5:234-269.

 

Leonov, A. and Titorenko, V.I. Anetwork of interorganellar communications underlies cellular aging. IUBMB Life (2013) 65:665-674.

 

Beach, A. and Titorenko, V.I.Essential roles of peroxisomally produced and metabolized biomolecules in regulating yeast longevity. Subcell.Biochem. (2013) 69:153-167.

 

Beach, A., Richard, V.R., Leonov, A., Burstein, M.T., Bourque, S.D., Koupaki,O., Juneau, M., Feldman, R., Iouk, T. and Titorenko,V.I. Mitochondrial membrane lipidome defines yeast longevity. Aging (2013) 5:551-574.

 

Goldberg, A.A.,Beach, A., Titorenko, V.I. andSanderson, J.T. Bile acids induce apoptosis selectively in androgen-dependentand -independent prostate cancer cells.  PeerJ (2013) 1:e122.


Khatchadourian, A., Bourque, S.D., Richard, V.R., Titorenko, V.I. and Maysinger, D. Dynamics and regulation of lipiddroplet formation in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated microglia. Biochem. Biophys. Acta (2012) 1821:607-617.

 

Burstein, M.T., Beach, A., Richard, V.R., Koupaki, O., Gomez-Perez, A.,Goldberg, A.A., Kyryakov, P., Bourque, S.D., Glebov, A. and Titorenko, V.I. Interspecies  chemical signals released into theenvironment may create xenohormetic, hormetic and  cytostatic selective forces that drive theecosystemic evolution of longevity regulation mechanisms. Dose-Response (2012) 10:75-82.

 

Kyryakov, P., Beach, A., Richard, V.R., Burstein, M.T., Leonov, A., Levy, S.and Titorenko, V.I. Caloricrestriction extends yeast chronological lifespan by altering a pattern ofage-related changes in trehalose concentration. Front. Physiol. (2012) 3:256.

 

Beach, A., Burstein, M.T., Richard, V.R., Leonov, A., Levy, S. and Titorenko, V.I. Integration ofperoxisomes into an endomembrane system that governs cellular aging.  Front.Physiol. (2012) 3:283.

 

Burstein, M.T., Kyryakov, P., Beach, A., Richard, V.R., Koupaki, O.,Gomez-Perez, A., Leonov, A., Levy, S., Noohi, F. and Titorenko, V.I. Lithocholic acid extends longevity of chronologicallyaging yeast only if added at certain critical periods of their lifespan. Cell Cycle (2012) 11:3443- 3462.

 

Titorenko, V.I. and Harkness, T.A.A.The spatiotemporal dynamics of longevity-defining cellular processes and itsmodulation by genetic, dietary and pharmacological anti-aging interventions. Front. Physiol. (2012) 3:419.


Titorenko, V.I. and Terlecky, S.R.Peroxisome metabolism and cellular aging. Traffic (2011) 12:252-259.

 

Beach, A. and Titorenko, V.I. Insearch of housekeeping pathways that regulate longevity. Cell Cycle (2011) 10:3042-3044.

 

Goldberg, A.A., Beach, A., Davies, G.F., Harkness, T.A.A., LeBlanc, A. and Titorenko, V.I. Lithocholic bile acidselectively kills neuroblastoma cells, while sparing normal neuronal cells. Oncotarget (2011) 2:761-782.


Goldberg, A.A., Richard, V.R., Kyryakov, P., Bourque, S.D., Beach, A.,Burstein, M.T.,  Glebov, A., Koupaki, O.,Boukh-Viner, T., Gregg, C., Juneau, M., English, A.M.,  Thomas, D.Y. and Titorenko, V.I. Chemical genetic screen identifies lithocholic acidas  an anti-aging compound that extendsyeast chronological life span in a TOR-independent  manner, by modulating housekeeping longevityassurance processes. Aging (2010) 2:393-414.

 

Goldberg, A.A., Kyryakov, P., Bourque, S.D. and Titorenko, V.I. Xenohormetic, hormetic and cytostatic selectiveforces driving longevity at the ecosystemic level. Aging (2010) 2:361-370.


Titorenko, V.I. and Rachubinski,R.A. Spatiotemporal dynamics of the ER-derived peroxisomal endomembrane system. Int. Rev. Cell Mol. Biol. (2009) 272:191-244.

 

Goldberg, A.A., Bourque, S.D., Kyryakov, P., Boukh-Viner, T., Gregg, C., Beach,A., Burstein, M.T., Machkalyan, G., Richard, V., Rampersad, S. and Titorenko, V.I. A novel function oflipid droplets in regulating longevity. Biochem.Soc. Trans. (2009) 37:1050-1055.

 

Goldberg, A.A., Bourque, S.D., Kyryakov, P., Gregg, C., Boukh-Viner, T., Beach,A., Burstein, M.T., Machkalyan, G., Richard, V., Rampersad, S., Cyr, D.,Milijevic, S. and Titorenko, V.I.Effect of calorie restriction on the metabolic history of chronologically agingyeast. Exp. Gerontol. (2009) 44:555-571.

 

Bourque, S.D. and Titorenko, V.I. Aquantitative assessment of the yeast lipidome using electrospray ionizationmass spectrometry. J. Vis. Exp. (2009) 30:10.3791/1513.

 

Gregg, C.,Kyryakov, P. and Titorenko, V.I.Purification of mitochondria from yeast cells. J. Vis. Exp. (2009) 30:10.3791/1417.

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