title: Açaí (Euterpe oleracea Mart.) modulates oxidative stress resistance in Caenorhabditis elegans by direct and indirect mechanisms.
abstract: Açaí (Euterpe oleracea Mart.) has recently emerged as a promising source of natural antioxidants. Despite its claimed pharmacological and nutraceutical value, studies regarding the effects of açaí in vivo are limited. In this study, we use the Caenorhabditis elegans model to evaluate the in vivo antioxidant properties of açaí on an organismal level and to examine its mechanism of action. Supplementation with açaí aqueous extract (AAE) increased both oxidative and osmotic stress resistance independently of any effect on reproduction and development. AAE suppressed bacterial growth, but this antimicrobial property did not influence stress resistance. AAE-increased stress resistance was correlated with reduced ROS production, the prevention of sulfhydryl (SH) level reduction and gcs-1 activation under oxidative stress conditions. Our mechanistic studies indicated that AAE promotes oxidative stress resistance by acting through DAF-16 and the osmotic stress response pathway OSR-1/UNC-43/SEK-1. Finally, AAE increased polyglutamine protein aggregation and decreased proteasome activity. Our findings suggest that natural compounds available in AAE can improve the antioxidant status of a whole organism under certain conditions by direct and indirect mechanisms.
authors.affiliation: Núcleo de Pesquisa em Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, Ouro Preto, Brazil.
authors.forename: Larissa de Freitas
authors.initials: Lde F
authors.lastname: Bonomo
authors.affiliation: Núcleo de Pesquisa em Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, Ouro Preto, Brazil.
authors.forename: David Nunes
authors.initials: DN
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.affiliation: Núcleo de Pesquisa em Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, Ouro Preto, Brazil.
authors.forename: Patrícia Ferreira
authors.initials: PF
authors.lastname: Boasquivis
authors.affiliation: Núcleo de Pesquisa em Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, Ouro Preto, Brazil.
authors.forename: Franciny Aparecida
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Paiva
authors.affiliation: Núcleo de Pesquisa em Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, Ouro Preto, Brazil.
authors.forename: Joyce Ferreira da Costa
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Guerra
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Biodiversidade, Evolução e Meio Ambiente, Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, Ouro Preto, Brazil.
authors.forename: Talita Alves Faria
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Martins
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Biodiversidade, Evolução e Meio Ambiente, Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, Ouro Preto, Brazil.
authors.forename: Álvaro Gustavo
authors.initials: ÁG
authors.lastname: de Jesus Torres
authors.affiliation: Núcleo de Pesquisa em Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, Ouro Preto, Brazil.
authors.forename: Igor Thadeu Borges Raposo
authors.initials: IT
authors.lastname: de Paula
authors.affiliation: Núcleo de Pesquisa em Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, Ouro Preto, Brazil.
authors.forename: Washington Luiz
authors.initials: WL
authors.lastname: Caneschi
authors.affiliation: Institut polytechnique LaSalle Beauvais, Beauvais, France.
authors.forename: Philippe
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Jacolot
authors.affiliation: Faculté de Médecine - Pôle Recherche, Université de Lille 2, Lille, France.
authors.forename: Nicolas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Grossin
authors.affiliation: Institut polytechnique LaSalle Beauvais, Beauvais, France.
authors.forename: Frederic J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Tessier
authors.affiliation: Faculté de Médecine - Pôle Recherche, Université de Lille 2, Lille, France.
authors.forename: Eric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Boulanger
authors.affiliation: Núcleo de Pesquisa em Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, Ouro Preto, Brazil; Departamento de Alimentos, Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, Ouro Preto, Brazil.
authors.forename: Marcelo Eustáquio
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.affiliation: Núcleo de Pesquisa em Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, Ouro Preto, Brazil; Departamento de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, Ouro Preto, Brazil.
authors.forename: Maria Lúcia
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Pedrosa
authors.affiliation: Núcleo de Pesquisa em Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, Ouro Preto, Brazil; Departamento de Biodiversidade, Evolução e Meio Ambiente, Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, Ouro Preto, Brazil.
authors.forename: Riva de Paula
authors.initials: Rde P
authors.lastname: Oliveira
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000494:pharmacology; D017173:Caenorhabditis elegans / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D065748:Euterpe / Q000737:chemistry*; D061307:Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells; D006801:Humans; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D010936:Plant Extracts