title: D-galactose-caused life shortening in Drosophila melanogaster and Musca domestica is associated with oxidative stress.
abstract: D-galactose causes aging acceleration in different animal models but the mechanism is unclear. In the present study, we investigated the effects of D-galactose on lifespan and oxidative stress biomarkers in the fruit fly (Drosophila melanogaster) and housefly (Musca domestica). D-galactose was added to drinking water (20 mg/ml) for housefly and to culture medium (6.5%) for fruit fly from 24 h after emergence. Oxidative stress was estimated by measuring the activity of Cu-Zn-superoxide dismutase (SOD) and the levels of lipid peroxidation products, namely malondialdehyde (MDA) and lipofuscin in housefly brain (male) and in fruit fly (male and female). D-galactose caused a significant decrease in mean lifespan (by 12.6% of male and 15.9% of female) and maximum lifespan (by 12.9% of male and 17.1% of female) in fruit fly, and also a significant decrease in mean lifespan (by 27.1% of male, 19.8% of female) and maximum lifespan (by 27.1% of male, 21.9% of female) in housefly. MDA and lipofuscin increased with age in fruit fly and in housefly brains while change of the SOD activity showed a biphasic shape with age. D-galactose caused a significant increase in MDA and lipofuscin and decrease in SOD activity in the age-matched fruit flies and houseflies. These data indicate that D-galactose shortens the lifespan of the two different fly species and that the life shortening effect is associated with an increase in oxidative stress.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Medical Science, Peking Union Medical College, 5 Dongdan Santiao, Beijing 100005, China.
authors.forename: Xu
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Cui
authors.forename: Luning
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Pingping
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Zuo
authors.forename: Zhitao
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Han
authors.forename: Zhengyu
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Fang
authors.forename: Wenbin
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Jiankang
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004331:Drosophila melanogaster / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D005690:Galactose / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006793:Houseflies / Q000502:physiology*; D008017:Life Expectancy; D008062:Lipofuscin / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008315:Malondialdehyde / Q000378:metabolism; D018384:Oxidative Stress
chemical_list: D008062:Lipofuscin; D008315:Malondialdehyde; D005690:Galactose