title: Blueberry extract prolongs lifespan of Drosophila melanogaster.
abstract: Blueberry possesses greater antioxidant capacity than most other fruits and vegetables. The present study investigated the lifespan-prolonging activity of blueberry extracts in fruit flies and explored its underlying mechanism. Results revealed that blueberry extracts at 5mg/ml in diet could significantly extend the mean lifespan of fruit flies by 10%, accompanied by up-regulating gene expression of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and Rpn11 and down-regulating Methuselah (MTH) gene. Intensive H(2)O(2) and Paraquat challenge tests showed that lifespan was only extended in Oregon-R wild type flies but not in SOD(n108) or Cat(n1) mutant strains. Chronic Paraquat exposure shortened the maximum survival time from 73 to 35days and decreased the climbing ability by 60% while blueberry extracts at 5mg/ml in diet could significantly increase the survival rate and partially restore the climbing ability with up-regulating SOD, CAT, and Rpn11. Furthermore, gustatory assay demonstrated that those changes were not due to the variation of food intake between the control and the experimental diet containing 5mg/ml blueberry extracts. It was therefore concluded that the lifespan-prolonging activity of blueberry extracts was at least partially associated with its interactions with MTH, Rpn11, and endogenous antioxidant enzymes SOD and CAT.
authors.affiliation: School of Life Sciences, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.
authors.forename: Cheng
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Peng
authors.forename: Yuanyuan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zuo
authors.forename: Kin Ming
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Kwan
authors.forename: Yintong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Liang
authors.forename: Ka Ying
authors.initials: KY
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.forename: Ho Yin Edwin
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.forename: Yu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Hongjian
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Zhen-Yu
authors.initials: ZY
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015153:Blotting, Western; D029798:Blueberry Plants / Q000378:metabolism*; D002374:Catalase / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D015536:Down-Regulation; D029721:Drosophila Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D004331:Drosophila melanogaster / Q000235:genetics; D010450:Endopeptidases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D015971:Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic; D006540:Herbicides / Q000633:toxicity; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide / Q000633:toxicity; D008136:Longevity / Q000187:drug effects; D016877:Oxidants / Q000633:toxicity; D010269:Paraquat / Q000633:toxicity; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D043562:Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000172:deficiency / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D000072105:Superoxide Dismutase-1; D015854:Up-Regulation; D000099156:Superoxide Dismutase 2
chemical_list: D002374:Catalase; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D010450:Endopeptidases; D006540:Herbicides; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide; D016877:Oxidants; D010269:Paraquat; D010936:Plant Extracts; D043562:Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase; D000072105:Superoxide Dismutase-1; D000099156:Superoxide Dismutase 2; C115381:mth protein, Drosophila; C570797:Rpn11 protein, Drosophila